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WINTER 2012

Showcase opening

Bonding with BestivalOlympic ambitions

ISSUE 8

2. Olympic Hopes

4. Solent Showcase

6. Football Science

7. Cricket Legends

8. Bestival Bonds

10. Royal Approval

12. Winning Faces

14. Meet Lord West

17. Interior Art

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HOW TO CONTACT US:Send your news, views, queries and

comments to: The Press and PR Officer,

Southampton Solent University,

East Park Terrace, Southampton SO14 0RB.

Telephone: 023 8031 9040

Email: press.office@solent.ac.uk

Designed and published by:

Southampton Solent University’s

Marketing and Communications Service

Printed by: Indigo Press

Sail starsPage 2

Royal visitPage 10

GraduationPage 16

Winter 2012 | 1

WELCOME | ISSUE 8

The Olympic Games return to Britain in 2012 for the first time since the post-war ‘Austerity Games’ of 1948, and this edition of ISSUE provides some splendid examples of how Solent University is providing athletes, together with scientific, cultural and broadcast expertise, to contribute to their success.

Working together to win

Business student Kate Macgregor, at 20,

is the youngest in Great Britain’s sailing

squad and joins graduate Paul Goodison

and Honorary Doctor Ben Ainslie in

a team that will be hoping for many

golden moments in Weymouth

during August.

The Great Wight Attack, a film following

charity swimmers in a ‘round-the-

island’ swim, will be viewed by millions

attending the Olympics and Paralympics

after it scooped Best Documentary

(20–25 category) at the Film Nation:

Shorts Awards, part of the London 2012

Cultural Olympiad. Our new gallery,

Solent Showcase, also has an Olympic

theme to its latest exhibition opening

which is entitled ‘100m: The Creative

Campus Initiative. Responses in Art to

the 2012 Olympic Games’.

I am delighted that sport is an area

in which the University is creating

a national reputation and real

distinctiveness in the range and quality

of its offering. A measure of this

success is illustrated in the following

pages through the work of our sports

scientists who, amongst many things,

are providing fitness and conditioning

for two of the South Coast’s professional

football teams, Southampton and AFC

Bournemouth. Is it any wonder that the

Saints are topping the Championship

going into the second half of the

2011–12 season?

Following many years of successful

partnership working with the

Glastonbury Festival, Solent has

now also teamed up with the Isle of

Wight’s award-winning Bestival event

as its sole academic partner, allowing

staff and students to take on the full

range of festival production roles. This

demonstrates the fusion of theory and

practice that lies at the heart of our

identity as a university.

It can easily be overlooked that the

sports and cultural industries have multi-

billion-pound annual turnovers and

contribute hugely to both the nation’s

economy and its psychological well-

being – after all, who doesn’t feel better

when the team we support wins on a

Saturday afternoon?

Cities can be winners too when

they work closely with their local

university. I am currently exploring,

with Southampton City Council and

other organisations in the city, how

the creative industries might add lustre

(and jobs) to the local economy and

support the exciting development of

Southampton’s proposed cultural quarter

over the next two years. The opening

of Solent Showcase, our innovative

new exhibition and performance

space, during the Graduation Week

celebrations in November 2011 provided

the first physical manifestation of this

development, which will be followed in

April 2012 by the opening of the

Sea City Museum by the City Council.

Another important milestone in the

development of the University’s estate

saw the opening of Warsash Maritime

Academy’s new manned model Ship

Handling Centre at Timsbury Lake. This

world-leading facility for improving

safety at sea was later given a royal seal

of approval by a well-reported visit from

the Duke of Edinburgh.

Finally, I am delighted to see the

distinguished career of our Chancellor,

Lord West, featured in ISSUE 8. As all

our graduates will tell you, his immense

warmth and presence, and the personal

congratulations or word of advice he

offers each and every one of them, helps

to make our Graduation Week very

special indeed!

Professor Van J Gore

Vice-Chancellor

ISSUE 8 | ??????

2 | Winter 2012

Solent’sOlympic starsFormer student Paul Goodison, present

student Kate Macgregor and Honorary

Doctor Ben Ainslie will be flying the flag

for Solent University when they take to

the waters to compete against the best in

the world at Weymouth.

At just 20 years old, BA (Hons) Business

Management student Kate Macgregor

is the youngest in the squad. She joins

Annie Lush and her older sister, Lucy, as

part of the Match racing team going

for gold.

Kate and Lucy are the first sisters in

British sailing history to be picked for

Team GB. It’s the culmination of an

exciting campaign which saw the team

win the Match racing worlds in France.

“It’s been an incredible year. I really

didn’t think I would be representing Great

Britain in the 2012 Olympics,” said Kate.

“We were ranked world number one

earlier this year, so a gold medal is a real

possibility and we are working hard with

that in mind.”

Kate came to Solent University to study

for a career in business and to take

advantage of the University’s sailing

successes.

“I became part of the University sailing

team that went on to win the student

world championships and I was invited

to join the Match racing team with Lucy

and Annie. My lecturers were incredibly

supportive and I found my business

training to be useful in our sailing

endeavours. I’ve been able to use planning

skills for our racing schedule, budgeting

and sponsorship skills. I’ve deferred my

studies to concentrate on the sailing but

am keen to continue after the Olympics.”

Match racing differs from other sailing

events in that it consists of two boat

‘sprints’ over a two-lap course, with

winners racing each other until there is an

overall victor. It requires quick thinking,

tactics and fitness as competitors use

boat-handling skills, the winds and

currents to gain control of the race.

“Annie and and Lucy are the experienced

ones in the team, whereas I bring

freshness and enthusiasm. We’re a great

combination,” said Kate.

“There’s nothing like winning an event

on home waters. With the London 2012

Olympic Games just 40 minutes from my

home club in Poole and so close to my

family and my university, this campaign

is the chance of a lifetime. It would be

my dream to win a medal and make my

family, friends and the University proud.”

Solent alumnus Paul Goodison, the Laser

sailor who won gold at Beijing 2008, is

also hoping for a top spot on the podium.

Since Beijing, Paul has continued to shine

in his sailing challenges, and secured

victory in the Melges 32 Europeans.

He said: “Ever since Beijing I’ve been

focusing on 2012 and all the hard work

over the past few years has been to make

sure I’m in the best possible shape. I’ve

been doing a lot of ‘on the water sailing’,

supplemented by four gym sessions a

week, mainly on weights, and six to ten

hours of aerobic training through cycling.

“I’ve also been working on my technique

and exploring any changes so that they

come automatically before next summer.

“It’s going to be a great honour to

represent Team GB at the Olympics again

and even more special with so many

friends and family there to watch.”

As a former Solent student, Paul is

especially pleased to see Kate in the

team. He said: “Kate is in good hands and

I’m sure her team will be in a good place

to deliver the right result. My advice is:

‘keep doing all the small things right and

don’t get carried away by the occasion’.”

Solent University Honorary Doctor of

Sport, Ben Ainslie, is an inspiration to

both Kate and Paul. Ben will compete in

the Finn category, having returned to the

event last winter after two years away.

He has won gold at every Games since

Sydney 2000 and is on course to win a

fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal.

He said: “It was a big relief to have my

place for 2012 confirmed. It’s now about

getting the plans right for my fitness and

preparation to peak at the right time.”

Hailed as the university of sailing, it’s hardly surprising that Solent has such a strong representation at the 2012 Olympics.

Winter 2012 | 3

SPORT | ISSUE 8

Wight wins

A documentary produced by

two Solent University graduates

will be viewed by millions during

the London 2012 Olympic and

Paralympic Games.

The film, made by Jon Lovell-

Knight and Stephen Salesse,

was picked for the prestigious

screenings after winning Best

Documentary (20–25 category)

at the Film Nation: Shorts Awards,

part of the London 2012 Cultural

Olympiad.

Jon and Stephen produced the

three-minute documentary while

they were working as interns for

the University’s in-house media

agency, Solent Productions.

The Great Wight Attack follows the

efforts of charity swimmers Dave

Savage and Martyn Kennaugh as

they take to the seas around the

Isle of Wight to raise money and

awareness for cancer. It records

their highs and lows as they tackle

the busy waters before completing

a 65-mile endurance run around

the island.

“It was a challenging but

ultimately rewarding project,”

explained Stephen.

“We had to shoot with both a

large shoulder mount camera and

an underwater camera from a

speed boat, while trying to record

good audio of the guys telling us

how it was going as they battled

through the waves.

“The standard of the competition

was high, so knowing the judges

chose our film out of the

hundreds of entries makes us

incredibly proud.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

“…we were ranked number one earlier this year… a gold is a real possibility…”

4 | Winter 2012

ISSUE 8 | ART

Solent University celebrated the opening of its brand-new gallery and exhibition space with a stunning display of thought-provoking art from one of the most celebrated artists and cultural commentators of the last few decades.

With a prime city centre spot and a footfall

that should encompass shoppers and

seasoned art lovers alike, Solent Showcase

is designed to encourage community

engagement, discussion and participation

in contemporary art through nationally and

internationally acclaimed exhibitors.

It coincides with the expansion of

the University’s art courses and the

development of a new space for the

Solent School of Art and Design, close

to the city’s Bargate.

The new venue – the first major addition

to Southampton’s emerging cultural

quarter – opened with ‘Nine Artists, Nine

Narratives’, an exhibition of works from

Professor Richard Demarco’s personal

archive, featuring renowned artists Joseph

Beuys, Paul Neagu and Ian Hamilton Finlay.

Octogenarian Demarco CBE also received

an Honorary Doctor of Arts from Solent

University. He said: “The University

has proved that it cares deeply about

creativity. Art is the most potent language

given to us. It makes us human; it enables

us to make contact with our fellow

human beings and to make sense of the

mysteries of life. The language of art gives

hope for the future.”

Solent Showcase will also be a centre for

performance art and its opening night

performance by Budapest’s Yvette Bozsik

Dance Company was a taste of things

to come.

Miss Julie, directed by Marcell Ivanyi,

demonstrated how the space will be used

for live events, which the University hopes

will cover a variety of disciplines, ranging

from contemporary dance to theatre,

poetry reading and acoustic sets.

The Chancellor, Admiral The Right

Honourable Lord West of Spithead, said:

“The University has the largest arts and

creative industries faculties outside London

and Solent Showcase is a truly wonderful

thing that will open up art to more people.”

Gallery curator Les Buckingham added:

“Our new gallery space will facilitate

more exhibitions and performances in the

city centre and will work in harmony with

the city’s cultural quarter activities.

“It’s fabulous that the University was able

to display works from Professor Demarco’s

personal archive at the opening and that

he was honoured with a doctorate for his

commitment to the arts over many years.”

Opening up ART

Winter 2012 | 5

DEVELOPMENT | ISSUE 8

Psychology project to aid

IT industry

Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Dr

Carolyn Mair, has been awarded a

£91,000 Engineering and Physical

Sciences Research Council grant

to lead an 18-month project

investigating IT business decisions.

‘Metacognitive Instruction,

Confidence and Prediction Accuracy

in Software Engineering’ (MICaPASE)

will address poor software cost

prediction in the IT industry.

Using field studies, surveys and

experiments, it should help senior

software engineers understand

and improve judgement, decision

making and prediction processes

under uncertain conditions.

Improved prediction will enable the

IT industry to reach better business

decisions, including tendering,

cost-benefit analyses, project

management and tracking.

Industrial collaborators Hewlett

Packard and Lloyds TSB have

committed their time and

resources to the project with the

expectation that principles derived

from the research can be fed

directly back to the IT industry.

“With total UK state spending on

IT estimated at more than £7.6

billion, this project is important

and timely,” said Dr Mair.

“Making the right decisions in IT

has an impact on public sector

spending and recent cuts have

highlighted the need for better

management of government IT

projects. This need for improved

project management is a major

feature of the Cabinet Office

Business Plan 2011–2015.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

ISSUE 8 | SPORT

6 | Winter 2012

Two of the South Coast’s top football teams have turned to Solent University for the ‘science bit’ in a bid to be even better on the pitch.

The University’s Sport Science Department

has become a regular fixture for the region’s

football clubs, with both Championship

league Southampton Football Club and

League One AFC Bournemouth working

with sport scientists to analyse, assess and

act on player fitness and performance.

Southampton FC put the squad through

its paces at the University’s £1.3 million

centre for Health, Exercise and Sport

Science (CHESS) in the run-up to the

season, with regular follow-up sessions.

The club’s Senior Strength and Conditioning

Coach, Nick Harvey, worked with Senior

Lecturer in Sport Science, Dr Stewart

Bruce-Low, and his team of CHESS staff and

students on a series of physiological tests to

establish individual fitness profiles.

Players were pushed to the limit on

the VO2 max test, involving running

on a treadmill wearing oxygen masks

and having blood measured for levels,

intensity and movement of oxygen to

muscles around the body. The results

provided data that directly impacted the

training undertaken at the club’s ground.

“It’s been fantastic to be able to use

Solent University’s facilities and to access

the expertise of Dr Stewart Bruce-Low

and his team,” said Nick.

“It’s important to get accurate

physiological measurements of the

players and at Solent University we’ve

been able to analyse the gas that players

are breathing through measuring VO2

max in a laboratory situation.

“The results are critical in working out

exercise and fitness regimes for individual

players at different stages in the season.”

The University has also become AFC

Bournemouth’s official sport science

partner after three years of putting the

players through a series of tests that have

helped them to obtain and retain top

performances.

AFC Bournemouth manager Lee

Bradbury said: “We’re very happy to

have access to such great facilities and

a fantastic team of scientists who can

monitor our playing staff.”

Dr Stewart Bruce-Low added: “Our

partnership with AFC Bournemouth

has been benefitting the players and

coaching staff as well as our own sport

science students. They’ve gained valuable

experience with professional footballers and

some students have been offered internship

positions with the club, giving them the

edge in a highly competitive job market.

“More and more managers and coaches are

seeing the benefit of using sport science

to enhance performance and to prevent

injuries. Our students have been delighted

to see their skills and the laboratory

equipment being used to help analyse and

assess high-calibre professional athletes.”

Above: Solent sport scientists put Saints

through their paces.

Solent tests South’s football teams

COMMUNITY | ISSUE 8

Winter 2012 | 7

Solent University is a proud supporter of Southampton’s annual Black History Month, which highlights the positive impact of the city’s black community through cultural events and historical exhibitions. Latest offerings focussed on seminal moments in sport and music...

Bat to black The University’s photographic exhibition

of Caribbean cricket legends was opened

by the Jamaican High Commissioner, His

Excellency Anthony Smith Johnson.

‘Caribbean Cricket Legends‘ was

commissioned by Black History Month

as an exploration of the relationship

between white and black cricket players

since the first Hampshire v West Indies

game in 1900. It included nostalgic images

of former Hampshire and international

players, including Malcolm Marshall,

Gordon Greenidge and Andy Roberts.

Former Hampshire and England fast

bowler Norman Cowan – aka ‘Flash’

because of his 100mph bowling – was

a guest at the opening. His greatest

moment came in 1983 when he took a

match-winning six-77 against Australia.

He said: “As a child, I idolised the earlier

West Indian cricketers. They inspired kids

like me to excel in an area where we really

felt we could make our mark.”

His Excellency Anthony Smith Johnson was

delighted with the exhibition and the Black

History Month project. He said: “We’re all

united in one idea, that of celebrating the

history and legacy of our forefathers.”

Vice-Chancellor Professor Van Gore

added: “We were honoured to have the

Jamaican High Commissioner open this

fantastic exhibition. Solent University

is privileged to be among the main

supporters of Black History Month in

Southampton. We are a university that

prides itself on being inclusive.”

Reggae sourceThe University also paid homage to the

impact of black music on the cultural

history of Southampton.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Van Gore unveiled

a plaque at the Fleming Arms – formerly

the Coach House Club – to celebrate

its little-known link with iconic singer/

songwriter and political activist, Bob Marley,

who played at the Coach House in 1973.

Above: Tribute to Bob Marley

Inset: Gordon Greenidge

City’s Black History

“…As a child I idolised the West Indian cricketers…”

ISSUE 8 | ??????

8 | Winter 2012

The University has teamed up with the

Isle of Wight’s award-wining Bestival in a

formal agreement that places Solent as

its sole academic partner.

It means students and staff will be taking

on a full range of festival production roles

for both Bestival and sister event Camp

Bestival, as well as curating Bestival’s

Science Tent.

Bestival founder Rob da Bank has been

supporting the University’s ground-

breaking work in festivals since his

involvement with the University’s annual

music industry event, SMILE.

He said: “Everything Solent University has

done for us has been great. I’m chuffed

with the academic partnership, which is

a natural fit for us and will be the start of

even more things to come.

“The students have been exceptional. The

graphics, VJs, artist liaison, The Bugle daily

paper – it’s all been really good.”

Course Leader – BA (Hons) Popular

Music Journalism – and Solent University

Festivals Coordinator, Dr Martin James,

added: “We’ve developed some very

exciting links with music festivals over

recent years, but our partnership with

Bestival is the best yet. It allows us to

support students who have real drive

for future employment within the music

festival industry. They will have unrivalled

opportunities to focus their skills.”

During the 2011 Bestival event, students

worked in stage management and

production, sound and lighting, and

artist liaison. They also filmed two stages

for a live multi-camera feed which was

projected onto the festival’s LED screens.

Popular Music Journalism students

worked on Bestival’s daily newspaper, and

Solent University bands The Widowmaker

and Fly, Frankie Fly! performed at Camp

Bestival.

Popular Music Journalism student Carl

Gwynne was a production assistant at the

festival. He said: “It was really rewarding. I

was able to put a lot of transferable skills

into practice.”

Students also continued their work at

the other festivals including Glastonbury

and Blissfields, where Music Journalism

students created the programme and

a documentary, while others worked in

artist liaison, box office, stage crew and

backline technical support.

Three Popular Music and Production

students ran the mobile stage at the

award-winning Wilderness event and one

Music Journalism student was the official

journalist for the Sonisphere festival.

Head of Blissfields, Paul Bliss, said:

“The Solent students were indispensable.

They were of good calibre and we

would certainly like to work alongside

Solent again.”

Britain’s multi-million-pound festivals industry provides employment opportunities in areas ranging from performance to sound engineering and broadcast. Solent University continues to lead the way in its involvement.

Bonding with

Bestival

Picture by Jamie Baker

Winter 2012 | 9

INDUSTRY | ISSUE 8

Solent to stage international

ICT conference

Solent University is to manage a

world-leading conference on ICT

in Education.

The School of Technology is to

partner the University of the

Aegean for the peer-reviewed

2012 International Conference

on Information Communication

Technologies in Education in

Rhodes.

The conference, which has been

running for 12 years, addresses

the challenges and directions

presented by technological

innovations in educational settings,

providing a forum for intensive

interdisciplinary interaction and

debate.

Thematic streams of alternative

processes, procedures, techniques

and tools for creating learning

environments will include:

pedagogy in the evolving

technological environment;

informal and formal adult

education; multi-grade education;

intellectual property; and ethical

considerations in the use of

information technology in

teaching and learning.

Reader in the School of

Technology, Dr Chris Barlow,

will chair the conference, while

administration will be undertaken

by the Maritime and Technology

Faculty’s Enterprise Centre.

Previously run by the University

of the Fraser Valley, Canada, the

conference, to be held in July,

attracts delegates from more than

40 countries and acts as a forum

to promote research and scholarly

activity in technology-led learning.

NEWS IN BRIEF

“ We’ve developed some very exciting links with festivals…”

Science fires up festival

Pole-dancing robots and energy-saving

ecology were part of an eclectic science

show put on by Solent University lecturer

Anthony Gallagher at Bestival.

Coastal sustainability expert Anthony

is now rolling out the tent – designed

to promote science in a positive and

engaging light – to more festivals and

events across the UK.

The tent featured contributors from

across the UK, including Solent University

projects. Visitors to a TARDIS-like video

booth were filmed by Solent University

Outside Broadcast students for a science

vox pop. A science timeline, which

ran around the inside of the tent, was

designed by the University’s Design team.

University of Southampton research

fellow, Dr Helen Czerski, demonstrated

the importance of bubbles and

sound in ocean and atmospheric

interactions, while Newcastle University

demonstrated audio–visual interfaces,

and Minty Geeks, an electronics and

circuit-building group, allowed festival

goers to make small-scale circuits.

Representatives from Vestas R&D showed

their work on wind turbine blades in

relation to wind energy. Keele University’s

outreach group ‘Science for Sustainability’

demonstrated the use of solar ovens and

the building of solar-powered fans.

Solent Forum displayed its EU-funded

‘Coastal communities adapting to change’

(CCATCH) interactive model of climate

change in the Solent.

Anthony is now setting up an umbrella

group, the Future Science Collective,

which will encompass various science

projects and organisations, including

contributors to the Bestival science tent.

10 | Winter 2012

ISSUE 8 | DEVELOPMENT

The University last played host to the

Duke 15 years ago at its former ship

handling site in Marchwood. Impressed

with the newly opened £2.7 million centre

at Timsbury, near Romsey, the Duke of

Edinburgh once again boarded ‘Challenger’

and navigated the lake under the expert

tuition of Senior Lecturer Gordon Maxwell.

The Duke, who spent more than 20

years in the Royal Navy, was keen to

learn how the facilities emulate challenges

in maritime navigation, increase pilot

skill levels and ultimately improve

safety at sea.

He was especially interested in how

the lake and its training features were

constructed and the type of training the

centre provides.

“With his Royal Navy background,

the Duke had a particular interest

in the purpose of our training and

its environmental benefits through

prevention of catastrophes like the Exxon

Valdez oil tanker spill,” said Gordon.

“I showed the Duke where we had

excavated the canal and demonstrated

how well the canal replicates the effect

of interaction with ships, which he is very

familiar with.

“We also discussed the lengths the University

went to in protecting and preserving the

flora and fauna during the development

of the lake and I was able to point out the

water vole protection features.”

Back on shore, the Duke watched

delegates in the manned models

undertake a range of ship handling

scenarios, before meeting staff and

students during a tour of the new

classroom and workshop facilities.

Solent University Vice-Chancellor, Professor

Van Gore, said: “The University was honoured

that the Duke of Edinburgh visited our new

world-class ship handling facility.”

The centre – one of only five in the world

– was officially opened in June 2011.

Warsash Maritime Academy’s new manned model Ship Handling Centre was given a royal seal of approval when the Duke of Edinburgh paid a visit.

Royal visit for Ship Handling Centre

Veterans land at lake

A D-Day veteran, who helped

convert the Warsash campus from

its wartime role into the School

of Navigation, was among a group

invited to the Maritime Academy’s

new Ship Handling Centre in

Timsbury.

Reginald Neile helped create the

School of Navigation – which later

evolved into the Warsash Maritime

Academy – in the late 1940s. He

was part of a group of veterans

visiting the Ship Handling Centre

to see how today’s marine pilots

and ships’ officers are trained.

The visit – arranged through the

Normandy Veterans’ Association

– included a tour of the facilities

and first-hand experience of the

manned models’ navigational

challenges on the lake.

Bill Wakefield, of the Normandy

Veterans’ Association, said: “The

Warsash Maritime Academy Ship

Handling Centre is a wonderful

training centre and the visit was

especially interesting for D-Day

Veterans.”

The veterans gave University staff

a fascinating insight into the heroic

missions of the 1944 D-Day landings.

Reginald Neile’s ship, HMS Gazelle,

a mine sweeper with the 40th

Mine Sweeping Flotilla, led the

way for a battleship bombardment

group to approach Sword and Juno

beaches.

Veteran Vernon House was a deck

boy on the SS Coalville, which was

deliberately run up on to Gold

beach filled with jerry cans of

petrol for the thousands of vehicles

pouring ashore.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Winter 2012 | 11

LINKS | ISSUE 8

The former i-D magazine co-editor and

Clothes Show presenter spoke to Solent

University fashion students as part of the

‘All Walks Beyond the Catwalk’ campaign

for diversity in the industry.

Caryn set up ‘All Walks’ with supermodel

Erin O’Connor and fashion PR professional

Debra Bourne amid fears that women

were developing self-esteem problems

because of restrictive representations of

weight, age and ethnicity.

Caryn said that she hoped Solent students

would consider their responsibility as

designers, manufacturers and promoters to

provide a wider representation of women in

the future.

She said: “I regularly see thin, young, pale

models and wonder if there is room for us

to think about broadening the message.

Fashion isn’t just clothes or style; it’s a

huge cultural mindset.

“It’s important that we look at more diverse

ideals of beauty and include emotionally

considerate design in the curriculum.”

Caryn, an external assessor for the Royal

College of Art, Central St Martins and the

London College of Fashion, has worked

with Solent University students on several

projects around diversity.

Students have been keen to hear Caryn’s

views on brands, the corporatisation of fashion

and her own experience of the industry.

“All Walks Beyond the Catwalk’ celebrates

individuality amongst professional models.

Our campaign ‘Size Me Up’ featured models

ranging between sizes 8 and 16 and ages 18

to 65 wearing designs from eight of Britain’s

hottest designers,” said Caryn.

‘All Walks Beyond the Catwalk’ co-

founder, Debra Bourne – who has a

background in body psychotherapy – is

also keen that fashion students engage in

ideas about body image.

She said: “The students are genuinely

interested in the campaign. Often, it’s an

issue that’s close to home and they are

keen to know how their work in the future

could influence the way women feel about

their bodies. It’s important to challenge the

parameters of beauty and we are encouraged

by the questions young people are asking.”

Solent University Fashion, Design and

Communication Lecturer, Philip Clarke, added:

“Caryn has already successfully worked

with our students on projects based on the

‘All Walks’ ethos. We’re keen to sustain our

partnership with ‘All Walks’ and to continue to

inspire students to consider diversity issues. It’s

important that prejudices within the fashion

industry are continually addressed and that

this campaign is taken seriously.”

Above l-r: Debra Bourne, Erin O’Connor

and Caryn Franklin

British fashion guru Caryn Franklin brought her campaign on to campus in a bid to ensure that tomorrow’s style leaders create a mix of models on the catwalks.

Caryn makes a case for models

…students are genuinely interested in the campaign…

12 | Winter 2012

ISSUE 8 | ACHIEVEMENTS

BA (Hons) Make-up and Hair Design

students Kat Vogart and Sasha Wren

confirmed their credentials when they

were named winners of the Distinction

in Make-up Artistry Awards, run by the

luxury brand Illamasqua.

The students clinched the award after their

stunning designs were put forward for a

public vote by a panel of industry experts,

including Dazed and Confused’s Senior

Fashion Editor, Katie Shillingford, Academy

and BAFTA Award-winning make-up artist

and hair designer, Christine Blundell and

Illamasqua Creative Director, Alex Box.

Images of the students’ made-up models

were uploaded on to Illamasqua’s

facebook page for the public vote.

Kat was voted best in the Foundation

and Second-Year Student category for

her harpy-inspired face modelled by her

boyfriend, Southampton waiter Matt

Wegner (featured on cover).

She said: “I wanted to recreate the

mythological harpy – half-bird, half-

woman – and my boyfriend was happy to

be my model.

“The whole effect took just under an hour

and a half, but I did do a lot of thinking

around it. It required very

careful brushwork.”

Kat’s ambition is to work in the film

industry – but she says the fantasy look

should not be confined to the stage. “I’m

always looking for new ideas and doing

something a little different and exciting.”

BA (Hons) Make-up and Hair Design for

Music, Film and Photography graduate

Sasha Wren won the Final-Year Student

category (pictured opposite). She said:

“I’ve always seen make-up as an art form

and have pushed the boundaries with

texture and colour. The look I created

for the competition evolved from an

accident. I had to use some tissue on my

face after some paint I used started to

sting. I realised that leaving the tissue on

and painting over it created an edgy look.

“The face is an interesting canvas and the

impermanence of cosmetics provides an

intriguing creative platform.”

As a make-up artist with the leading

brand Bobbi Brown, Kat has demonstrated

her versatility since graduation. “I’ve

landed an amazing job which I thoroughly

enjoy. My job with Bobbi Brown clients

is to create an understated look, so it

was good fun to go for something

completely different.”

Solent University course leader,

Clementine O’Hara, said: “The team was

thrilled at the strong presence of Solent

students in the Illamasqua competition.

They are challenging the contemporary

role of the make-up artist.”

Two Solent University students beat competitors from all over the globe to scoop top prizes in an international make-up competition.

Make-up maestros

“The fantasy look should not be confined to the stage…”

FASHION | ISSUE 8

Summer 2011 | 13

14 | Winter 2012

ISSUE 8 | SOLENT PEOPLE

Meet the Chancellor

What does Solent University mean to

you and what made you say ‘yes’ to

being Chancellor?

The Southampton location resonated

with my naval connections, while Warsash

is probably the best maritime training

centre in the world.

I’m also very interested in the arts – my

wife, Rosie, is a contemporary artist – and

I liked Solent’s focus on media and the

creative arts.

I liked the fact that Solent University

wasn’t stuffy or snobbish; it was offering

people of all backgrounds the opportunity

to fulfil their potential and to make a real

contribution.

Social inclusion is central to Solent

University. I went to a state grammar

school and joined the navy largely

because it is the most meritocratic of the

military services.

I think that academic excellence,

vocational skills and creativity are equally

important, and everyone should have the

opportunity to excel in either of these

areas. Solent University gives people a fair

chance, whether they are from a poor or

wealthy background.

You must hold the record for the

length of time you talk to students as

you award them their degrees. What

do you say? Do you ever get tired of it?

I absolutely love graduation. It’s such a

big day for students and I’m genuinely

delighted for them and interested in the

experiences they’ve had at university and

what they’re going to do with their lives.

I might ask them what they’re doing next

– and I have had answers that include

‘going for a beer’.

You have had a distinguished navy

career, which led to you becoming a

full Admiral in 2000, as Commander-in-

Chief Fleet, NATO, and heading up the

British Navy. How and why was that

such a successful career for you?

I decided, aged seven, that I wanted to be

in the navy. My father was a civil servant

in the dockyards and I was just eight

months old when I sailed with my mother

on a troopship to join him in Singapore.

Solent University Chancellor, Admiral the Lord West of Spithead, was Minister for Security and Counter-terrorism from 2007 to 2010, under Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Before his ministerial appointment, he was First Sea Lord, the professional head of the Royal Navy. He left office following the 2010 general election but continues to sit as a Labour peer in the House of Lords.

Winter 2012 | 15

SOLENT PEOPLE | ISSUE 8

I just had to work out whether to go in

the Royal or Merchant Navy – a decision I

made at 14 years old.

I joined Britannia Royal Naval College

in 1965 when I was 17, which was

comparatively young. The navy is very

egalitarian, with huge numbers of officers

coming up through the ranks. If you are

good, you can progress. That appealed

to me. I was lucky enough to have

an extremely successful career, going

on to serve on 14 different ships, and

commanding three.

The navy was something that agreed with

me. In those days travel was not so freely

accessible, so it gave me the opportunity

to travel all over the world. It was an

adventure and there was great loyalty

between the chaps.

There were downsides – being separated

for long periods from my family, for

instance.

In 1982, during the Falklands War, the

ship you commanded, HMS Ardent, was

sunk and 22 lives were lost. You stayed

on the ship right up until the end

and were awarded the Distinguished

Service Cross for your leadership. How

did you cope with that event?

As commander, you have so many

things to think about. But it would be

wrong to say that when one sees aircraft

coming, you don’t get a bit of a wobble

in your tummy. It was wonderful how

some of the youngsters, in very difficult

circumstances, were able to get on with

the job in that situation.

Training and tradition helps you through

– but it is terrible to lose people. I’m

President of the HMS Ardent Association

and keep in regular contact. I remember

being at a 20th anniversary event

commemorating the sinking of the Ardent

and meeting the son of one of the men

who was killed. His girlfriend, who had not

been registered as a next of kin, had been

pregnant at the time. His son wanted to

meet us, to make a connection. It was

incredibly moving.

What makes a good leader?

Having a very clear view of where your

organisation is going and articulating

the key messages to the people on the

‘factory floor’. If your company is

making submarines and you ask the

cleaner what he does, he should be able

to say: “I make submarines.”

Loyalty works both ways. The ultimate

in good leadership is having people that

that would rather do anything but let you

down. I get that feeling from the lecturers

at Solent University. There seems to

be real respect between students and

lecturers.

You move among a variety of people

– from royalty and politicians to

celebrities and artists. What’s the

secret behind the ‘Lord West charm’

and how important is it to get on

with people?

You need to care about people and to

be genuinely interested in them. Some

people find this difficult, but I find it easy.

My family motto is ‘Be just and kind’.

Kindness is underrated. If you can be kind

in your relationships you’ll go a long way.

People are people, whoever they are. It’s

important that you treat people right;

show them respect.

You’ve been Under Secretary of State

for Security under Gordon Brown. What

was it like?

It was a great honour to receive the

peerage, because the Prime Minister

wanted me to be the nation’s Security

Minister, a newly created role. I had to be

an MP or a peer to do that.

I worked on security for the Olympics,

security in the water supply, crowded

places, hazardous sites and nuclear

substances, as well as cyber security,

science and innovation, the counter

terrorist policy, national security forum

and strategy and the nuclear, biological,

defence strategy.

Because of the work that I did with

various people at that time, the nation is

much safer now and that’s a good feeling.

Higher education funding has changed

recently. How do you see Solent

weathering the choppy waters?

Bearing in mind the pressures on higher

education, Solent University is in a good

place. It is offering more opportunities

to youngsters in academic, creative

and vocational areas – giving them a

chance to contribute to the wealth and

prosperity of the country – and it has

continued to invest. I’m very optimistic.

I like to be involved in the University and

how it is developed.

You sit in the House of Lords and you

seem very busy. What’s the future

bringing for you?

I have three grown-up children, four

grandchildren and one on the way, so

I have lots going on in the family. I’m

also patron of the Docklands Sinfonia

Orchestra, War Museum and 14 charities

and I’m looking forward to continuing my

work with Solent University.

Images clockwise l-r: Lord West, in naval

attire; with Rosie at his House of Lords

investiture; presenting Dannii Minogue

with her honorary degree; with student

at graduation; Lord West family, man.

16 | Winter 2012

ISSUE 8 | GRADUATION

Ten ceremonies, 2,500 students and ten stars of business, media, art and education made an inspiring spectacle during Solent’s graduation week.

The Chancellor, Admiral The Right

Honourable Lord West of Spithead, and the

Chair of the Board of Governors, Grahame

Sewell, presided over the ceremonies,

which were beamed all over the world by

live webcast.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Van Gore spoke of

the University’s commitment to providing

quality higher education to all those who

deserved it, adding that the ‘real-world’ skills

gained at Solent University are crucial to

the British economy.

He said: “We are an engine for social

mobility, seeking to erase lines of inequality.

“Our prime focus is on our students, their

intellectual and personal development

and their future success.”

Despite tough economic times and

changes in higher education funding, the

University remains financially robust and

last year re-invested £18 million.

Highlights included: the purchase of a prime

site for development to the side of the

main University campus; the opening of the

Timsbury Lake Ship Handling Centre near

Romsey; the new Wessex League-standard

football facilities at Test Park; and a new

home for the School of Art and Design.

But it is the diversity and quality of

the courses that is a key feature of the

University’s continuing success.

“There is a distinctiveness that combines

innovation, academic excellence and

contemporary relevance,” said Professor Gore.

The University awarded honorary doctorates

to inspirational people in areas ranging from

fine art to media and business, including:

Screen, music and fashion personality,

Dannii Minogue (Doctor of Media); Chief

Executive of the Mary Rose Trust, Rear

Admiral John Lippiett CB MBE (Doctor of

Maritime Studies); internationally renowned

make-up artist and Creative Director of

cutting-edge cosmetic range Illamasqua,

Alex Box (Doctor of Design);

Brad Roynan, former Chief Executive of

Southampton City Council (Doctor of

Business); Managing Director of P&O

Cruises, Carol Marlow (Doctor of Business);

former Principal of Totton College,

Mark Bramwell (Doctor of Education);

internationally renowned musician,

composer and conductor, Mike Moran

(Doctor of Music); Southampton Solent

graduate Stephen Bolton, Group Controller

of Diageo and former Finance Director of

Unilever (Doctor of Business);

Richard Demarco CBE OBE, internationally

renowned artist and promoter of the

visual arts and performing arts (Doctor of

Arts); Managing Director of Newsquest

Hampshire, Stewart Dunn (Doctor

of Media).

Graduation 2011

Winter 2012 | 17

MARITIME | ISSUE 8

Peter runs workshops in architectural

drawing and rendering in the corporate

environment, as well as for the Campaign

for Drawing’s Big Draw events. He has

exhibited his watercolours at venues

throughout the UK, including the Mall

Galleries and Bankside Gallery in London,

as well as Liverpool, Birmingham,

Cambridge and Southampton.

Although he is inspired by decaying and

weathered structures, Peter’s work is

remarkably fresh and vibrant.

How did you start?I began to draw as a way of interpreting

the world around me and it became a

habit. As a schoolboy it was limited to

technical drawing, but in my teens it

developed into sketching.

After gaining a Diploma in Technical

Illustration at Ravensbourne College of Art in

the early 1970s, I practised as an illustrator in

advertising and publishing. I gained an MPhil

from the Royal College of Art in Information

Illustration and began practising as a

freelance architectural illustrator in 1984.

What sort of interior design projects

have you worked on?

I’ve worked with several interior designers

to visualise future projects. But my

commercial work is mainly exterior

architecture. I really enjoyed doing a

series of watercolour illustrations of a

Grade II listed, six-bedroom Georgian

townhouse in Chichester to show the

building’s potential for development.

I also produced work for the development

and refurbishment of a house following

an Arts and Crafts theme, built in 1925.

Can art influence interior design?

Painting and sculpture has a way of

influencing how we decorate our homes

and the workplace, and the corporate

world is an immense sponsor of art and

design in public spaces. Periods in art

and design come and go in terms of

fashion and trends, but my favourite is

1930s Art Deco with artists like Tamara

de Lempicka, a popular inspiration for

interior decoration for over 20 years.

What is your relationship between

design and art?

My commercial projects sometimes

offer me the freedom to be creative in

visualising a client’s vision, but I have a

different approach to my personal work,

which I think of as illustration. It can be

more rewarding, but is often the result of

struggle and torment.

How do you inspire your students?

I teach by example, running workshops in

a range of methods and media and using

online resources to show professionals’ work

and working processes. By dispelling the

mysteries surrounding the design process,

students are more able to practise and

experiment in a step-by-step approach.

The design process can be taught, but the

solution depends on many factors. Good

research, problem solving and competence

in handling media are all important.

I’m often found with a sketchbook around

Southampton. I find the mix of industry

and nature around the docks fascinating.

Interior Design Lecturer and Society

of Architectural Illustration Education

Officer, Peter Jarvis, has been using

architectural representation in his fine

art watercolours and illustrations for

more than 25 years.

Putting the art in architecture

ISSUE 8 | ??????

18 | Winter 2012

Want to further your career prospects?Postgraduate coursesWe offer a wide range of postgraduate courses in the following areas:

• Advertising/Communications

• Art and Design

• Business

• Computing

• Criminology

• Fashion

• Film and Television

• Human Resource Management

Professional coursesUpskill your workforce, gain a competitive edge in the jobs market or progress in your career by enrolling on one of our professional courses. We offer the following accredited qualifications:

• ACCA (Association of Chartered Accountants)

• CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing)

• CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development)

• Cisco Certified Network

• ILEX (Institute of Legal Executives)

Short coursesOur professional development units (PDUs) and short courses offer continuing professional development to meet your specific business needs. We can also offer employer-driven courses tailored to your organisation. For a list of courses, visit our website.

Want to know more?www.solent.ac.uk/coursesGive us a call on +44 (0)23 8031 9000Email ask@solent.ac.uk

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