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BangoriadSPRING 2011

Bangor University’s Alumniand Friends’ Magazine

Celebrating the Centenary of theMain University Building

Bangoriad

2 BANGORIAD SPRING 2011

WelcomeHello and welcome to the Spring 2011 edition of Bangoriad. In this issue we’redelighted to be able to introduce you to our new Vice-Chancellor, Professor John G.Hughes. Read about his plans for the University on the next page. We also bring youup to date with the latest news from the University, plus features on the excitingresearch into cancer treatment being developed by our School of ElectronicEngineering (page 9) and the centenary of the Main Arts building (page 7).

In addition to the Bangoriad, we also send a quarterly e-newsletter to ouralumni. If you would like to receive all the latest news from the University, let usknow your email address by updating your details on our website:www.bangor.ac.uk/alumni/update

As ever, if you have any interesting stories to tell, photographs to share ofyour time in Bangor or would like to contribute to future editions of theBangoriad, then please get in touch.

Best wishes,Bethan PerkinsEditor

SPRING 2011Bangor University’s Alumni and Friends’ Magazine

Keep in touch online:

Update your contact details at:www.bangor.ac.uk/alumni/update

BangorAlumni

Bangor University Alumni and Friends

Bangor University Alumni (Graduates) Group

Contents3 An International University for the Region

4 University News

7 Bangor’s Lasting Monument

8 Treborth Botanic Garden

9 Medical Microwave Technology

10 Alumni Events

12 International Alumni

13 Alumni Profiles

14 Giving to Bangor

16 Pontio

17 In Memoriam

Development andAlumni Relations Office

Kristen L. Gallagher, Head of Developmentand Alumni RelationsPhone: +44 (0)1248 382004Email: [email protected]

Bethan Perkins, Alumni Development OfficerPhone: +44 (0)1248 388332Email: [email protected]

Kirsty Thomson, Major Gifts OfficerPhone: +44 (0)1248 382671Email: [email protected]

Emma Marshall, Annual Giving OfficerPhone: +44 (0)1248 382594Email: [email protected]

Paula Fleck, Development AdministratorPhone: +44 (0)1248 382020Email: [email protected]

Pete Davis, Database AdministratorPhone: +44 (0)1248 382223Email: [email protected]

Development and Alumni Relations Office,Gartherwen,Bangor University,Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2DGUK

e-mail: [email protected]/alumni

Design: Mel Parry Design

Cover: ©Mel Parry Photography

Acknowledgements: This publication is forformer students, staff and friends of BangorUniversity. The articles printed here, to the bestof our knowledge, were correct at the time ofgoing to press. The views expressed in thismagazine are not necessarily those of BangorUniversity or the Editor. For permission toreproduce any article please contact the Editor.

Data Protection: Alumni data is held securely andconfidentially on the University’s Development andAlumni Relations Office database for the purposes ofpromoting closer links between Bangor University andits former students. The data is available to theUniversity's academic and administrative departmentsfor the purpose of promoting closer links with alumni,as well as to recognised University societies. For fulldetails visit: www.bangor.ac.uk/alumni

© Bangor University 2011

A WORD FROM THE VICE-CHANCELLOR

BANGORIAD SPRING 2011 3

An International Universityfor the RegionHow does it feel to be Bangor University’sseventh Vice-Chancellor and what do you seeas our main challenges?I am delighted and honoured to have taken upthe post of Vice-Chancellor of BangorUniversity. The University has a distinguishedhistory, a unique character and a significantrecord of achievement. It also has a wonderfulatmosphere of collegiality and loyalty, and Iintend to do everything I can to preserve thosequalities.

The economic climate for all universities willbe difficult over the next few years butfinancial stability is a crucial component inachieving academic success. Bangor isentering this period from a position of relativefinancial strength, and I am determined toensure that we maintain the high quality ofour provision, without incurring debt.

What’s the way forward?In building upon our successes, the Universitymust recruit and retain the best people andreward excellence appropriately throughincentives at the personal and school /departmental levels. In research, our focusmust be on areas of existing strength, subjectswith clearly recognized potential and areasrelevant to national and regional priorities inthe social, cultural and economic arenas. Wemust also be alert to inter-disciplinaryopportunities in teaching and research. A

successful university must be agile in adaptingto the changing demands and requirements ofits students and society at large.

However, an attribute of the very bestuniversities is that they maintain thetraditional academic disciplines at their core.In fact, the flow of external funds to fields thatattract generous research support can allow auniversity to direct more of its institutionalfunds to supporting excellence in other fields.Through such processes, the best universitieshave maintained great strengths in thehumanities and the arts, for example, and theyhave resisted financial temptations to turn theuniversity into a group of research institutesor to narrow their educational mission.Research performance alone must not be thesole driver of our academic ambitions.

What are the next steps?We will be working on a new Strategic Planover the next few months, and we will beconsulting widely on this in order to ensurethat it accurately reflects our aspirations inteaching and research and engages with thepolicies of the Welsh Assembly Government.Important specific themes will includeinternationalisation of the University,regionalisation & partnership, Welsh mediumstudy and civic engagement.

Bangor has a strong commitment to its region

and I intend to maintain and indeedstrengthen that commitment. However, I donot want us to be a narrowly focused regionaluniversity but rather an internationaluniversity for the region. The more successfuland the more international we are, the morewe can contribute to the region.

I am committed to building on our successesin widening access, in raising aspirations, andproviding ‘ladders of opportunity’ for studentsin collaboration with Further Educationcolleges in the region. I also want tostrengthen and develop our relationships withschools and ensure that Bangor University isthe destination of choice for the best studentsin the area. The University must also continueto contribute strongly to the social andcultural life of the region, improve ourinteraction with the community and engage inpartnerships with industry and commerce.

As Vice-Chancellor, I am committed toproviding strong and decisive leadership withdeep respect for the traditions and values ofthe institution. I want to improve our internaland external communications and, inparticular, the way in which the Universitypresents and markets itself locally, nationallyand internationally. I am also committed tomodern and efficient approaches to bothacademic and administrative management.

In September, ProfessorJohn G. Hughes, formerlyPresident of the NationalUniversity of Ireland,Maynooth, joined BangorUniversity asVice-Chancellor. Here,Professor Hughes tells usabout his vision for theUniversity and thechallenges that lie ahead.

NEWS • www.bangor.ac.uk/news


Bangoriad News

Bangor University graduate Professor RobertEdwards FRS has been awarded the 2010Nobel Prize in Medicine.

Professor Edwards FRS developed in-vitrofertilisation (IVF), which has brought parenthoodto many couples who would otherwise havebeen childless. His work was carried out withPatrick Steptoe, who died in 1988.

Robert Edwards gained his first degree inZoology at Bangor University in 1951. Hebecame inspired with an enthusiasm formammals by leading Bangor University

Professor Rogers Brambell. He later spent asuccessful career at Cambridge.“We wholeheartedly congratulate ProfessorEdwards. His research has brought happinessto so many families throughout the world.Professor Edwards is also an Honorary Fellowof Bangor University and we’re delighted thathe has achieved such high recognition for hisoutstanding contribution to science in a waythat has touched the lives of so many,”commented Professor John G. Hughes,Vice-Chancellor.

Bangor Alumnus NamedTeacher of the YearCongratulations to Bangor graduateLlew Davies who has been votedTeacher of the Year.

Llew, who graduated with a B.Ed. in2003, has recently been appointed deputyhead teacher at Ysgol Cae Top, Bangor. Hereceived the top prize at the annualTeaching Awards for his profession.

“Llew’s success brings credit to theUniversity and to the Primary Educationcourse. It is great to see teachers whotrained with us excel in this way. He hasremained in touch with the University andworks with us in a variety of ways. He is amentor for trainee teachers in his schooland brings his pupils in to workshopsheld in the School of Education,” saidProfessor Janet Pritchard, Head of theSchool of Education.

Alumnus Wins Nobel Prize

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Bangor’s Indian students celebrated the Hindufestival of Diwali in November as theInternational Student Welfare Service hosteda party at Neuadd Rathbone.

The Diwali festival, or ‘festival of lights’, isone of the most important in the Indian calendarand, being away from home and family, thoseIndian students living and studying in Bangorwere given an opportunity to celebrate withfriends and other international students.Neuadd Rathbone was brightly decorated withlights and flowers and students enjoyedtraditional music, song and dance.

Indian Diwali Celebrations

Four former members of staff were namedin the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.Barbara Kinsella, a former secretary in theSchool of Chemistry received an MBE forservices to her community in Cemaes Bay,Anglesey. Roger Cooper, who retired asHead of the School of Agriculture andForest Sciences in 2004, received an MBE

for his services to forestry. Mair Jones, aformer Head of the School of Nursing,received a CBE for her contribution tofurther education in Wales and Neil RogerJones, a former member of staff at TheBioComposites Centre, received an MBE forservices to mountain rescue in NorthWales.

Former Staff on the Queen’s Honours List

European Grant Success forLaw SchoolBangor University Law School’s ProfessorDermot Cahill and Ceri Evans havesuccessfully led a €4 million researchgrant bid, a collaboration with Dublin CityUniversity’s Strategic Procurement Unit.

The project is expected to have a majorimpact on the cross-border economy interms of wealth generation, employmentintegration, and in generating more andbetter jobs.

Major Marine Science Boostfor North WalesA major £23.6m investment to grow Wales’marine sector by increasing collaborativeresearch projects between business anduniversities has been announced.

Bangor University’s SEACAMS (SustainableExpansion of the Applied Coastal and MarineSectors) project has been given the go-aheadfollowing backing from the European RegionalDevelopment Fund through the WelshAssembly Government.

The project will turn cutting edge researchideas into new processes, services andtechnologies to encourage over 450businesses to grow, create new high-tech jobsand win more global contracts.

As part of the project, a new InnovationCentre will be set up at the University’s Schoolof Ocean Sciences at Menai Bridge, Anglesey.The Centre will provide laboratory andcomputing facilities for small and mediumsized enterprises.

Professor Robert Edwards FRS

Prince Madog,the School ofOcean Science’sresearch ship

www.bangor.ac.uk/news • NEWS


Taking Business Expertise tothe City of LondonBangor University’s Business School,currently ranked as the leading institutionin the UK for Accounting and Financeresearch, has launched a new teachingbase in Broadgate Tower in the City ofLondon.

The Bangor London Centre will sharethe Bangor Business School’s excellencein Accountancy, Banking and Finance bydelivering three specialist MBA degrees,covering Banking and Finance, IslamicBanking and Finance and a uniqueChartered Banker MBA. All threeprogrammes will be delivered at theLondon location and will be taught by theSchool’s current staff.

Bangor Graduate Wins BBC RoleA Bangor University alumnus has won a placeon the prestigious BBC Production TraineeScheme. Jack Green, who is originally fromManchester, studied for a BA in CreativeStudies then went on to study for a part-timeMA in Media Practice, both at Bangor.

Jack beat stiff competition from 4,000applicants to win one of 12 places on thescheme. He went through a rigorous interviewprocess involving a group assessment and aninterview with a panel of BBC executives, wherehe had to come up with and pitch an idea for aSaturday night TV show to rival The X Factor.

Jack said, “It felt a bit like I was auditioningin front of a panel of judges myself during theinterview, but thankfully my pitch went welland I was awarded a place as a productiontrainee.” Jack will be spending 18-months atvarious BBC departments, learning about allaspects of TV, Radio and Online production.

Outstanding Student Support RecognisedBangor University’s Peer Guide Scheme was shortlisted for a UK award for Outstanding StudentSupport, presented by the Times Higher Education magazine.

Bangor’s Peer Guide Scheme is one of the largest of its type in the country. It matches upnew students with current second and third year students who act as mentors, arrange socialactivities, show students around and generally give advice, from the best place to shop tosignposting where to go in the University for academic or other support. The Scheme hasdeveloped and expanded over the 15 years since the original pilot. This year for the first time,Postgraduate students have a parallel ‘buddy’ scheme and their own dedicated PostgraduateAmbassadors.

Bangor Website Amongst the Best in the UKBangor University's website has been voted as one of the best university sites in the UKby prospective students.

A report published in the Times Higher Education magazine in August rankedBangor's website amongst the most effective sites in terms of providing potentialstudents with the information they need to decide where to study.

Amongst the areas in which the Bangor website achieved top marks were ease ofnavigation, how easy it was to find contact details, and for providing a student perspective onstudying at Bangor, through effective use of profiles and interviews with current students.

Global Conservation ReviewScientists at Bangor University havecontributed data to the latestcomprehensive conservation assessmentof the world’s vertebrates.

The Red List™ report published in theinternational journal Science, investigatesthe status of the world’s animals, birdsand fish and reveals that one-fifth ofspecies are threatened with extinction.However the analysis shows that thesituation would be worse without theefforts of conservation.

Dr Richard Jenkins, a research officerin the University’s School of Environment,Natural Resources and Geography, is anauthor on this important paper. Dr Jenkinscontributed to the assessment of thestatus of the mammals of Madagascar,especially the bats on which he is aparticular expert. He now works on aBangor University project to addresssome of the threats facing these species.

Elizabeth Taylor Jay, who gained an MSc inMarine Environmental Protection in 1998 fromBangor University’s School of Ocean Sciences,has received the World Award for the BestAction on Biological Diversity 2010.

Elizabeth is the Director of CORALINA, aColombian Government Conservation Agencyin Providence, Colombia. The award was forwork on the Seaflower Marine Protected Area,a 200,000ha reserve in the Caribbean, whichprovides for fishing communities to fishsustainably.

Elizabeth undertook her research project onmapping coral ecosystem habitats in the lagoonsof Mauritius with Dr John Turner and ProfessorColin Jago of the School of Ocean Sciences.

Elizabeth Taylor Jayin Mauritius

World Award for MarineBiodiversity

NEWS • www.bangor.ac.uk/news


Satisfied Students!The recent National Student Survey hasrevealed that Bangor’s students recorded an86% overall satisfaction with the quality ofteaching that they receive at the University.The benchmark average for the UK as a wholeis 83% and 82% for Wales.

One School that performed exceptionallywell is the School of Welsh whose studentshave recorded a 100% satisfaction rate for thelast two years. The School of Education andLifelong Learning also received a positiveresult from their Foundation Teacher Trainingcohort, ranking Bangor highest among 58institutions, with an overall satisfaction of98%. The School of Psychology achieved a95% rating, placing them 6th of the 100universities teaching psychology in the UK.

Are You a Recent Graduate?Would you be willing to help ourundergraduates by sharing your graduatejourney into employment?

Our aim is to provide some self-help in theform of interesting case studies of personaljourneys into employment, which may providean insight to an employment sector, or intoworking for a graduate training provider. Thislevel of information can supplement publishedresources by providing the personalperspective and could be supportive andinspirational as well as factual.

If you would like to assist please contact:[email protected]

Get it out for BangorLaunched in conjunction with the ‘LoveBangor’ project, Bangor Students’ Unionran a litter clean-up under the slogan,‘Get it out for Bangor’. This campaignwas run with the intention of gettingstudents to ensure they cleared all oftheir litter before going home for thesummer.

Armed with litter-pickers andbinbags, students - some dressed inninja clothing - took to the streetsclearing up rubbish. The end result wasstaggering, with a massive 17 tonnes oflitter collected.

Work has already started on planningthis year’s campaign, this time focusingon recycling.

2010 Honorary Fellows

Bangor Universityawarded HonoraryFellowships to sevenindividuals for theircontributions in theirspecific fields duringJuly 2010’s graduationceremonies.

Mike Peters (1), front man of rock bandThe Alarm, was honoured for his services tocontemporary music and particularly for thework he has done to raise money for cancerfoundation, Love Hope Strength, of which he

is a co-founder. Alsohonoured were Welshauthor Jane Edwards(2), the scientist andbusinessmanSir ChristopherEvans (3),

Denbighshire local historian Robert MorrisOwen (4), the journalist and author SirSimon Jenkins (5), former Vice-Chancellorof the University of Wales, Lampeter, KeithRobbins (6), and High Court Judge MrJustice Roderick Evans (7).

1

2 3

4 5

6 7

FEATURES


Many, over the years, have been captivatedby the romance and symbolism of H.T.

Hare’s imposing Main University Building inBangor. The building, constructed during1907-11 around two quadrangles, was similarin design to a number of Oxbridge colleges,but with due homage paid to Welsh historyand culture. Remarkable statues – forexample, of Owain Glyndwr and of Llywelynap Gruffydd – adorn niches on the outside ofthe Tower of the building; the Library wing’sprojected buttressed gables also containstatues of Bishop William Morgan andGoronwy Owen.

At the time of its opening, the Head of anEnglish University thought the building “toogood for mortal man.” C.S. Lewis, author of thefamous Narnia stories, referred to it as the“strange and beautiful hillside college atBangor” after he had delivered a series ofPublic Lectures in the University College in1941. Architectural experts cheered Hare’sdesign to the echo: the Liverpool ArchitecturalSociety at the time considered it “so entirelysuccessful”, while a 21st century assessmentin The Buildings of Wales, Gwynedd portrays itas “a citadel of learning, serious and cheeringat the same time.”

The Penrhyn Arms had always beenintended as a temporary home for theUniversity College of North Wales, and by theturn of the century the need for a new buildingwas acute. How and where this could beachieved was unclear, however – until BangorCity Council in 1902 purchased a 10-acre siteoverlooking the city (including Penrallt andpart of the ‘Bishop’s Park’) and, with immensegenerosity, handed it over to the UniversityCollege as a free gift. The College itselfpurchased another 5 acres, and launched an

appeal for donations. There were major gifts –the Drapers’ Company donated the Library andMuseum wing (now the Shankland and LloydRooms), Sir John Prichard-Jones made asignificant donation for the ‘Great Hall’ whichsubsequently bore his name, while a Treasurybuilding grant of £20,000 was not unimportant.King Edward VII was amongst the earlyindividual donors in 1903, while the Duke ofWestminster, Lord Penrhyn, William Rathboneand the Trustees of the late Sir Henry Tate allgave over £1,000. The staff of Bangor PostOffice paid for a stained glass window on thestair leading to the Council Chamber; the costof a statue of Goronwy Owen was provided bythe pupils of Ysgol Friars. And, as with thefoundation of the University in the 1880s, therewere also thousands of donations fromworking people in north Wales – in manyvillages every family gave something. By 1911over £114,000 had been collected. This trulywas the ‘people’s university’.

The creation of the building was notwithout its controversies. Hare’s choice ofmaterials did not meet with universalapproval. The buff-coloured sandstone wasacquired from Cefn quarries near Ruabon, butroofing slate was brought from Preseli inPembrokeshire to the dismay of the workmenof the Penrhyn and Dinorwig quarries. Harewas adamant over the choice of the palerPreseli slates, and was ultimately backed bythe University’s Building Committee onaesthetic grounds. Hard feelings were setaside, however, when the building wascompleted. In a glittering ceremony on 14 July

Bangor’s ‘Lasting Monument’

Dr David Roberts’s book,Bangor University1884-2009, is availablein Welsh or English frombookshops, on-linebooksellers or directfrom the University by

calling +44 (0) 1248 382031.

Dr David Roberts looks forward to the centenary of the Main University Building

1911, using a golden key to the Prichard-Jones Hall, King George V formally opened theMain University Building. He also opened theLibrary, and then admired the view – asthousands have done subsequently – from thestaff common room (now the Senior CommonRoom Reading Room).

The entire building exudes a sense ofhistory and beauty. Many of the great academicpioneers of the University – including Sir JohnMorris-Jones, Sir Ifor Williams and Sir JohnEdward Lloyd – lectured in its rooms. States-men such as Lloyd George and guest lecturers,such as T.S. Eliot and John Betjeman, havegraced its platforms. But the building hasserved many purposes over the years. Duringthe Second World War, PJ Hall was used as asecret store for many of the UK’s most valuablepaintings which were moved out from theNational Gallery in London. Thousands ofstudents have sat examinations and seen theiruniversity achievements recognised in gradua-tion ceremonies in PJ Hall. It has echoed to thestrains of some of the world’s leadingsymphony orchestras, as well as Elvis Presley’sJailhouse Rock at Saturday night ‘hops’ in the1950s, or bands such as the Animals andGeorgie Fame & The Blue Flames in the 1960s –or the Super Furry Animals in 2009!

Throughout it all, the Main UniversityBuilding remains, in its centenary year, apotent symbol of tradition and learning, “alasting monument” – in the words of E.H.Jones, Registrar in the 1930s and son of thefirst Professor of Philosophy, Sir Henry Jones– “to the interest which the working men andwomen of Wales took in education.”

FEATURES


Orchids at TreborthBotanic GardenThe living orchid collectionat the University’s BotanicGarden, Treborth, has beenexpanded, and dedicated tothe memory of ProfessorPeter Greig-Smith

“Prof” was a member of staff in the Schoolfrom 1952 to 1982 and specialised in

plant ecology, a subject in which he was aworld-renowned authority. He was also anexpert on monocots with a particular personalinterest in the Orchidaceae. A number ofvalued plants in the collection were providedby him over the years, and his widow, MrsEdna Greig-Smith, kindly donated his personalcollection for the College’s use in 2004.

The collection is increasingly valued by thestudents, the Friends of Treborth, and thegeneral public. It provides a year-roundinspirational source of teaching material andmany extramural organisations such as artclasses. Scientists, botanists and zoologistsalike are attracted to find out more about whatis the largest family of flowering plants, asmost species have complex and intriguingrelationships with their pollinators. Theimportance of their role for maintainingbiodiversity in many ecosystems is quiteevident.

Orchids are often the launch pad for youngpeople, inspiring them to find out more aboutthe environments from which they come. All ofthe tropical species are from environmentallysensitive areas, such that many are now knownto exist only in cultivation. Economically, orchidspecies and hybrids are a global multi-billiondollar industry, for pleasure, food andmedicine. In the scheme of things, they are nosmall player!

A discussion during a recent studentreunion year at Treborth demonstrated thatmany past students of Professor Greig-Smith

would be interested to know about the orchidproject, and would like to donate money as amemorial “Thank You” for his infectious,inspirational contribution to all our lives.

If you would like to know more about theorchid project or donate money as a memorialto Professor Greig-Smith, please visitwww.treborthbotanicgarden.org or call+44(0)1248 353398. All money will beallocated for the collection’s maintenance anddevelopment.

Dr Simon Retallick, Botany 1983, Forestry 1988

50th Anniversary Alumni DayIn June 2010, Treborth Botanic Garden

celebrated its 50th anniversary by holdingan alumni day. Over 150 former students andfriends attended the celebration andcongratulated the curator Nigel Brown, theFriends of Treborth and the students for theirhard work. The day included tours of thegarden and glasshouses, presentations andmusical entertainment.

Curator Nigel Brown will retire this yearand will be greatly missed by all of us at theUniversity. Of his departure, Nigelcomments: “35 years is quite long enoughfor any Garden to suffer at the hands of onecurator and I look forward to being able tohand over the reins at Treborth and givesome young person the same amazing

opportunity I had whenI took up the curator'spost at 21 - the chanceto shape a living Gardenand inspire the nextgeneration about plants.”

Alumni Day Big Top

Nigel Browncuts theanniversarycake

TreborthOrchidHouse

Cattleyatrianae

FEATURES


Anew microwave systems research grouphas been set up within the School of

Electronic Engineering to develop new cancertreatment solutions using advanced highfrequency microwave and millimeter wavetechniques. The work carried out in the group ismultidisciplinary, involving the input fromoncologists and microbiologists to ensure thesystems developed address clear clinical needs.

The group is currently looking at newsolutions for treating pancreatic and braintumors using focused high frequencymicrowave energy, combined with a range ofimaging and measurement techniques toprecisely locate the tumor prior to treatmentand to ensure minimal collateral damage iscaused to healthy tissue structuressurrounding the tumor.

Members of the group are also investigatingthe use of low power millimeter wave energyto non-invasively destroy cancerous cells orreduce cell proliferation. This work, currentlyat a very early stage, will involve the use of arange of cells and will involve close interactionwith Biological Sciences.

The group draws on many years ofcommercial and research experience in thearea of developing ideas based on the use ofmicrowave engineering theory and techniquesto realise a number of clinically usefulsystems.

The group leader is Professor ChrisHancock, a former Electronic Engineeringstudent at Bangor. Prof. Hancock explains:“Having spent many years working in theprivate sector it is great to be back at Bangorcollaborating with the scientists here to developthese cancer treatments. This collaborationmeans we are able to conduct research that isnot only cutting edge for this field, but alsobuilds upon Bangor’s existing expertise as well.”

We are delighted to be able to announce thatwe will be offering two MSc placements throughthe Access to Masters award scheme operatingin Bangor. We are inviting students who areinterested in working on cutting edge cancertreatments to apply for the MSc positions;students will gain experience of working with acompany to produce research of the greatestimportance in the fight against cancer.

Medical MicrowaveTechnology at Bangor

The ElectronicEngineering Giving Fund

The School of Electronic Engineering isproud to have launched a giving fund

which has been initiated by a generousendowment established in honour offormer Vice-Chancellor Roy Evans CBE,FREng. The fund will be used to assistcurrent students in a variety of waysranging from funding internships toacademic prizes and bursaries. It willsignificantly enhance the initiatives thatthe School wishes to follow to maintainand extend its world-leading reputationfor research and excellence in teaching.

For further details or to donate to thefund, please contact:[email protected]

For further information please contactProfessor Chris Hancock:[email protected]

EVENTS • www.bangor.ac.uk/alumni


Alumni Events

1970s ReunionIn August 2010, the University held areunion for past students of UCNW, St.Mary’s College and Coleg Normal whostudied in Bangor during the 1970s. 100alumni and guests came back to Bangorand enjoyed a reunion dinner,presentations from staff and alumni andlearned more about student life today.Group photo available to order, pleasecontact: [email protected]

To see more photos from the reunion,visit: www.bangor.ac.uk/alumni

Eisteddfod 2010Over 150 former students and staffvisited the University’s stand for areunion at last year’s NationalEisteddfod of Wales in Ebbw Vale. Overthe week, the stand also hostedpresentations, workshops and musicalentertainment.

Bangor 2020 GroupThe Bangor 2020 Group, an exclusiveassociation of influential and successfulBangor University alumni, first met inLondon in July 2010 with the group’sofficial launch in February 2011. Thegroup gives alumni the opportunity tonetwork with each other, to hear aboutBangor’s strategic priorities and to feedback on topics which effect theUniversity. Previous topics haveincluded Graduate Employability in aChanging Economy and EconomicRegeneration in Higher Education.

If you’re interested in joining theBangor 2020 Group, please contactBethan Perkins at: [email protected]

2020

Regional Cheers!Alumni based in Scotland were invited toan exclusive whisky tasting event at theScotch Malt Whisky Society in July. Paststudents from various subjects andgraduation years learned about different

varieties of whisky with the help of one ofthe Society’s Whisky Ambassadors.

If you have any suggestions for similarregional events, please contact BethanPerkins at: [email protected]

Bangor Science Festival: Showcasing the Latest in Science,

Technology and Engineering

Communication, Sustainability and Entrepreneurship are to be the overarching themes for

the University’s first week-long Bangor Science Festival taking place 11 – 20 March 2011,

marking National Science and Engineering Week.

Showcasing the world-leading scientific research which is being carried out at Bangor

University, the week will include entertaining and thought-provoking activities to appeal to all

ages; from young school

children and families to

the general public and

professionals interested

in the latest research.

The programme of

events will include

guided nature walks,

public lectures on

topics such as

Medicinal Plants and

Forensic Linguistics

and ‘A Night at the

Museum’ event at the

University’s Natural

History Museum.

Further details of individual events can be found on the Bangor Science Festival

website: www.bangor.ac.uk/bangorsciencefestival

Group photo available to order

www.bangor.ac.uk/alumni • EVENTS


University Concert SeriesThe long-established Music at Bangorconcert series is one of the mostextensive cultural programmespresented by any British University. Theseries brings around thirty concerts toBangor during the academic year: adiverse mix ranging from chamberensembles to the BBC NationalOrchestra of Wales. The University isalso proud to play host to three residentensembles, the Allegri String Quartet,the Orlando Consort and EnsembleCymru, as well as a number of studentbased groups including the UniversitySymphony Orchestra, Chamber Choirand Early Music Bangor.

Tickets for most concerts areavailable for purchase on-line at our BoxOffice and can also be purchased on thedoor on the evening of the concert.Concessions and season tickets areavailable.

To join our mailing list or for furtherinformation, contact us at:www.bangor.ac.uk/concertstel: 01248 382009or email: [email protected]

Athens ReunionBangor University held a reunion foralumni based in Greece in Athens at theend of last year. 40 alumni attended tomeet each other and to find out aboutUniversity developments.

“This coming summer aquarter of a century willhave passed since Igraduated from what wasthen the UniversityCollege of North Wales.My research wastherefore a nostalgicjourney which took meback to the mid eightiesand my student days at Bangor.

I headed off to University in September1983 as a fresh faced 18 year old with streakyeyeliner, Doc Martens and spiked purple hair.The music playing on my record player wereclassics by UB40, Madness, Culture Club andPaul Young. In the wider world MargaretThatcher was at the helm, the cold warbetween the USSR and the USA was at itsmost icy and very soon the miners would beon strike.

As I settled into my room in Cae Derwen, anoffshoot of the larger JMJ hall, unbeknown tome, my University life, and indeed the world,almost came to an end and Stanislav Petrov, alieutenant-colonel in the military intelligencesection of the Soviet Union's secret servicefaced the most terrifying 10 minutes of his life.As I fretted about making it to the Globe and tothe Vaults for a few drinks with my newlyfound friends, Stanislav fretted about

launching a missilestrike at the USA.

My time at theUniversity coincided withwhat Dr David Robertscalls in his recent bookBangor University 1884-2009 “dark and divisivedays, the darkest in theUniversity’s history”. Iremember being part of a

sit-in in the Academic Registry as my UMCBcolleagues and I protested about theUniversity’s attitude to the Welsh language andI recall the visit to JMJ by the Principal,Professor Eric Sunderland, to speak to Welshlanguage students, which paved the way forthe bilingual University that we have today.

As Professor Sunderland and his seniorcolleagues grappled with funding cuts andhard decisions about teaching certaindisciplines, my student friends and I wouldgather in the common room with our Vestameal and the BBC Television fly on the wallseries The Marriage or the classic Dallas andDynasty!

As I danced the night away at the Octagonnightclub I wore my "Frankie Says Relax Don'tDo It!" t-shirt with pride.“Gwenan Hine (née Morgan),Education 1983 -1986

1980s RememberedAs we look forward to our reunion for 1980s alumni in September,one of our alumni takes a look back:

If you would like to volunteer to help make the 1980s reunion a success or if you have anyphotographs or memories to share, please contact:Bethan Perkins, Development and Alumni Relations Office, Bangor University, Bangor,Gwynedd LL57 2DG or email: [email protected]

It is with great sadness that I have to record,in her 97th year, the passing of our mostsenior member, Mrs Maud Party. Shegraduated in the 1930s and until recentlyattended meetings. We will miss her greatly.

On a happier note, 2010 has beenanother good year for the London Bangori-ans, and it has been a great joy to welcomeseveral members who had not previouslyattended meetings. July saw us atHenley-on-Thames, in the lovely summersunshine, at the Museum of the River andRowing, followed by a trip on the Thamesitself and a most enjoyable evening ofhospitality at the home of Lois Roberts.Diolch yn fawr, Lois. Again, the sun shonefor us on a visit in September to the Artsand Crafts gem, the Red House, nowsurrounded by the suburban sprawl ofsoutheast London and in October Dr Jane

Sidell, Inspector of Ancient Monuments,gave a fascinating account of recent workin our area.

Our first meeting of 2011 is planned for16th April. Hatfield House may well be thevenue for the summer meeting, one of thefew stately homes within sight of arailway station.

If you are a Bangor graduate - or spouse,partner or friend living within reach ofLondon - please come to one of ourmeetings in 2011 to safeguard the future ofthe most active Bangor group outside NorthWales. We have already been going for 90years. Help us to reach our centenary!

Please contact Robert Burns, HonorarySecretary, for more information:Hazel-Dene, 28 Stapleton Hall Road,Stroud Green, London N4 3QD.Tel: 020 7263 3358 (1571 service available)

Update from the London Bangorians

DATES TO REMEMBER:

Bangor Science Festival

11-20 March. For further details visit:

www.bangor.ac.uk/bangorsciencefestival

Bangor University at the National

Eisteddfod of Wales

Wrexham and District

30 July – 6 August 2011

An informal reunion for alumni will be

held on 3 August from 2-4pm at the

University stand

1980s Reunion

2-3 September 2011

For more information contact: 01248

388332 or email: [email protected]

Old Students’ Association

Events to be confirmed

Contact: [email protected]

1990s reunion

Summer 2012 (date to be confirmed)

Contact: [email protected]

FEATURES


International AlumniHongbo Hei graduated from Bangor Law School in 2009 with an LLM in CommercialLaw. After returning to China to prepare for the Chinese National Judicial Examinationhe is now a fully qualified Chinese Lawyer at a major International Law firm based inChina. Here he reflects on his course and how it led to the job of his dreams!

“After graduating from Shandong Universitywith Law and English double bachelor

degrees, I went to Bangor University to studymy LLM in Commercial Law in September2008.

After completing my course in Bangor, Ireturned to China in July 2009 and preparedfor the Chinese National Judicial Examinationin September as well as the master disserta-tion. My schedule was really very tight but Idid not waste a minute. Within almost threemonths of intense preparations, I successfullypassed the exam in November, which meansthat I am qualified to be a Chinese lawyer, andthen I started to write the dissertation straightaway. Since I had prepared a draft andcollected all the materials that I needed inBangor, the process of writing was verysmooth. After submitting the dissertation inDecember, I started to look for a job.

The job market is extremely competitivebut the Bangor University background reallygave me a sharp edge. I got several offers andfinally chose Mayer Brown JSM at itsGuangzhou office in China. To work in aninternational law firm has been my dreamsince I started to study law. Mayer Brown JSMis a reputable international law firmcombining Mayer Brown in America and JSMin Hong Kong. Even before the merger, both ofthe firms had established internationalreputations in their long history.

I am so grateful for everything that BangorUniversity has offered me. At Bangor, I enjoyedone of the most wonderful experiences in my

life and I have known the most sincere andhelpful friends and lecturers that I have evermet. Without their help and knowledge, Iwould not have achieved all this.”

Bangor University is looking to recruitvolunteers in key locations around the

world to become International AlumniAmbassadors.

We’re looking for Ambassadors whotake pride in their association with BangorUniversity and would like to help raise theprofile of the University around the world.As an Ambassador you will be able tosupport the Development and AlumniRelations Office by sharing your knowledgeof your country’s life and culture as well asmeeting fellow alumni as they adjust to lifeafter Bangor and advising prospectivestudents. You will also be able to assist us

with events such as briefings for newstudents, careers events and welcomereceptions for students returning to yourregion. There will also be the opportunity tomake contact with fellow alumni in yourcity and country for social and businessnetworking as well as developing links withUniversity staff visiting your region.

If you are interested in becoming anInternational Alumni Ambassador for theUniversity, please contact Bethan Perkinsat: Development and Alumni RelationsOffice, Bangor University, Bangor, GwyneddLL57 2DG, UK or email:[email protected]

Could you be an International Alumni Ambassador?

“I am so gratefulfor everything

that BangorUniversity hasoffered me. At

Bangor, I enjoyedone of the most

wonderfulexperiences in

my life...”

FEATURES


Alumni Profiles

Julia:I was a child when I came toBangor, aged 18, to study

Drama and English. The year was 1984. So longago! I already had a love of Theatre, but I hadno experience of Poetry. This is what I trulybelieve my three years as an undergraduatestudying in this most beautiful and extraordi-nary of places gave to me, a sense of Poetry. Ijoined the English Department, then led byProfessor William Tydeman, and I began tolearn, to be inspired, to feel humble and awed.Although I am not a poet, I hope in my work tocome close to an appreciation of all that ispoetic about our lives and relationships, and Iadmit to a tendency to over-use the words“story”, “rhythm”, “rhyme” and “family” in mywriting about communication and inclusion. Sowhat spark do I take away from my time atBangor? INSPIRATION. To having the opportu-nity to meet and work with Antony Conran,Ceri Sherlock and Jamie Garvin; to visitGregynog; to edit the Women's page of Y Serenand see my words in print for the first time; toco-found The Green Fuse, Bangor Students'Literary Magazine, and best of all to begin andcontinue a friendship with the Poet, DerynRees-Jones. I was inspired by so manyamazing teachers and encouraged to do suchsmall and precious things against the backdropof Bangor at a time when I was just a child.How fortunate am I!

Over twenty years later and I now have asmall rural business called StoryShapesLimited. The company makes and sells mystorytoys and delivers training in the tools andtechniques of StoryShaping, an activity whichis all about creating stories through talk andplay. I write about the shapes, colours andpatterns of sounds and words. I love toencourage parents and teachers to do thesame with their families. In February 2010, Itook some of my product designs onto the BBCDragons' Den Online and a version of the story"Julia slayed a dragon." Now with the businessbranding of "Successful BBC Dragons' DenEntrepreneur" I am hoping to go global withtraining and product sales in 2011. My familyoften visit North Wales, my eight year old son,Will, loves trains, castles and mountains, and Ilove the view from Top College. In my family'sstory, Bangor is the place where the mountainmeets the sea.

Rick: I graduated from Bangor in 1996with a degree in History. Before

joining the UK Border Agency at Dover in2002, I worked in several areas such asconstruction, as a stage hand and then as aprison officer.

I’ve been lucky to have worked at the UKBorder Agency during one of the most excitingperiods of change the service hasexperienced. I began my career at Dover,screening arriving freight vehicles to detectillegal entrants to the UK. I was at theforefront of implementing advanced detectiontechnology and using human detection dogsas part of the process.

I also spent two years in Zeebruggeworking in partnership with the Belgian police,pre-screening freight before it embarked forthe UK. I transferred back to my native town,Manchester, in 2006 and trained as a criminalinvestigator dealing with the criminal aspectsof immigration work, the use of false, forged orstolen passports, the smuggling of illegalentrants and identity theft.

In 2009 Manchester Airport was chosen asa flagship site to train a team of officers toinvestigate contraband smuggling in additionto our immigration duties. We are now one ofthe first teams of officers in the UK qualifiedand legally authorised to investigate any kindof criminal activity at the border whether it beillegal immigration, the smuggling of drugs,illegal weapons and even financial fraud.

Criminal investigation is as much aboutpatient research as making arrests. Mydegree trained me to spot patterns andtrends; assimilate a large amount ofinformation, make reasoned judgements aswell as equipping me to write and presentcomplex reports, which are all core skillsrequired in my current post.

Additionally my time at Bangor brought meinto contact with a number of diverse peopleand gave me the interpersonal skills whichare vital in the line of work I undertake. Anaverage week brings me into contact withpassengers, people in custody, judges andeven occasionally VIPs.

Two of our alumni share their stories of life since Bangor and how the University shapedtheir lives and careers.

Julia Damassa 1987,Drama & English

Rick Hooley 1996,History

“My degree trained me tospot patterns and trends;assimilate a large amount

of information, makereasoned judgements...” “I was inspired by so many

amazing teachers andencouraged to do such

small and precious things...”

GIVING TO BANGOR • www.bangor.ac.uk/giving


Giving to BangorWe recruit a team of around 30 current

students to telephone our alumni toupdate them on developments at Bangor, hearabout their time spent at the University, gainfeedback on the alumni services we provideand to ask for a donation towards the BangorFund (formerly the Annual Fund).

Not only does the telephone campaignraise vital funds for Bangor University, it hasalso proved to be a very useful tool for someof the student callers in finding interestingand relevant work placements and in makingvital networking links with some of the alumnithey speak to during the course of thecampaign.

Here we speak to two of our studentcallers from the Autumn 2010 campaign:Emma Gregory, who is in her fourth yearstudying German and French and RowenaNathan who is in her second year studyingEnglish Language with Media Studies.

How have you enjoyed being part of thealumni telephone campaign?Emma: “I loved speaking to so many alumswho had studied the same degree as me. It’sso interesting to see what career path theyhave taken.”Rowena: “It has been great to hear what afabulous time so many alums had at Bangorand hearing about their experiences here andhow some things change and some thingsdon’t! For example, setting fireworks off fromthe end of the pier!”

What positive outcomes have you achievedthrough being part of the telethon team?Emma: “I’m pleased that I have played a partin providing another student of the future withthe opportunity to study at Bangor. The factthat so many alums we speak to do supportthe University is testament to the fantastictime they had at Bangor.”

Which area of the Bangor Fund would youdonate to and why?Emma: “Welsh Medium Provision Supportbecause the opportunity to speak and study inWelsh is not as readily available at otheruniversities and that makes Bangor unique.

Also, Campus Improvement as it adds to thewhole student experience and enablesstudents to have the best possible facilities.”Rowena: “Student Support most definitelybecause it goes straight to the students andgives those the opportunity to come to Bangorwho perhaps otherwise couldn’t. From apersonal point of view, I received a bursary inmy first year which gave me some breathingspace and meant I could focus more on mystudies rather than worrying about finances.”

Maths Alumnus John Jones was called by oneof our students during a telephone campaignto support the Bangor Fund in 2010, and hesays:

“I want to support Bangor Universitybecause it has given me so much. I’ve gotgreat memories of my time at University andI’m still in contact with some super friendsthat I made whilst studying at Bangor.Students have to pay a lot of money to go toUniversity now; I feel it’s my time to give back,and I’m only pleased that I’m able to throughthe Bangor Fund.”

If you would like to receive a telephone callfrom one of our current students during one ofour telephone campaigns, learn more aboutthe Bangor Fund or, like John, make adonation, please contact Emma Marshall on:01248 382594 or [email protected]

The Bangor Fund Telephone Campaign

The results of the 2008-9 Ross-CASE survey of Gifts and Costs of Voluntary Giving,have shown that 68% of all donors to Welsh Higher Education institutions gave to

Bangor University. The survey, which was published in 2010, evaluates the philanthropichealth of universities in the UK. For more information visit:www.bangor.ac.uk/giving/news

Bangor University Comes Out Top in Wales

‘Visceral Mind’Course AttractsBright Brains toBangor

The first of a series of prestigiousInternational Summer Schools was

held in the School of Psychology atBangor University from 6-10thSeptember attracting 40 students from13 countries as far afield as Argentina,Australia, Canada, Cuba, Israel andIndia.

The Visceral Mind course was madepossible by a donation in excess of£100,000 from the James S. McDonnellFoundation. The one-week course infunctional gross neuroanatomy wasbased almost entirely on hands-onpractice: case conferences, braindissection, scan reviews and imageanalysis labs. The course was designedto provide an opportunity for young,bright cognitive neuroscientists fromacross the world to come to Bangor toincrease their knowledge ofneuroanatomy under a collection ofworld-renowned academics from Bangorand beyond.

Course director Prof. Bob Rafal fromBangor University’s School of Psychologysaid, “There is no substitute for the life-changing experience of dissecting thehuman brain, and no better way to learn,by both sight and touch, the three-dimensional organ of the mind.”

The students who attended theSummer School felt that they had animmensely educational and enjoyableexperience that will stand them in goodstead as they embark on their careers ina wide range of cognitive neuroscience.

Dr Susan Fitzpatrick, the VicePresident of the James S. McDonnellFoundation, whose support made theevent possible, was moved to say, “It wasjust so encouraging to see so many brightyoung minds being turned on tocognitively-informed/functionalapproaches to brain injury.”

Emma and Rowena

www.bangor.ac.uk/giving • GIVING TO BANGOR


Gift Giving Societies

Bangor University has long recognised theimportance of developing talent andacknowledging achievement in itsstudents. As well as providing otherhardship grants and studentships, formany years the University has awardedExcellence Scholarships to those whoachieve the highest academic attainmentupon entry; in 2010 over 100 Scholarshipawards totalling over £150,000 were givento first year undergraduate students. In2009, as part of its programme ofpostgraduate expansion, Bangor Universityintroduced 125 Anniversary researchScholarships. Over 50 of thesescholarships were awarded in 2009-10.

In order to continue to provide theUniversity with the means to offer a varietyand ever-increasing number ofscholarships, this year the Developmentand Alumni Relations Office is launchingthe Pioneers Scholarship programme. ThePioneers Scholarship programme offersBangor’s alumni and friends the chance tosupport the University in easing thefinancial burden on students.

Pioneers Scholarships, worth £5,000 ormore per year, will enable Bangor Universityto attract the brightest and most motivatedstudents. They will raise the aspirationsand unlock the potential of talented youngpeople, and will encourage a culture ofgiving. 80% of Bangor’s scholarshiprecipients interviewed recently said thatthey would definitely give to the Universitynow they have received supportthemselves, and of those surveyed, 100%said they couldn’t have studied herewithout this financial support.

For more information about thePioneers Scholarship programme, pleasecontact the Development Office on: 01248382020 or at: [email protected]

ZARA TURTLE, 18,was awarded anExcellenceScholarship of£3,500. Originallyfrom Wrexham, Zarais now in her firstyear of a MarineChemistry degree

course. Zara was thrilled to receive thescholarship:“The Excellence Scholarship is a great

motivation to study and will help me buybooks and other study resources.”

FAITH JONESreceived theExcellenceScholarship aftergaining four As atA Level: “Money is abig worry for me asa student so thisscholarship should

help alleviate the stress a bit, and so helpme concentrate on my studies.”

ELINA HAMILTONwho is currentlystudying a PhD inMusic, received a125 AnniversaryScholarship fromBangor University.Elina says: "Icouldn't have

continued my studies without thescholarship. Receiving financial supportfrom the University has definitely made mewant to contribute towards scholarshipsfor others in the future."

Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, dating from thefourteenth century, contain some of the

liveliest stories and characters in the Englishlanguage – as vivid and influential, some say,as those in the works of William Shakespeare.The tales have survived in two particularlyimportant manuscript copies, The HengwrtChaucer manuscript (now housed at theNational Library of Wales) and The Ellesmeremanuscript (held at the Huntington Library,California).

The Institutefor Medievaland EarlyModern Studiesat Bangor andAberystwythUniversitiesintends tocreate apermanent,high resolutionwebsite inwhich the twoearliest

manuscripts of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales,the National Library of Wales’s HengwrtChaucer and the Ellesmere, are placed side byside.

The focal point of the Chaucer Project is amulti-faceted, multi-media exhibition to beheld in Spring 2014 at the National Library ofWales. Along with the Chaucer website, theexhibition will provide a welcome resource toall those interested in Chaucer and themedieval world.

The Chaucer Project is one of manyresearch and outreach activities initiated bythe Institute for Medieval and Early ModernStudies (www.IMEMS.ac.uk) at Bangor andAberystwyth Universities.

For more information about the projectplease visit: www.imems.ac.uk/chaucer orcontact Nicole Finnigan at: [email protected] ortel: + 44 (0)1970 628734.

If you’re interested in supporting theChaucer Project please contact theDevelopment Office on 01248 382020 or at:[email protected]

From Canterburyto Cyberspace: TheChaucer Project

Bangor NavigatorsBangor GuardiansBangor PioneersThe Vice-Chancellor’s Circle1884 Circle

Formally recognising people andorganisations that support theUniversity philanthropically.

Find out more about theassociated benefits ofbeing a member of oneof Bangor’s Gift GivingSocieties:

www.bangor.ac.uk/giving • [email protected] 382020

Pioneers Scholarships

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FEATURE • www.pontio.co.uk


Pontio

When it opens in Spring 2013, Pontio will be an iconic Arts and Innovation Centre set inthe heart of Bangor. It will be a social destination for families, residents and visitorsalike, uniting the local community and inspiring people of all ages and backgrounds tomeet, learn and be entertained.

The ArtsFollowing on from the success of previousyears, Pontio’s Stepping Stones programmewill continue to provide a diverse range ofperforming arts events in the run up to thebuilding’s opening, bringing the very best local,national and international theatre, film, musicand dance to Bangor, as well as providing aplatform for emerging new talent.

CommunityPontio has plans to deliver many communityprojects over the coming months includingperformance and innovation workshops aswell as a schools’ roadshow. People of OurCity – a recent community project fromDecember 2010 – saw young people fromYsgol Tryfan and the Maesgeirchen YouthCentre working alongside local artist CatrinWilliams to produce a colourful mural for thehoardings surrounding the Pontio site, and afollow-on project is now underway.

The BuildingConstruction began on the Pontio site earlierthis year, following the demolition of the oldStudents’ Union building and Theatr Gwyneddlast October. When the building opens, it will bea hub for innovation and research, capitalisingon the wealth of local skills and expertise todevelop new products and services and, in theprocess, creating hundreds of jobs andbusiness opportunities to promote economicgrowth in the region. Set in landscapedparkland along Deiniol Road, the building willprovide a new home for the Students’ Union aswell as housing an impressive 450-seater

theatre, a cinema space, cafés andrestaurants, and an outdoor amphitheatre.

Join In!Pontio is always looking for people to getinvolved. Whether you’d like to volunteer, orhave an idea for a community project you’dlike to develop, we’d love to hear from you. Toget in touch, please email: [email protected] call 01248 382760.

What’s OnAs we move into spring, why not start theseason in style by attending some of theexciting new events in our arts programme?As well as music and drama to suit everytaste, we have a series of fun Cabaretevenings, a season of community-programmed Friday Films, and loads ofparticipatory events including a storytellingfestival and circus workshops. We’re alsodelighted to welcome captivating Welshsongstress, Cerys Matthews, to Powis Hall on29th April. For more information, visit theWhat’s On page of our website atwww.pontio.co.uk, or find us on Facebook(search ‘Pontio fan page’) or Twitter (search‘PontioBangor’).

Preparation work begins on site

MEMORIES OF ERIC SUNDERLAND


As reported in the last edition of Bangoriad, we were sadto see the passing of Professor Eric Sunderland CBE,former Vice-Chancellor of the University, in March 2010.Here are some memories from former members of staffwho worked with Professor Sunderland.

I remember Eric Sunderland’s first Senatemeeting. In Bangor the years before hisappointment had been marked by bitterdisputes which had centred upon, but were byno means confined to, issues concerning theWelsh Language. As a result many studentswere disciplined some by suspension, othersby fines. At his first Senate Eric announcedthat he had set all these sanctions aside. Onemember questioned the decision but was toldvery firmly that the decision had been made.

It was an episode which told much aboutEric. He saw it as his mission to heal divisionsand to take the College forward as a united bodyand in this he undoubtedly succeeded. It wouldbe too much to pretend that all the disputesconcerning the language were settled overnightbut from then on they were conducted withreason, sympathy and mutual respect.Similarly, the many hard decisions which had tobe taken in a very difficult economic climatewere accepted as a reasonable and necessaryresponse by the College community.

Much of this was due to Eric’s personality.He possessed great natural warmth and aninstinctive sympathy which made himextremely open and approachable. He believedthat good sense and good will could solve manyproblems and, at the least, could preventdifferences from becoming destructive.

But he also knew that decisions had to betaken and acted upon with determination. Hewas a conciliator who was not without a steelyedge. Both aspects of his personality werenecessary to the task of uniting a College; ofrestoring a sense of style and pride in aninstitution which, until his coming, had beenlacking in both respects. He was a man who willbe remembered both with respect and affection.Dr. Alwyn Roberts, Vice-Principal 1985-94,Pro Vice-Chancellor, 1994-97

I came to know Professor Eric Sunderland onlyon being recruited to the position of Professorand Head of the School of Electronic Engineer-ing Science at UCNW early in his tenure asPrincipal. We found ourselves near neighboursin Ffriddoedd Road. Whilst rarely paying housecalls on one another he afforded me friendshipas well as sage counsel throughout my time atthe College. I recall that early in our timetogether he proposed to Senate that new

professors should deliver an Inaugural PublicLecture, open to all members of the Collegeand more widely - something that had notbeen the practice previously in Bangor.Recognising what this meant for me I steeledmyself to make my first intervention at ameeting of the Senate. Supporting the generalidea, I cautioned against ‘retrospective legisla-tion’. A nice try but his response was clear:‘nonetheless you will give one’! An example ofhim being characteristically ‘firm but fair’.

As Head of School, faced with an issue oropportunity I would visit him in his beautifullyelegant office in ‘Top College’ for a discussion.I found there were essentially two kinds ofresponse to a proposal from me: very positiveencouragement, even a decision, concerningwhat should be done or the suggestion that Imight write him a note that he could take tothe ‘Special Review Group’. As a slow learnerit took me a while to realise that, whilst thefirst might well mean ‘yes’, the secondunequivocally meant ‘no’. Yet what a sensitive,considerate way of dealing with a newlyappointed Head of School such that we neverhad cross words even when I was necessarilydisappointed.

My enduring memory of Eric Sunderland isof a serious minded person with a strongsense of responsibility – and a ready wit. Hewas a most engaging person to be with; Icount myself privileged to have known andworked with him. Bangor unquestionablyowes to Eric Sunderland a very great debt ofgratitude for the way in which he led theCollege though the turbulent times of the1980s and early 1990s, providing the founda-tion for its further development and success.Professor Sir John O’Reilly FREng,Vice-Chancellor, Cranfield University

In the time that we knew Eric and Pat webecame good friends and often exchangedvisits to each other houses and we are still intouch with Pat after Eric's untimely death.

My first recollection of him was when hecame to the Council as the prospective newprincipal and I pressed him hard on hisattitude to the support of research in a smalldepartment. His reply was encouraging andhe continued his support against thebackground of having to make very difficult

decisions about the future of severaldepartments in both faculties.

Eric was, above all, a very nice, gentle manin the real meaning of the word. He never putpeople down when they raised queries forexample at the Senate and he had aphenomenal memory for members of the staff.He knew the names not only of all the domesticstaff but often of their cats as well.

His huge contribution, in the six or so yearsthat we overlapped in Bangor, was to bringpeace to a deeply split institution, gaining thetrust and respect of Welsh and English, ofSciences and the Arts and always makinghimself accessible when good advice or toughdecisions were needed. His attitudes andactions had much to teach us.Professor Charles Stirling, FRS,The University of Sheffield

The admiration and respect I had for Ericbecame hero worship when, in 1997 asNational Returning Officer for Wales, heannounced the result of the referendum whichcreated the National Assembly for Wales. Ihad asked him to stick his arm out in triumphand shout “Yeah”, but of course he didn’t.

In inviting Eric to become Principal in ourCentenary Year, the College Council made theperfect choice. Eric and Pat were masterful intheir hospitality at home and abroad. As adistinguished anthropologist, Eric’s vastknowledge of different cultures and the visualarts enabled him to represent the BritishCouncil, Wales and Bangor with great skill.

If he didn’t know someone in a reception,he’d just walk up to them and say “Hello, I’mEric Sunderland, who are you?” This alwaysseemed to put people at ease.

For a few years my office was directly underhis and, if my light was on when he was goinghome, he always “popped in”. Why? Becausehe felt it essential to know (from varioussources) what was behind the headlines. Hehad a genuine interest in people.

I can only think of Eric and Pat as friends.He had energy (which I discovered on overseastrips), diplomacy, intelligence and a wickedsense of humour, but above all his humanitywas his greatest legacy.John Wynne Jones, formerly Head ofMarketing & PR

Remembering Eric

IN MEMORIAM • www.bangor.ac.uk/alumni/obituaries


Commemorating StaffWe remember the following who were current or formermembers of University staff. Full obituaries can be foundat: www.bangor.ac.uk/alumni/obituaries

Professor Cedric Milner 1934-2010After his school days as scholarship boy inBolton School, Cedric came to Bangor in themid-50s graduating in Agricultural Botany in1958. He then moved to Edinburgh Universityfor his doctorate before returning to Bangor in1961 to the then Nature Conservancy asmountain ecologist.

Through the 60s he gained an internationalreputation as range-land ecologist and inrange management working in Poland, Icelandand North America. He establish a longrunning interest in the wild Soay sheep of StKilda to which he returned regularly. Furthercareer moves took Cedric and his wife Annis toSaskatoon and the Nature Conservancy inEdinburgh and Merlwood before returning toBangor as Director of the new Institute ofTerrestrial Ecology unit (a successor to the oldNC). In this role he forged strong, invaluableand enduring research and teaching links withthe University. An important fruit of thiscontinuing collaboration has been, in muchmore recent years, the new joint ITE/UWEnvironment Science building and the sitting ofthe Wales Environmental hub in Bangor. Hewas awarded an Honorary Chair in theUniversity and on his retirement from ITE, hejoined the Centre of Arid Zone Studies on apart-time basis.

Cedric also travelled widely undertaking avariety of research and consultancies, the

latter often on behalf of UNESCO orthe British Council.

Cedric was a man of wide interestsand enthusiasms and deep humanity.His interests spanned ornithology,mountaineering and jazz and ofcourse many aspects of conservation(he was a past Chairman of theSnowdonia Society and an enthusias-tic member of the board of CPRW) aswell as a keen caravanner.

He was warm, sometimescombative, loving a good debate butprimarily deeply committed to justiceand fair play for all. He made anotable contribution to science-basedconservation and to growing thereputation of this Bangor in this area.He was a devoted husband, father andgrandfather, sadly leaving a widowand two sons and 5 grandchildren.

Rev. Dr Margaret Thrall 1929-2010Dr. Margaret Thrall had a distinguished careerin the School of Theology and ReligiousStudies at Bangor between 1962 and 1996.

In recognition of Dr. Thrall’s significantcontribution to Pauline scholarship, she wasawarded the Burkitt Medal for Biblical Studiesby the British Academy in 1997 and aFestschrift to mark her seventy-fifth birthdaywas published in 2003. In 1997 she wasamong the first women to be ordained to thepriesthood in the Church in Wales. She servedas Canon Theologian at Bangor Cathedralbetween 1994 and 1997.

Dr Enid Roberts 1919-2010Dr. Enid Roberts MA DLitt has died at the ageof 91. Until her retirement in 1978, Dr Robertswas a lecturer for many years in the WelshDepartment at Bangor.

The Poetry of the gentry was her field ofexpertise and she published extensively onthe social background of the poetry and thehistory of the Gentry.

Many alumni of the Department of Welshwill remember the in-depth teaching and highstandards Dr. Roberts insisted upon. Thegrammar tests she held on Saturdaymornings are now part of the mythology of theWelsh Department at Bangor.

Dr C J H Rudall 1964-2010Dr Jane Rudall joined Bangor University in2001 and was a highly regarded lecturerwithin the School of Computer Science. Janegained her PhD in Formal Methods atManchester University, and then went on towork in the software industry for a number ofyears before returning to academia.

Jane was awarded a Teaching Fellowshipin 2004. Her roles at the University includedAdmissions Tutor for the School, Director ofTeaching of Undergraduate Study and she hadalso recently taken on the role of Senior Tutorfor the Schools of Computer Science andElectronic Engineering.

Maurice Cooke 1951-2010Maurice Cooke had degrees in Law (Birming-ham 1936) and History (Oxford 1945) and cameto Bangor in 1949 as a Lecturer in the Historyof the Institutions of Government. Very soon hebegan to give informal talks about paintingsand architecture, where his real interests lay.He developed courses on the art and architec-ture of Western Europe and in the early 60’sbecame a Senior Lecturer in the History of Art.In that role he took part in the development ofthe University Art Gallery (now the GwyneddMuseum and Art Gallery) and was curator until1969. He was a tutor in the men’s hall ofresidence, Neuadd Reichel, until his marriagein 1957. He retired in 1982.

His wife, Ann, and their two daughters,survive him.

Vale Professor Max Wilcox1927-2010In 1973 Max Wilcox was appointed Professorof Biblical Studies, University College of NorthWales. He went on to become Dean of the ArtsFaculty and represented the University on anumber of Government and Academiccommittees.

He obtained an MA [University of Melbourne]and a BD Honours [Melbourne College ofDivinity] and was appointed minister of thePresbyterian Church in South Australia beforegaining a PhD at the University of Edinburgh. In1964, he was appointed Lecturer in Divinity atthe University of Newcastle. On retirement fromBangor, he held the position of AdjunctProfessor of Ancient History, Macquarie Univer-sity, Sydney, Australia.

Dr Locherbie-Cameronjoined the English Depart-ment as an AssistantLecturer in 1967, havingpreviously studied at theUniversity of Edinburghand King’s College,London. She was awardedher PhD in 1998. Over the

years she developed a distinguished reputationfor her teaching of Old and Middle English, aswell as developing the Children’s Fiction course.

Dr Locherbie-Cameron took on almost everyrole in the Department, from Head of Departmentto Finance Officer, to Admissions Tutor, toDirector of Studies. The calibre of her teachingwas officially recognised in 1999 when she wasawarded an University Teaching Fellowship.

Dr Margaret Locherbie-Cameron1942-2010

www.bangor.ac.uk/alumni/obituaries • IN MEMORIAM


Alumni Obituaries

Jerome O’Brien 1942-2010(1965, History and English)Jerome O’Brien died suddenly in March 2010,aged 67.

He always described his time at Bangor asone of the happiest of his life. He did a jointHistory and English degree under Prof. Mowatand Prof. Danby. His daughter, Myfanwy,followed him to Bangor in 1988 to obtain anEnglish degree. He later worked for theLincolnshire County Archives department andlater served for 23 years on Lincoln CityCouncil – at various times Chair of thePlanning committee.

He never hesitated to help and sympathisewith anyone in need. He will be greatly missedby everyone. He tried to protect not onlyLincoln’s historic buildings but its open spacesand countryside too. A wonderful person.

Brenda O’Brien

Tom Ellis 1924-2010(1949, Chemistry)Robert Thomas Ellis was born in Pant,Denbighshire, in 1924, attending RuabonGrammar School and going on to studyChemistry at University College of NorthWales, Bangor. His studies were interruptedby the Second World War, during which heworked at Cooke’s explosives factory inPenrhyndeudraeth.

After graduation he began a career in thecoal industry in North Wales, and in 1970 hewas elected to the Commons as the Labourmember for Wrexham. He was a member ofthe European Parliament from 1975 to 1979and served as the MP for Wrexham from 1970to 1983, switching his political allegiance fromLabour to the Social Democratic Party in 1981.

The ending of his parliamentary career in1983 allowed him time to concentrate onintellectual and literary pursuits including anautobiography in 2003 and a study of theverse of R. S. Thomas in 2008.

He is survived by three sons and a daughter.

Roy Hughes FRS 1925-2010(1951, Chemistry and Zoology)Dr. Roy Hughes revolutionised modernsurgery techniques with his neuromuscularblocking agent Tracrium.

Dr. Hughes was in the Royal Air Force

based in Bengal and then Rangoon beforecoming to Bangor to study for hisundergraduate and postgraduate degrees. Helater went on to study for his PhD at theUniversity of London and his thesis wascompleted at the Royal College of Surgeons inLondon which lead on to the development ofTracrium, a drug which is still used byanaesthetists today.

Dr Hughes won the Galenus Award forTracrium and in 1986 he received the QueensAward for technological achievement in thedevelopment of the drug. In October 1991, hereceived Honorary Membership of theAnaesthetics Research Society.

Dr Hughes’ contribution to the School ofChemistry’s 125th anniversary celebrations in2009 was invaluable.

Lowri Gwilym 1954-2010(1976, Welsh)Lowri Gwilym, who died aged 55, was aserious-minded, highly conscientiousprogramme maker and later TV commissioner.Lowri graduated in Welsh from BangorUniversity, subsequently winning an M.Littdegree from Oxford in Welsh literature.

She won prizes for her art and vision,including the Royal Television Society’s bestregional documentary for Y Ffordd Galeta in1995 and a BAFTA for directing Annwyl Kate,Annwyl Saunders in 1998. She came to TVprominence as the director of the fly-on-the-wall documentary on student life at theUniversity of Wales, Aberystwyth, Aber, in1986.

A gifted writer and poet, she won first prizeat the National Eisteddfod in Maldwyn in 2003for a collection of original verses under thepen name Dyddgu.

She is survived by her partner Meic andloving sons Ifan and Glyn.

George Emmons 1925-2010(1971, Electronic Engineering)George Emmons graduated from Bangor’sElectrical Engineering department in 1952and went to work at the G.E.C. Stanmore. In1954 he joined the Royal Navy as a Lieutenant.In 1971 he was awarded an MSc from Bangorand held the year-long position of DefenceFellow at Oxford.

Following his retirement from the Royal

Navy in 1977 he took on the post of Principalof Merchant Navy College, Greenhithe, Kentbefore retiring to Pwllheli.

Rhys Whatmore 1947-2010(1970, English and Biblical Studies)Although Rhys was born in Sheffield he andhis parents went to live in Aberystwyth in1953. He started at UCNW in 1967, readingEnglish and Biblical Studies. He was alwaysknown to be a diligent student, thoughtful andhard-working. He helped many of us lazierstudents out in New Testament Greek classes,where we were expected to translate biblicaltexts. Rhys had always done the work andreadily offered his words to us to read out! Hewas always very supportive of other students.

After Bangor, Rhys moved to London. Heworked in the civil service for a while but thenmoved to do more in the field of education. Heworked for LASER, the Regional AdvisoryCouncil until it closed. Many teachers in theSouth-East of England owe their NVQassessor qualifications to his hard work andcareful concern. After this, Rhys moved toworking with students in need of learningsupport and on access courses.

Rhys and his long-term partner Pete,moved to Shrewsbury in the 1990s. Rhys feltvery much at home there and although he didcontinue to work in student support, his majorinterest was in family history – one look at theInternet will show how much work he did!

Rhys was one of the good guys – kind,considerate and slow to anger. He wassensitive and generous, a true gentleman.

Jenny Watts

Full obituaries can be found at:www.bangor.ac.uk/alumni/obituaries

PLEASE NOTE: In future, obituaries willappear on our website rather than beprinted in Bangoriad. Please submit allobituaries to: [email protected] orsend to: Bethan Perkins, Developmentand Alumni Relations Office, BangorUniversity, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2DG.

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