50

LAUNCH PAD

55555Years of

Brunel

DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND DISCOVER HOW BRUNEL ALUMNI EXCEL IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS AND HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY HOW THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED THEM ALONG THE WAY

2 L A U N C H P A D

One of the prominent features Brunel alumni consistently highlight as the primary

reason for their success is the University’s close links with their respective indus-

tries. Gaining invaluable experience through industry internships and having some

RI�WKH�PRVW�GLVWLQJXLVKHG�JXUHV�IURP�YDULRXV�HOGV�FRPH�DQG�WDON�WR�VWXGHQWV�LV�ZKDW�PDNHV�%UXQHO�D�UVW�FKRLFH�IRU�SURVSHFWLYH�VWXGHQWV�LQ�HYHU\�GHSDUWPHQW��)RU�the past year, my lecturers have encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and

apply for internships that I never thought I would get. They pushed us to participate

in networking, media events and set the alarm to 05.00 on Sunday mornings to get

the chance to meet some of the most influential personalities in the media industry.

By devoting more of their time than their jobs require, the lecturers here at Brunel

made us aim higher and establish vital contact in the industry we hope to one day to

be a part of. Our teachers come directly from the business we wish to pursue, and

they constantly enlighten us with priceless inside information about the industry and

share their own experience to help us accomplish our goals. The doors that have

been opened by well-connected and enthusiastic lectures this year have been in-

credible. I have met people I admired, discussed ideas about the future of journalism

and received advice from insightful editors thanks to teachers who never give up on

their students. Seeing 50 years of history at Brunel through the eyes of alumni from

HYHU\�GHFDGH�KDV� FRQUPHG�P\� WKHRU\� WKDW� WKLV�8QLYHUVLW\� LV� QRW� RQO\� D� SODFH�RI�learning, but also a place where you truly do get a huge leap closer to reaching your

SRWHQWLDO�DQG�SHUXVLQJ�\RXU�DPELWLRQ�ZLWKLQ�\RXU�FKRVHQ�HOG�����

DIRECTOR’S NOTE

Welcome to LaunchPad This is the third edition of Launchpad that we have commissioned from the Journalism students at Brunel University London and I am delighted that once more we have a magazine that is not only attractive and interesting but useful as well.The focus this year – on 50 achievers who attended the University – is obviously ÀWWLQJ� DV� ZH� DSSURDFK� RXU�50th anniversary in 2016; but it also demonstrates that alumni of this University are making a striking contribution DFURVV� PDQ\� ÀHOGV� RI� KXPDQ�endeavour. My grateful thanks and congratulations to the students and staff involved in the project which illustrates not only their talents and those RI�ZKR�WKH\�SURÀOH��EXW�LW�LV�DOVR�an example of the imaginative and stimulating teaching that characteristically takes place at the University. Best wishes to all those who brought this publication to life!

EDITOR’S

LETTER CAMILLA BRUGRAND

ANDREW WARD

2 L A U N C H P A D 5 0 Y E A R S O F B R U N E L 3

C O N T E N T S C U L T U R E

B U S I N E S S

E N T E R T A I N M E N T

S P O R T

S C I E N C E

4. Liesel Schwarz

6. Ross Ramgobin, John Watts, Isabella Noronha

8. Carl Barât, Ken MacLeod, Richard Green, Valerie Jack

9. Bernardine Evaristo, Claire Phillips, Hajaz Akram

10. Roisin Isaacs

12. Peter Ward, Jordan Chitty

13. Lorraine Wright, Anthony Chew, Frederick Wabwaya

14. John McGrath, Lincoln Crawford, Simon Murdoch

Stuart Etherington

15. Alan Selby

16. Raymond Snoddy

17. Tom Stoppard, Bindya Solanki

18. Lee Mack, Nick Abbot, Lucy Verasamy

19. Francis French, Dave Smith, Patricia Hodge, Sharon Horgan

20. Anna Critchlow

22. Solveiga Pakstaite

23. Martin Mobberly, Samuel Etherington

24. Samuel Weller, Ronald Frankenberg, Eric Hunter

25. Shelina Parmalloo, Lyn Dowsett, Yash Gupta

26. Perri Shakes-Drayton

28. Tony Adams, Audley Harrison, Eniola Aluko,

29. Kate Walsh, Mike Coughlan

30. Lizzy Janes, Hope Powell, Catherine Murphy

4

10

15

20

26

4 L A U N C H P A D

CULTURE

CAMILLA BRUGRAND

After working many years as a lawyer in South Africa and the UK, Liesel Schwarz, made a page turner in her life and applied her skills in new and creative ways.

Her great love for medieval creatuers,

pirates, zombies, space operas and

all subjects in between led to her

applying for an MA in creative writing at

Brunel University.

�/LHVHOV�QDO�ZRUN�DW�WKH�8QLYHUVLW\�WXUQHG�into her debut novel, A Conspiracy of Al-

chemist, which have gained international

recognition as well as winning the Joan

Hessayon Award.

The author describes the journey from

writing to publishing as a bit of a roll-

er-coaster ride.

“I had gone from utter rejection to triumph

in the space of a few months. It was tough

WR�NHHS�WKH�IDLWK�DQG�NHHS�JRLQJ� She explains that she wouldn’t have been

published if she hadn’t chosen the Brunel

programme and gained such an under-

standing of how the publishing industry

ZRUNV� “It was a blind determination. Never give

up on your dream because at some point

VRPHWKLQJ�ZLOO�KDSSHQ� The series has now turned into a trilogy

DQG�KHU�VHFRQG�ERRN��7KH�&ORFNZRUN�+DUG��KDYH�EHFRPH�KHU�3K�'��SURMHFW��6N\�3LUDWHV�EHFDPH�WKH�WKLUG�DQG�ODVW�ERRN�LQ�WKH�FRO-lection, and it was published in the sum-

mer of 2014.

“There aren’t many universities that focus

RQ�KRUURU�� FWLRQ�DQG� IDQWDV\�ZULWLQJ�� EXW�%UXQHO�LV�RQH�RI�WKHP� Liesel is currently teaching creative writ-

ing to third-year undergraduates about

VWHDPSXQN��IDLULHV�DQG�IDQWDV\�PRQVWHUV�Before settling down on the British island,

Liesel was practising law in her hometown

Johannesburg in South Africa.

“My passion has always been writing and

since I can remember I’ve made up stories.

,�DOZD\V�MRNH�DQG�VD\�EXW�WKHQ�P\�SDUHQWV�made me get a real job’. In a way, being a

ODZ\HU�LV�QRW�WKDW�GLIIHUHQW�IURP�ZULWLQJ�F-

Lawyer turned ÀFWLRQDO�ZULWHU WHOO�WDOHV�DERXW�SLUDWHV and ZDUORFNV

5 0 Y E A R S O F B R U N E L 5

CULTURE CULTURE

tion, because you are constantly thinking about narratives and facts.” Over the years, Liesel have moved away from practising law and focused more on her creative skills. When she was doing her MA, she also had a full-time job as an in-house lawyer for an insurance company. “I decided that I wanted a bit of an adven-ture. One day I packed up my bags and moved. I have never looked back.” It was a coincident that she ended up at Brunel. At that time, she was living in Ux-

bridge and was happy to discover that it was a university right next door. “I was very privileged to have studied with )D\� :HOGRQ�� &HOLD� %UD\HOG� DQG� 'DQXWD�Kean. It was just an amazing, mind-ex-panding and life changing experience to be able to learn from such amazing teach-ers.” As most of the Brunel students, Liesel spent a fair amount of time on the Metro-politan line going in and out of London. “One Tuesday afternoon when I was trav-elling to Baker Street station this quite ran-dom and odd conversation popped into my head, and it was the two main characters IURP�P\�UVW�QRYHO�KDYLQJ�D�EOD]LQJ�URZ�� The author thanks the creative depart-ment for having a wealth of incredibly tal-ented writers who teaches their students how to be a writer with an industry-facing approach. “They don’t just teach you how to write, but also how to be a part of the industry, which is invaluable. If you are a horror writ-HU�RU�D�FWLRQDO�KLVWRULFDO�ZULWHU��WKH\�UHF-ognise that different authors have different voices.”�'LVWDQFH�KDYH�QHYHU�EHHQ�D�SUREOHP� IRU�Liesel and even though she lives hundreds of miles from her country of origin she still managed to keep in contact with the peo-ple she cares about. “The world is so small nowadays with Skype and email, Facebook and all the other platforms one can communicate through. I have friends who live on other continents that I speak to more than the people who love down the road.”“I wouldn’t say that I especially drew inspi-ration from one particular time or incident, but it is part of who I am and the unique-ness of my voice.” Liesel has always had a passion for Lon-don, and she is continually fascinated by it as a city.“I’ve always loved going to places that

Stories about ferries and forests, King Ar-thur and the medieval stuff makes England

the perfect place for me.

Lawyer turned ÀFWLRQDO�ZULWHU WHOO�WDOHV�DERXW�SLUDWHV and ZDUORFNV

are old, attractive and carries a lot of his-tory. It’s more of the historian in me that attracts me to that. A lot of the action in my books is set to places like Paris and Istanbul, and I think the reason for that is because I have a love for ancient places. Together with her partner, Liesel decided to settle down in the British countryside of Gloucester. She appreciates having four seasons and enjoy rainy days. I love the rain. People always laugh at me for saying that, but it is a bonus when you are living in the UK. Folklore and mythological aspects of folk tales and fantasy aspects of the different cultures have always fascinated Liesel. “Stories about ferries and forests, King Arthur and the medieval stuff makes Eng-land the perfect place for me. Living in a place where all that came from is fantastic and made me chose to move here.” Leaving a decent salary as a solicitor in the hope of becoming a full-time writer has not always been easy. “It is incredibly expensive to go to univer-sity and I felt that I was very lucky and priv-ileged to have been able to do that. Writing full time is the dream most people aspire to, and I’ve been quite fortunate.”

There are few writers who only make a living by doing what they love and to pay the bills; Liesel still has some side jobs as a teacher

“It’s an unfortunate thing of the publish-ing industry. We all keep side jobs in order to pay the bills.”

Some of the recent side projects Liesel have been working on is teaching a master FODVV�RQ�KRZ�WR�ZULWH�VFLHQFH�FWLRQ�DQG�fantasy for The Guardian.

“They approached a group of writers and asked us to write a book about it as well. It was part of a series of books in how to learn to write in 60 minutes. The book was published last May, and it was an exciting project to be part of.”

One of the more interesting jobs Liesel have been asked to join in the past is at-tending the annual Comic-Con in San 'LHJR��6KH�ZDV�DOVR�RQ� WKH�SDQHO� IRU� WKH�World Fantasy Con in London.

“It was a privilege to be able to do pan-els and be part of comic con and win book prices. They have been some of the high-lights of my writing career. It has just been incredible since the books came out.” /LHVHO� MXVW� QLVKHG� KHU� IRXUWK� ERRN��

which is standalone and currently under submission.

“I’m going to write some short stories for Haunted Futures and a short story VSLQRII� IURP� 'RFWRU� :KR� WKLV� \HDU�� ,WV�hard work being an author, but it’s the best job in the world.

Liesel’s advice for creative minds is to QLVK�WKH�UVW�QRYHO��DV�LW�KDSSHQV�WR�EH�D�problem for many writers.

“Never give up, even though that means that you have to abandon one manuscript and start over. If it’s something you want to do, go for it.”

© Cam

illa Brugrand

“”

CULTURE CULTURE

By his 26th birthday singer

of punk/wave/rock band

Fischer-Z, John Watts, had

sold two million records. It was at

Brunel where he founded Fischer-Z

together with a classmate and built

up his career from ´73 to ´78.

The social climate on cam-

pus influenced Watts develop-

ment as a musician heavily:

“Students were much more

adversely politically

interested. Anti-estab-

lishment student activity

was expected. It was a left

wing communist university.”

He studied clinical psychology, a

course he chose because of its real

life application. Yet he always knew

he wanted to become a musician

since he was a boy. “I was never sure

,�ZDV�DFWXDOO\� �QLVKLQJ�P\�VWXGLHV��KH�VDLG��:KHQ�,�ZDV�GRLQJ� �QDO�H[DPV��I was doing shows, I was travelling to

Manchester having three hour sleep com-

ing back and doing more exams. Eventually

I got 2.2.”

Two weeks after Watts graduated in

����KH�JRW�KLV� �UVW�PDMRU�UHFRUG�GHDO�with Fischer Z and the following years

would be the peak of his career. “I

was a pop star”. Yet in 1981

Watts split up with Steve

Skolnik, who was

the only other member of Fisher-Z, and he

pursued his less successful solo career.

“I have been signed up by seven different

PDMRU�UHFRUG�FRPSDQLHV�DQG�,�DOZD\V�HQG�up arguing with them.” That is, he says, be-

cause he always stayed true to his artistic

ideas and to him this meant continuous

G O I N G John Watts is British musi-cian and multimedia artist who formed the rock band Fischer-Z at Brunel Univer-sity in 1976.

change of the music and art he created.

When people began labeling John Watts as

D�URFN�VWDU��KH�GLGQvW�ZDQW�WR�FRQ �UP�DQG�VWLFN�WR�WKDW�LPDJH��,I�\RX�KDYH�MXVW�RQH�sound, then for the rest of your career you

DUH�GRLQJ�WKH�VDPH�WKLQJ�DQG�LI�>PDMRU�UH�cord companies] sell something, they want

you to produce the same something.”

Today John Watts is sixty years old and

still making music the way he wants to.

Indeed for this year he is planning to rein-

vent Fisher-Z with his 19th album called

“This is my universe“. He said: “I consider

it a massive privilege to make a living from

writing songs”.

However, Watts is only able to do the

music he wants to, because he is

managing himself. He said, “If I

were selling beans or cakes,

I could be a really

good business man.

But when the business

is yourself, it´s quite a conflict

[because] when I am selling you a

cake, I can say this is an amazing

cake. It is much harder to sell and

SURMHFW��,�DP�DPD]LQJ�Watts thinks that today other than

from when he was at university

young people are too obsessed with

�QGLQJ�D�MRE��+H�VDLG��,�FDQ�XQGHU�stand why, but it is often restricting

them. What people not do enough of

when they are younger is fail. I failed

a bit too late. Failwure as a teenager

would have been good for me.

HAGEN REINERS

L A U N C H P A D6

DEAF FOR A LIVINGJ o h n W a t t s

© J

ohn

Wat

ss

CULTURE CULTURE

A funny coincidence put the former English and Drama student on a completely different path than

expected. While singing Frank Sinatra in his student hall, he was approached by a fresher’s student representative to take part in an audition for a musical. To Ross’ surprise he won the judges hearts by sing-ing ‘New York, New York’ and was grant-ed three years of voice training at the Arts Centre. “It opened a whole new world for me,” Ross said, spending more time playing musicals than writing essays.

In his second year, his tutor Eileen Pinkarchevski encouraged him to take his singing to a professional level. He audi-WLRQHG� �UVW�ZLWK����DW�WKH�5R\DO�$FDGHP\�of Music, but was considered too young. He came back after his studies, got ac-cepted and “never looked back since”. 'UHDPV�RIWHQ�UHTXLUH�VDFUL �FHV��VR�GRHV�

becoming and being an opera singer. No cigarettes, no chocolate milk and singing, rather than shouting at a football match.

“It is almost like being an Athlete. You

Curtain CallRamgobin Ross

AMELIE HEULS

have to keep the right diet, lifestyle and a lot of sleep,” he said.

The importance is to keep muscular IOH[LELOLW\� LQ� WKH� ERG\� DQG� �QG� D� PHQ�tal and physical balance to avoid stress

or tension, which the young opera singer found in Pilates.

“Opera singers seem very neurotic, but you cannot put your voice away in a box, it is a very fragile instrument,” he said. Consequently, there are ways to sing safe-ly, use the voice without pushing it to ex-tremes, so that the stamina lasts for many years to come.

He prepares pieces in German, French, Latin, Italian, and Russian, depending on the opera. It is crucial to understand the texts to communicate the emotions on stage, which is hours of work for the right pronunciation.

The competition is very hard as a Bari-tone, but even harder for Sopranos, but his goal is getting himself heard and learning the craft to keep on singing until his mid 60s.

Ross still comes back to Brunel to prac-tice and teach one student and says there is still a strong bond to the university, be-cause this is where everything started.

“I still feel like a student when I am here, even if a lot changed, but it’s nice to see how the university grows.”

Ross Ramgobin is a British baritone who studied at the Royal Academy of Music and con-

tinued his training at the National Opera Studio, London.

5 0 Y E A R S O F B R U N E L 7

J o h n W a t t s

© R

ob

ert

Wo

rkm

an

8 L A U N C H P A D

Ken MacLeod Will Jamieson

Ken MacLeod, award

ZLQQLQJ� VFLHQFH� �FWLRQ�ZULWHU�� KDV� GHSLFWHG� IXWXUH�YLVLRQV� RI� WKH� %UXQHO� FDP�SXV� LQ� KLV� QRYHOV�� 7KH� 6WDU�)UDFWLRQ�DQG�,QWUXVLRQ�

Having been awarded an

03KLO�LQ�%LRPHFKDQLFV�IURP�%UXQHO� LQ� ������ KH� HYHQWX�DOO\�FKRVH�D�FDUHHU�DV�ZULW�HU� RI� VFLHQFH� �FWLRQ� UDWKHU�WKDQ�LQYHVWLJDWRU�RI�VFLHQFH�0\� WUDQVLWLRQ� IURP� UH�

VHDUFKHU�WR�ZULWHU�ZDV�EDVL�FDOO\�EHFDXVH�,�ZDVQW�D�YHU\�JRRG� UHVHDUFKHU�� KH� WROG�%UXQHOV�([SUHVV�PDJD]LQH�� 6LQFH� WKHQ�� KH� KDV� SXE�

OLVKHG����QRYHOV�DQG�YDULRXV�VKRUWHU�ZRUNV��+H�KDV�ZRQ�WKH� %ULWLVK� 6FLHQFH� )LFWLRQ�

$ZDUG�WZLFH��LQ������IRU�The Sky Road� DQG� LQ� ����� IRU�The Night Sessions��+H� LV� FXUUHQWO\� :ULWHU� LQ�

5HVLGHQFH�RQ�WKH�0$�&UHD�WLYH�:ULWLQJ�FRXUVH�DW�(GLQ�EXUJK�1DSLHU�8QLYHUVLW\��DQG�UHFHQWO\� UHOHDVHG� KLV� ODWHVW�QRYHO��Descent�

Valerie Jack: poet, playwright and teacher

Valerie Jack graduated Brunel in 2007 with a

Secondary English PGCE. She has written four full-length stage plays one of which was staged at the Etcetera Theatre in Camden LQ�������+HU� �UVW�SRHWU\�collection, Educational was published in 2009. She is currently in discussions with a director regarding a future production of her lat-est play, Pathway Plan and is also writing her second poetry collection, Live-aboard. In terms of future plans, Valerie has various ideas but has been particularly inspired

E\�FUHDWLYH�QRQ� �FWLRQ�

that she has read in the last few years, such as Kather-ine Boo’s Behind the Beautiful Forevers. “In my personal life, I have embarked on a new chapter that has given me ideas for new directions I could take with my writing. My husband is Bulgarian, and since getting acquainted with his country I am consider-ing writing some creative QRQ� �FWLRQ�DERXW�%XOJDULD��Becoming a mother has also made me want to try writing for children in the future.”

Phot

o so

urce

: http

://www.valeriejack.com

/about.htm

Amelie Heuls

Richard Green graduated Brunel Univer-sity in 1964 with a degree in

Applied Physics. He then went on to do a PHD in computer graphics which was then deemed a new concept and still in its early stages.

He saw an opportunity in the market and started up ‘Online Conference Ltd’ which specialized in international events in the computers and communications �HOG��7KH�EXVLQHVV�KDG�EH

come established by the 1980s and his workforce hadgrown to over 120 employees.

+H�KDV�VHW�XS�RI �FHV�LQ�/RQGRQ��New York and Singapore. The Association for Computing Machinery considers him as one of the founders of Com-puter Graphics.

Richard Green

Camilla Brugrand

Carl Barât started a drama degree at Brunel but

dropped out before graduat-ing. He met musician, Pete Doherty, through Pete’s sister who was also a student at Brunel. In 1997 he formed the rock band, ‘The Libertines’ and released two albums: Up the Bracket in 2002 and The Libertines in 2004.

The band ended in 2004 but Barât formed a new band in 2005 called ‘Dirty Pretty Things’. In 2010 he released a solo album, a memoir and acted in the play Fool for Love. He has since joined an indie group with other well-established artists called ‘The Bottletop Band’.

Carl Barât

Valerie Jack Chengling Chi

Photo source: Sal_Gigjunkie

Culture

5 0 Y E A R S O F B R U N E L 9

Bernardine Evaristo:

“I like teaching creative writing

because I like sharing what I

know.”

Award-winning author, Bernardine Evaristo, talks to

Camilla Brugrand about her writing inspirations and

her teaching experience at Brunel.

Camilla Brugrand

Bernardine Evaristo has written seven books. She is also an editor, critic, dramatist, essay-

ist and has been a creative writing lecturer at Brunel University since 2011.

“I started teaching creative writing DERXW�WZHQW\�\HDUV�DJR��ZKHQ�,� �UVW�JRW�SXEOLVKHG��0\� �UVW�ERRN�ZDV�D�poetry collection, I’ve been teaching ever since,” said Bernardine.

“ I like teaching creative writing because I like sharing what I know. I enjoy Brunel students in different ways. The undergraduate? I like them because they are usually very prepared to take risks and to experiment with their story, which is great. The post-grad students? I really enjoy them because they bring a certain life experience and maturity when they write”.

“My inspiration comes from all kind of things. Sometimes people I have known do appear in my books, maybe a bit of them.”One obstacle with being a university lecturer and juggling other projects is that there is not a lot of time outside of work to write. However, it is grati-fying for Bernardine to see students succeed in the creative industry after leaving university.

“As a teacher of twenty years I can say that a lot of my students have gone on to get published and that’s always very rewarding.”

“As a teacher of twenty years I can say that a lot

of my students have gone on to get published

and that’s always very rewarding.”

photo source: public.fotki.com

Hajaz

Akram

Sairah Masud

Having

trained as an actor, teach-er and director for over twenty years, British actor Hajaz Akram has many accom-plishments. The most notable of these is the launch of the Academy of Asian and Ethnic Dra-matic Arts in 2011 based in Ealing, of which he is the founder and principal. Being of Pakistani origin himself, Akram’s motiva-tion behind opening the school was to help combat what he thought was a severe shortage of Asians

in mainstream television and stage. He graduated from the Central School of Speech and Drama at

Brunel University in 2000 and has

since gone

on

to star in

numerous 79�DQG� �OP�UROHV�

including Dr Who; Casualty; Lara Croft: Tomb Raider; and Batman Begins.

Contemporary Portrait Artist:

Claire Phillips’ work explores the

relationship between artist, subject and

viewer.

Norah Lindsey

Claire Phillips’ previous exhi-bitions have

included: ‘The Hu-man Face of Death Row’ and ‘Reclaim-ing Childhood – Face to Face with Child Labour in

India.’The portraits from the exhibition include a description of

the troubled lives in India and quotes that help relate to the thoughts and feelings of inmates who were on death row.Claire completed a Mechanical Engineering degree in Brunel University in 1986 and worked as an engineer for some years. But her artistic prowess began when she took up life drawing when her children were at school.6KH�VDLG��3HRSOH� �QG�LW�YHU\�VXUSULVLQJ�EXW�,�WKLQN�(QJLQHHU�

ing is quite a creative career. I was in research and develop-ment, so we had to think up solutions.”

She graduated with a First Class BA degree in Fine Art Painting at Northbrook College Sussex, and has since become an award winning artist.

photo source: www.clairephillips.com

Culture Culture

10

CULTURE BUSINESS

L A U N C H P A D

Her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs:

“Be brave, well informed and be

decisive.”

“When you see luxury and affluence

and then you see people whose choices

are limited, who are restricted and can’t

break out from a cycle of poverty, it really

is something.”

Channel 4’s secret millionaire Roisin

Isaacs is earnest in her delivery as she

WDONV�DERXW�KHU�H[SHULHQFHV�RI�OPLQJ�WKH�show.

We are sat in the beautifully lit atrium of

the Eastern Gateway at Brunel University

where she has returned to speak to other

alumni.

In a few moments, she will be giving

a talk at the new Women of the Future

event, a network born out of the

university’s Innovation Hub to celebrate

the successes of Brunel women.

While she is one of the most successful

attendees this evening, she is humble as

she talks about her genuine passion for

social mobility. After all, her background

has taught her that hard work is what

OHDGV�D�SHUVRQ�WR�GR�ZHOO�LQ�WKHLU�HOG�Born in Northern Ireland, she began

in 1973 as a nursing student in England

before moving to various departments

and reaching occupational health, where

she has made her fortune.

Her willingness to try new experiences

gave her the courage to explore the

The Secret Millionaire

Roisin Isaacs

business element.

With an entrepreneurial flair from

her father and compassionate nature

from her mother who was also a nurse,

she reached the position of Business

Development Manager.

“My dad taught us to go out there

and make it for ourselves and the seed

developed in my head,” she explains.

“I had a strong mum, a strong

grandmother and it was a tough world

for women for them, but they were tough

FRRNLHV�DQG�VROXWLRQ�QGHUV�“In them I saw courage, nothing phased

them and this was an inspirational

influence.

“But I did realize I felt completely out of

“Be brave, well informed and be decisive.

Without forgetting fairness, kindness and

praise others for their work”

Be brave, well informed and be decisive.Without forgetting fairness, kindness and

praising others for their workIsaacs’ combination of entreuprenurial flair and compassion

is her recipe for success. She speaks to Amita Joshi.

11

BUSINESS

5 0 Y E A R S O F B R U N E L

“We can’t blame men for creating a glass box

around women if we keep it

there.”

my depth without training,” she admits.

Failing the 11+ tests as a child, she was

apprehensive about grades but decided

to ignore her dad’s sentiment of marriage

and children and apply for an MBA at

Brunel.

She succeeded in securing a place

and her initial results couldn’t have been

better.

“I really do believe hard graft is required

for anything worth going for” Roisin says.

From there, it was upwards for Roisin

as she came up with idea after idea to

DOWHU�D�QRQ�SURW�PDNLQJ�GHSDUWPHQW�LQWR�PDNLQJ�PRQH\�

In healthcare, she faced the issue of

money being a dirty word to the sector

that saw itself as a service, but it made a

difference for the better.

“Education and appropriate training

in your specialism is crucial, along with

ZRUNLQJ�WR�PDNH�D�GLIIHUHQFH��VKH�VD\V�“Doing an MBA changed the trajectory

RI� P\� OLIH�� ,W� JDYH� PH� NQRZOHGJH� DQG�FRQGHQFH� WR� VSHDN� XS� LI� ,� GLGQW�understand something, insight and put

me in a business mindset.

“I also learned from investing which

came with wins and loses” she says, her

H\HV�WZLQNOLQJ�Her generosity extended when she

DJUHHG�WR�ZRUN�ZLWK�&KDQQHO���WR�EHFRPH�their Secret Millionaire in a programme

where benefactors go undercover in

GHSULYHG� DUHDV� WR� QG� RXW� ZKR� PD\�EHQHW�IURP�QDQFLDO�KHOS�

“Bring vitality to the group and

have a sense of humour”

Yet the programme gained a thrashing

from the press, with viewers saying

towns were depicted in a negative way

and communities were judged even more

so than they were before.

Roisin pursued in what she felt was a

responsibility of the wealthy, highlighting

what she considered to be some of the

things people are oblivious to.

This includes continuing to highlight

the need for equality for women in

business.

“It is getting better in business, there

DUH�ORWV�RI�ZRUNLQJ�PXPV�ZKR�DUH�LQ�WKH�ZRUN� IRUFH� DJDLQ�� %DODQFH� LV� EHFRPLQJ�more acceptable because it is hard for

ZRPHQ�WR�ZRUN�IXOO�WLPH�ZKHQ�WKH\�KDYH�children.

“Particularly women in business, they

should be more flexible and set the

standard.

“Yet throughout time I have found more

women who are uneasy about giving

other women a leg up.

“We can’t blame men for creating a

JODVV� ER[� DURXQG� ZRPHQ� LI� ZH� NHHS� LW�there.

“But it’s great that younger women

are forging a path for all women. They’re

much more thrusting and will achieve

more because of it.”

She has achieved plenty in her life and

investments in occupational health have

paid off. She is now peaceful as she sits

besides me on the deep red chairs with a

glass of wine on the table.

“I feel content, I have a lovely guy in my

life so life is good.”

Her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?

“Be brave, well informed and be

decisive.

:LWKRXW�IRUJHWWLQJ�IDLUQHVV��NLQGQHVV�DQG�SUDLVH�RWKHUV�IRU�WKHLU�ZRUN�1HYHU�EXFNOH�DQG�ZKHQ�IDFLQJ�WKH�

FKDOOHQJH�RI�ZRUNLQJ�ZLWK�SHRSOH��EULQJ�vitality to the group and have a sense of

humour.”

With those inspiring words clinging

WLJKWO\�LQ�PLQG��,�VD\�WKDQN�\RX�DQG�VKH�PDNHV�KHU�ZD\�WR�WKH�VSHHFK�SRGLXP�

and faces a really poised audience.

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1 2 L A U N C H P A D

Peter WardBy Olga Chiruk

How passion for Geography and an inter-

est in entrepreneurship merged into the

world’s largest social travel network

Brunel University was a launch pad for Peter Ward, co-founder of the world’s largest social travel network WAYN (Where Are You Now?), which is

available in 193 countries and has over 23 million mem-bers today.

When he was just a school boy he dreamed to study Ge-ography at Cambridge as his favorite teacher convinced him that was the best thing to do for his career. When he didn’t get in, as he says, he was crying from disappoint-ment. “Yet I had enough to go to UCL, but on my way there I met a friend, who had a place at Brunel to study Economics and Business Finance and I enjoyed that course offered the opportunity for work placement while studying. That’s how I decided to go to Brunel instead”, says Ward.

After graduating from Brunel, Ward studied entrepre-neurship at Cambridge; London Business School; and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “I would love and I would be supportive of encouraging Brunel University becoming a leader in entrepreneurship”.

Ward and his friend Jerome Touze came up with the idea of Where Are You Now? after having backpacked around the world during their gap year. Having met lots of people without being able to keep in touch with them easily, they came up with the idea of being able to visu-alize where your friends are and allowing you to interact with them. Thus they have created a platform for people who have an interest in travel and wanting to meet people from different places - a network operated by just 40 people from different parts of the world including Poland, Capetown, New York and the west coast of America.

Creative director Jordan Chitty started up his own EXVLQHVV�VWUDLJKW�DIWHU�KH� �QLVKHG�KLV�%6F�LQ�LQ�dustrial design in 2007.

Already as a student, Jordan managed to get some freelance work done, which became the basis when he decided to start up Naked Creativity. His company is London-based and specialises in creating creative websites, original graphics and imaginative iden-tities for their clients.

“It was a low risk starting my own company. I didn’t have another job at the beginning and I didn’t necessarily have to make a certain amount of money each month. Start-ing my own company seven years ago turned out to be a smart move in the end”. He is still very much involved with Brunel and for the last years he has taken three students in two do a yearlong work placement each at his company.

“I chose Brunel students exclusively for the work place-ments because I know what skills they learn and that they are good. It’s good that the University keep close links to the industry and encourage students to go on work place-ment to get real life experience.”One of Jordan’s current clients is Brunel University. Naked Creativity was approached in order to make some sugges-tions to how the annual Made in Brunel exhibition should be displayed online.

“My best advice for people graduating is to try everything - you haven’t lost anything if you fail. Failure is about trying and the best way to learn is from our mistakes.”

Jordan ChittyBy Camilla Brugrand

Starting his own company ‘Naked Crea-

tivity’ whilst still studying at Brunel turned

out to be the smartest move Chitty made

“Failure is about trying and the best way to learn is from

our mistakes”

“I would be supportive of Brunel becoming a lead-er in entrepreneurship”

BUSINESS

5 0 Y E A R S O F B R U N E L 1 3

Business BUSINESS

Frederick WabwayaBy Jasmine Rapson

Frederick Wabwaya graduated from Brunel in 2003 with a mas-ters in Data Communication

Systems Engineering and following this his dissertation was published in the Brunel Engineering Journal.

Wabwaya began his career in engi-neering in Kenya, where he became an engineering assistant at the Ken-yan broadcasting corporation. It was here he made an incredible break-through and created equipment that can be used to detect faulty electronic circuits in communications and me-GLD�HTXLSPHQW��WKH� �UVW�RI�LWV�NLQG��This achievement lead to him being honoured by the president at the time, Daniel Arap Moi, at Kenya’s jubilee celebrations.

He then went on to become the centre manager at the Eastern African region of IT services company SITA, putting him in charge of 15 countries airline telecommunications. While at SITA, Wabwaya initiated a mainte-nance and repair workshop in Nairobi, where most Airline equipment were repaired instead of being shipped to Europe, which won him an award. Wabwaya is now Chief of Network at United Nations Missions in Liberia.

From breakthrough and

award-winning inventions

to being accoladed by the

Kenyan president

Anthony ChewBy Jasmine Rapson

Lorraine WrightBy Grace Witherden

Anthony Py Chew began his career in business at the Singapore instate of man-

agement, achieving a diploma in management studies.

He then moved to London to study at Brunel, graduating in 1992 with a Masters in Business (MBA). After graduating from Brunel, Chew moved to Canada where his career in busi-ness flourished. His most recent achievement to date is being appoint-ed the vice president of wine compa-ny Joopy WWB.

Chew is also the owner of his own management consultancy, PY asso-ciates, but his achievements go way beyond business management. In 2012 his book ‘A Closer Walk With My Daughters’ was published; a reflection on the past ten years living abroad with his teenage daughters.

Chew has also won a string of awards, including the International Award for “Closer to my Customer Leadership” by chairman of Diageo Spore and “Outstanding Contribution in Guiding International Supply Cus-tomer Service towards Excellence” by Diageo International Supply Director.Evidently, Chew has had many ac-complishments throughout his career.

Businessman, author and father; Chew has come a long way, both personally and professionally.

Lorraine Wright originated and founded UGCY, after she spot-ted the need during her time on

the Brunel University Gospel Choir. Lorraine graduated with a First Class Bachelors of Science Degree in In-formation Systems. Alongside UGCY, she is currently working as a Director at UBS in Swtizerland.

Often dubbed a “Robot” by her peers, Lorraine’s ambition, determination, faith and experiences together with her passion for Gospel music has fueled her desire to see UGCY hap-pen. Together with a dedicated team of 14, the organisation provides an unprecedented platform for Univer-sity Gospel Choirs across the UK to develop and showcase their musical abilities.

Since leaving university Lorraine has made countless trips back to Brunel in order to inspire current students; informing them on how to graduate at the top and enter into the corporate and business world. In 2010, Lorraine was named in Powerful Media’s “Fu-ture Leaders 2010” Powerlist which SUR �OHG����RI�%ULWDLQV�%ULJKWHVW�DQG�most promising graduates/students of African and Afro-Caribbean origin for her academic and community achievements.

How her time at Brunel was

D�FKDUDFWHU�GH �QLQJ�PR�ment in her life

BUSINESS

14

CULTURE BUSINESS

Simon

Murdoch

Managing partner of successful invest-PHQW� �UP�(SLVRGH���

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GHU�KLV�EHOW��0XUGRFK�DUULYHG�DW�%UXQHO� LQ������ WR� XQGHUWDNH� KLV� 3K'� LQ� &RPSXWHU�Science. ,W�KDV�WDNHQ�D�ORW�RI�KDUG�ZRUN�DQG�GHWHU�

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ment sector soon after as a senior invest-PHQW� SDUWQHU� EHIRUH� ODXQFKLQJ� KLV� RZQ�FRPSDQ\�� (SLVRGH� �� 9HQWXUHV�� ZKLFK� LQ�vests in early-stage UK technology com-panies.0XUGRFKV� UHPDUNDEOH� WULXPSKV� DUH� D�

FUHGLW� WR� KLV� GHWHUPLQDWLRQ�� WHQDFLW\� DQG�entrepreneurial skills.

Lincoln

Crawford

$V�WKH� �UVW�EODFN�EDUULVWHU�to chair any major com-PLWWHH��&UDZIRUGV�ZRUN�

KDV� ZLGHQHG� RSSRUWXQLWLHV� IRU�PLQRULW\�ODZ\HUV�LQ�WKH�8.��

CUDZIRUG� JUDGXDWHG� IURP� %UXQHO�LQ������ZLWK�D�GHJUHH� LQ�/DZ��+H�FDPH� IURP� D� UXUDO� ZRUNLQJ�FODVV�

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to improve the lives of others.

6LU� 6WXDUW� (WKHULQJWRQ� JUDGXDWHG� IURP�%UXQHO�ZLWK�D�%6&�LQ�3ROLWLFV�LQ�������+H� ZDV� DSSRLQWHG� &KLHI� ([HFXWLYH� RI�

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Sir Stuart boasts an impressive list of FUHGHQWLDOV���KROGLQJ�QRW�RQH��QRW�WZR��QRW�WKUHH��EXW�IRXU�GHJUHHV��LQ�6RFLDO�6HUYLFH�3ODQQLQJ�� ,QWHUQDWLRQDO� 5HODWLRQV� DQG� 'L�SORPDF\��+H�KDVDOVR�EHHQ�DZDUGHG�KRQ�RUDU\�GRFWRUDWHV� IURP�%UXQHO�DQG�*UHHQ�ZLFK�8QLYHUVLWLHV��6LU�6WXDUW�KDV�DOVR�EHHQ�&KLHI�([HFXWLYH�

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L A U N C H P A D

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15

BUSINESS

Young Journalist of the year 2014

Alan SelbySelby spent his two years at Brunel embraced in an impressive

balancing act: he studied for his MA in journalism, worked part

time at a local restaurant and found the time to intern at some

of the nations’ most prestigious publications. He now writes for

the Mirror. Here he talks to Amelie Heules about how a little hard

work goes a long way.

Alan Selby, 26, is a reporter for the

Daily Mirror. Just one year after his

graduation he was appointed ‘Student

Journalist of the Year’ by the National

Council for the Training of Journalists’

(NCTJ). This was while he was travel-

ling across the country with the Mirror

trainee scheme. Selby then went on to

win Trinity Mirror Young Journalist of

the Year in 2014.

How did he get there? The right

combination is apparently a mix

between ‘luck’ and ‘hard work’. “I was

very very lucky, because if I hadn’t

been offered this place at the Mir-

ror then I don’t know where I would

be”, said Alan as soon as we started

talking. But there is more related to

the second element, the hard work, in

his story.

“I was doing the course part time.

I did the masters over two years. So I

obviously had time to work part time

in a restaurant, go two or three days a

week to Brunel and do work experi-

ence”, said Alan. He was one of the

journalism students that you see as a

commuter, bent over their shorthand

work on the tube each morning. “Four

hours of exercise a day”, he confess-

es, “just to make sure I would pass my

NCTJ”.

The NCTJ is the reason he chose

Brunel. “I think I’ve always wanted

to do print”, said Alan and to do print

having your NCTJ is a necessity.

“Brunel taught me anyway that you

can’t focus on just one thing.”

In 2013, he was appointed NNUK TV

student video-journalist of the year.

The biggest mistake for Alan would

have been to focus completely on

classes and forget about the real

world outside. “I did work placements

at the Independent, Press Gazette,

Politics Home and others. I think I

completed 600 applications in a year…

They care a lot about work experi-

ence”, he said.

Previous work experience has been

fundamental in getting the place on

the Mirror Trainee scheme. “I knew

that the trainee scheme was coming

back and so when I was at Press

Gazette I asked if I could do a piece

about it and interview the man who

is now my boss, who would interview

me for my job. So in that occasion

,�PHW�KLP�WKH�UVW�WLPH�DQG�ZKHQ�,�did the interview for the Mirror he

introduced me to the other people as

the one who wrote the piece for Press

Gazette”, explained Alan, “it worked

quite well”.

Would you call him sneaky? Alan

would say it in a different way, “you

KDYH�WR�EH�VKDPHOHVV�UHDOO\��&RQ-

dent. Just go for it. You can’t be mod-

est looking for job. There is too much

competition. You put yourself down if

you are modest.”

5 0 Y E A R S O F B R U N E L

ENTERTAINMENT

16 L A U N C H P A D

A trip down

memory lane

Raymond

Snoddy

CAMILLA BRUGRAND

As a trainee at the Middlesex Advertiser, one RI�5D\PRQG�6QRGG\V�UVW�journalistic tasks was to cover the opening of Brunel University in 1966.

The former media editor at The Times

and The Financial Times recalls the

total contrast from last year’s visit to

ZKHQ�KH�UVW�UHSRUWHG�KHUH�QHDUO\�IW\�\HDUV�ago.

“It was totally astonishing how the scale

RI�LW�KDG�H[SDQGHG�Ray’s career as a journalist started

after he saw an ad for trainee journalists

in Uxbridge. He got on the 207 bus and

PDQDJHG�WR�JHW�WKH�MRE�RQ�WKH�VSRW�� “A great thing about the University is that

during the recession students managed to

get jobs because of the close links with the

industry and the fact that lectures encourage

VWXGHQWV�WR�WDNH�RQ�ZRUN�H[SHULHQFH���

“

”

Among other events, Snoddy covered

WKH�RSHQLQJ�RI�WKH�QHZ�VKRSSLQJ�FHQWUH� LQ�Uxbridge and the mass arrival of students.

“I remember my news editor thought it

was very interesting that a University was

coming to Uxbridge, and it deserved a lot of

DWWHQWLRQ��'XULQJ�P\�UVW�\HDU�DV�D�WUDLQHH��I went down there a lot whenever stuff

KDSSHQHG�2QH� HSLVRGH� 5D\� HVSHFLDOO\� UHPHPEHUV�

and which he describes as very

embarrassing is when he was going to

LQWHUYLHZ�RQH�RI�WKH�SURIHVVRUV���“I couldn’t understand a word of what the

SURIHVVRU�ZDV�WDONLQJ�DERXW�DQG�SDQLFNHG�because I was afraid of not getting the

VWRU\�ULJKW��,W�ZDV�YHU\�DFDGHPLF�The broadcaster and author says he

has been wondering over the years

how the University turned out in the

end and what changes had been

made.

$�SHUVRQDO�WKLQJ�IRU�PH�LV�WKDW�,�have always wanted to try tennis.

2Q�P\� UHFHQW� WULS� WR� %UXQHO�� ,� ZDV�astonished by the high quality of the

VSRUWV� DUHQDV� DW� %UXQHO�� ,W� ORRNV� OLNH�everything had undergone an enormous

SURJUHVV�VLQFH�WKH�HDUO\�\HDUV�

Brunel students managed to get jobs because of the close links with the industry and the fact that lectures encourage students to take on work experience

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16 L A U N C H P A D

©priyamulji.com

ENTERTAINMENT

EFCHARIS SGOUROU

Sir Tom Stoppard (Tomas Straussler) is a writer and producer mostly known for the academy award winning Shakespeare in Love (1998), Brazil (1985) an Anna Karenina (2012).

He was born in Czechoslovakia and moved to Britain with his family at the age of nine. He started his career

in 1954 as a journalist in England, but soon he realised that writing plays would be the right thing for him, so he moved to London to chase his dream. In 1978, Stoppard was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire ) and he became an honorary graduate from Brunel University in 1979.

Stoppard wrote many screenplays

that aimed to create awareness of important ideas. His work on human rights and political freedom is considered inspirational. One of his most famous phrases was “For me, human rights simply endorse a view of life and a set of moral values that are perfectly clear to an eight-year-old child. A child knows what is fair and isn’t fair, and justice derives from that knowledge”.

The writer recently announced his comeback as a playwright with his new play “The hard problem”. Being aware of the generation gap crisis, he had to dumb down his script and rewrite “The hard problem” to make it easier for the audiences.� 5HSKUDVLQJ� GLI �FXOW� OLWHUDU\� UHIHUHQFHV�

or even cutting them completely was one of his methods to be appealing to younger audience.

The critics have praised his work for having plenty of body and soul and that’s the result of hard work.

©priyamulji.com

A British Asian actress was born on 24th May, 1974. She comes from Southend on Sea, the seaside town in Essex. Bindya graduated from Brunel University in 1995 with a BA degree in Drama.

Bindya is now in BBC Asian Network’s Silver Street, playing Mindy, a sassy events manager.

She played roles in ITV children’s programme My Parents Are Aliens in 1999, BBC drama Sweet Revenge and Sky One’s Dream Team in 2001. Her best-known role is Nita Mistry in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders (2001-2003).

Bindya has also played many stage roles including Juliet in Romeo and Juliet at the English Shakespeare Company, Pramila in The Deranged Marriage in 2004 and Frehia in Mercy Fine in 2006.

In a press report, executive-producer Louise Berridge commented “Dean and Bindya have contributed an enormous amount to the programme.”

However, we feel that the characters have reached the end of their natural course in the show, and they will both be leaving in Spring 2003”

It is always sad to be saying goodbye to a good double act, so we will be leaving the door open for both characters”.

From journalist to playwright Tom Stoppard

For me, human rights simply endorse a view of life and a set of moral values that are perfectly clear to an eight-year-old child. A child knows what is fair and isn’t fair, and justice derives from that knowledge ”

“

©priyamulji.com

Bindya Solanki

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5 0 Y E A R S O F B R U N E L 17

CHENGLING CHI

Lee Mack By Will Jamieson

He made it from studying

Drama to actually perform-

ing on stage.

Lee Mack is a stand-up comedian, best known for writing and starring in the sitcom Not Going Out and as a team

captain on the comedy panel show Would I Lie to You?

Graduating from Brunel in Drama with Film and TV studies in 1996, not only did he meet his wife Tara at the university, his time at Brunel also inspired him to take the plunge into comedy.

As part of his degree he set up and ran a comedy night, for which he not only booked professional comedians but also UVW�SLFNHG�XS�WKH�PLF�IRU�KLV�RZQ�VWDQG�up performances.

“It was during my time as a student at Brunel that I started performing stand-up comedy,” Mack said. “I was worried that P\�DPELWLRQV�ZRXOGQW�W�LQ�ZLWK�WKH�HWKRV�of such an academic institution, but they couldn’t have been any more supportive, regularly letting me turn part of their build-ing into a stand-up comedy club where I performed many of my early gigs.”

He joked that as an alumnus of Brunel University, “it suggests that I might be able to build an internal combustion engine. I can’t of course, I did Drama, but I can rep-resent one through interpretative dance which is obviously better.”

Mack is a regular panellist on Have I Got News For You, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and QI, and performed at the Royal Variety Performance and at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Concert outside Buckingham Pal-ace.

upper second-class degree in psychology. Presenting on a number of radio stations in the UK, he has got over 30 years experience in journalism.

Abbot’s passion for radio started at Ra-dio Brunel. After graduating he continued as a Virgin Megastore DJ. In early 1987, he joined Radio Luxembourg to present an overnight talk show. ,W�ZDV�ZKHUH�KLV� UVW�WDON�VKRZ�DSSHDUHG��“I just stopped playing records and start-

ed taking calls on air. The management were in another country and didn’t seem bothered. I doubt they were listening. They probably couldn’t get reception”, says Ab-bot.

Since then, he has presented shows for most of the reputable radio companies. He is well known for his programs at Talk Ra-dio, and more recently, at Real Radio and Planet Rock.

In October 1988, Abbot launched the new BBC service for London BBC GLR. He presented the breakfast show for a year. He then returned to VMR, where he stayed until 1993.

Nick’s most famously known for his light hearted phone-in based shows about an-ything and everything. What you did today or who you did over the weekend, see any-thing good on TV?.. It is believed that Abbot ZDV�RQH�RI�WKH�UVW�WR�WDNH�FDOOV�VWUDLJKW�WR�air. These days Nick does a slightly more serious show on LBC but with some of the old Abbot humour thrown in when the op-portunity arises.

How can I tune in?LBC 97.3, Fridays & Saturdays, 10:00pm-1:00amFM: 97.3FM in the South EastAM: 1152AM in the South EastDAB: On the Digital 1 mux across the UKSky: Channel 0112Virgin Media: Channel 973Internet: www.lbc.co.ukPodcast: lbc.audioagain.com

Lucy VerasamyBy Norah Lindsay

A Sky News site was

named after her

Lucy Verasamy currently works as a weather forecaster for the ITV News channel.

She graduated with a BSc (Hons) de-gree in Geography from Brunel University in 2001.

After her studies and before being the main lady for ITV News weather, Veras-DP\V� UVW� MRE� DIWHU� JUDGXDWLQJ�DW�%UXQHO�was as a forecaster at Press Association for four years.

Lucy also became a regular weather pre-senter for the Sky News channel and she answered questions put forward by the general public regarding climate change in a feature on the Sky News website, entitled Climate Clinic - Ask Lucy in 2007.

Nick AbbottBy Olga Chiruk

“I just stopped playing re-

cords and started taking

calls on air.”

Nick Abbot, current broadcaster at LBC, famous for his late-night show on Friday and Saturday,

graduated from Brunel University with an

18 L A U N C H P A D

ENTERTAINMENT

FRANCIS FRENCHTV adverts based on stolen ideas are so commonplace that Pri-

vate Eye has a regular item devoted to the phenomenon. This

endless recycling of ideas reached a peak of blatancy when artist

Gillian Wearing complained that a Saatchi TV advert for VW was

based on one of her artworks that she had sold to Charles Saatchi.

PATRICIA HODGETV adverts based on stolen ideas are so commonplace that Pri-

vate Eye has a regular item devoted to the phenomenon. This

endless recycling of ideas reached a peak of blatancy when artist

Gillian Wearing complained that a Saatchi TV advert for VW was

based on one of her artworks that she had sold to Charles Saatchi.

ENTERTAINMENT

5 0 Y E A R S O F B R U N E L 19

FRANCIS FRENCHFrancis French graduated from Brunel in 1997 with a PGCE and

has since become an author specialising in space flight history.

He believes his time at Brunel was a, “great springboard to focus

on informal science education.” His biggest achievement to date

is his role as co-author of one of the Apollo astronaut’s memoirs.

PATRICIA HODGE3DWULFLD�+RGJH������LV�D�VWDJH��OP�DQG�WHOHYLVLRQ�DFWRU��EHVW�NQRZQ�for her roles in shows such as Rumpole of the Bailey, Jemima

Shore Investigates and, most recently, Miranda. “I wanted to be

an actress but it was so alien to everybody’s thinking she told the

Financial Times.

SHARON HORGANSharon Horgan is an Irish writer, actress and comedienne that

graduated in English and American studies at Brunel University in

2000. Her latest project is the Channel 4 sitcom, Catastrophe. Her

breakthrough was only one year after graduating when she won

the BBC New Comedy Award.

Dave SmithGraduated from Brunel in 2002 with a BA in music, he now pre-

dominantly a freelance musician. His current work involves play-

ing percussion for contemporary dance classes, playing drum kit

for a pirate band and being half of a junk percussion duo. Two of

these jobs came directly through contacts from Brunel.

CULTURE SCIENCE

T H E

Dr. Hannah Critchlow was named one of the top 100 UK

scientists by the Science Council in 2014 for her work in

science communication.

FEDERICA DE CARIA

Abachelor degree in Cell and Mo-

lecular Biology in 2003 at Brunel

University, then Cambridge, the

BBC Naked Scientist and a nomination for

Brunel Alumna of the Year 2014. Wouldn’t

you call a person like this successful?

Hannah is too modest to raise more than

a smile, saying ‘thanks’. She is a woman

in science and we asked her how she got

there.

“I think I got interested in Cell Biology

when I was doing my A levels, because it’s

so visual. The idea that you have these bil-

lions of cells, which look a particular way

and that have a particular job to do. And

they make you as a person. It just makes

everything make sense. It’s a very visual

type of biology”, she said.

However, Hannah didn’t go straight for

her undergraduate degree after her A level.

“I was going to go to Glasgow and I had

a place secured there, but then I decided

I wanted to take a year out and work as a

assistant nurse in a psychiatric hospital in

Northamptonshire”, she said.

It was during her time working as a

nurse that she was advised to go for mo-

lecular genetics, a dynamic area for the

future of biology and neuroscience, by a

IDPLO\�IULHQG�ZKR�ZDV�ZRUNLQJ�LQ�WKH�HOG�“The same family friend also said it would

have been really useful to go on a place-

ment during my actual undergraduate de-

gree, to get some experience, to work in

the real world, and Brunel basically offered

both these things. At that time, Glasgow

didn’t. So I changed and came to Brunel”,

explained Hannah.

6KH� OLYHG� RQ� FDPSXV� IRU� WKH� UVW� \HDU��Giggling she told me about staying in

L A U N C H P A D20

SCIENTISTHannah Critchlow

NAKED

SCIENCE

Clifton Hall, the complex right by the river. 6KH�ODWHU�PRYHG�ZKHQ�VKH�VWDUWHG�KHU�UVW�placement at the beginning of her second year. “I did two split six month placements. Most of my other friends were doing a one-year placement. So I basically came back after six months and lived in a random house, just up on the hill, near the petrol station above the chemist”, she said.

She remembers every single detail, “The flat was absolutely dilapidated, run down. It was great because it was horrendous. I moved in with some random people, since I was coming back at this funny time of year.”

‘“We were all so skint, probably not spending our money very wisely. Once, as we wanted to have a really posh night out, but we couldn’t get to London because we didn’t have enough money, we decided to get dressed up and have an evening par-ty at the house. We bought dresses from a charity shop and we had this really bad

““ ”

fake version of champagne”, she laughed. But Hannah was as fun as she was driv-

en and during her undergraduate degree she was worked hard. “I split my placement between my second year and my third year. I did six months in my second year and then another six months in another place in P\�WKLUG�\HDU��7KH�UVW�RQH�ZDV�LQ�%HFNHQ-ham, in south London. I was working on a way of producing a vaccine for herpes. Sexy. Really sexy”, she said.

,WV�GXULQJ�WKH�UVW�SODFHPHQW�WKDW�+DQ-nah met the woman who gave her the sec-RQG�RQH��WKLV�WLPH�LQ�D�GLIIHUHQW�HOG��ZLWK�D� FRPSDQ\� WKDW� ZRXOG� WKHQ� QDQFH� KHU�PhD at Cambridge. “I had access to a unit that was looking at psychiatry. I harassed this poor lady and then I managed to get a work placement with them for the next six months”. Hannah and determination sound almost the same.

Cambridge and Brunel were very differ-ent and there is something she learned

I was working on a way of pro-ducing a vaccine for herpes. Sexy. Really sexy.

during her undergrad she still brings with her. “Brunel is the kind of environment where people work together, there is less competition. Now when I go to neurosci-ence conferences, it’s pretty much the same”, said Hannah.

She remembers everything of her years in Uxbridge, even of her inspiring lecturers. “Instead of giving you a lot of information that then you had to regurgitate at the exam, the lecturer gave us more kind of practical experiments. Instead of follow-ing a sheet of things that we had to do, he actually made you think. It was just a very creative lecture”, she said.

In 2014, Hannah was named one of the top 100 UK scientists by the Science Coun-cil for her work in science communication and for her work with the BBC broadcast Naked Scientist. “I went on a communi-cation course while I was doing my PhD and the communication course you had to do a practical. So I approached the Naked Scientist. Then I saw this grant application and I thought, can we get a grant applica-tion in together? We managed to get it”, she told me, like it was the easiest thing in the world.

“Last week, I started a really exciting project within university here. It’s a pod-cast that runs up to the election”, she said. Hannah’s projects never stop, and neither does she.

5 0 Y E A R S O F B R U N E L 2120

SCIENTIST©

Cam

brid

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itera

ry F

estiv

al

Solveiga Pakstate

Solveiga Pakstaite - Bachelor in Industrial

Design (Graduated 2014)

AMELIE HEULS

One question led to another.

It all started at her six month

work placement in her third

year at Brunel University

ZKHQ�D�FOLHQW�ZDQWHG�WR� �QG�out ‘what the problems are

in public transport for blind

people’.

The young designer,

Solveiga Pakstaite,

thought: “How do

blind people know when

their food expires? They

cannot read the expiry date.”

People who can see take it

for granted, while those

without sight can only rely

on their senses. The result

is too much waste, so there

was Solveiga’s dissertation

project.

She knew that no business

would support a product for

a minority group, so she took

the matters in to her own

hands and invented ‘Bump

Mark’, an organic gel that

is integrated in to

the food

packaging. This

product is suitable

for everyone but

vegetarians, due to

its gelatin content,

which, like

gummy bears, is

made of animal

by-products.

As gelatin

is organic, the

gel’s consistency

changes as it decays,

and reveals little

plastic bumps on the

bottom of the label

when the food reaches

its sell-by date.

©Solveiga Pakstaite

SCIENCE

in public transport for blind

people’.

The young designer,

Solveiga Pakstaite,

thought: “How do

blind people know when

their food expires? They

cannot read the expiry date.”

People who can see take it

for granted, while those

without sight can only rely

on their senses. The result

is too much waste, so there

was Solveiga’s dissertation

project.

She knew that no business

would support a product for

a minority group, so she took

the matters in to her own

hands and invented ‘Bump

Mark’, an organic gel that

is integrated in to

the food

packaging. This

product is suitable

for everyone but

vegetarians, due to

its gelatin content,

which, like

gummy bears, is

made of animal

by-products.

As gelatin

is organic, the

gel’s consistency

changes as it decays,

and reveals little

plastic bumps on the

bottom of the label

when the food reaches

its sell-by date.

©Solveiga Pakstaite

The reaction to “Bump Mark” has all

in all been very positive, because people

hate to waste. Solveiga and her team are

also exploring other gels without gelatin

in order to develop a product suitable

for vegetarians. Solveiga is currently

awaiting the patent for ‘Bump Mark’

DQG� LV� VHDUFKLQJ� IRU� LQYHVWRUV� WR� �QDQFH�IXUWKHU�WHVWV�WR�SURYH�WKH�HI �FLHQF\�RI�KHU�invention against the tons of annual food

waste.

Thanks to Brunel University, she took

her project seriously, and to another level.

After winning the James Dyson Award

in September last year, one thing led to

another and she has now created her own

business, learning as she goes: “Ask me

what I do in two weeks and I can tell you,

two months, no idea. Brunel didn’t teach

me how to put a product on the market.”

After being invited to talk at TEDex and

participating at a conference in Hong

Kong, her journey is still not over, but

it did not come without a price. “I have

never felt so lost nor so excited in my life,”

Solveiga said, at last week’s TEDex talk,

and next week’s conference in Hong

Kong that Clive Gee, Brunel’s Director

of Development and Alumni Relations,

recommended her for.

Solveiga said, at last week’s TEDex talk,

and next week’s conference in Hong

Kong that Clive Gee, Brunel’s Director

of Development and Alumni Relations, of Development and Alumni Relations,

recommended her for. recommended her for.

©S

olv

eig

a P

ak

sta

ite

22 L A U N C H P A D

SCIENCE

Martin Mobberley OLGA CHIRUK

For Martin Mobberley,

science is his religion

and greatest passion. He

has spent most of his

life studying the sky and

obtaining various images

of space, from meteor

showers to solar eclipses.

Although Mobberley

devoted 26 years to

electronics, astronomy is

what he became known

for.

His love of astronomy and the

mysteries of outer-space started at a

young age. At the age of 11 he joined

the British Astronomical Association, and

has held various posts there since the

early 1980s, culminating in his presidency

LQ�������+H�ZDV����ZKHQ�KH�JDYH�KLV�UVW�public lecture on the imminent Apollo 11

Moon landing. His interest in astronomy

was fuelled by the astronomer Patrick

Moore’s TV appearances, who he later

wrote a biography about. Despite his

passion for space, the talented astronomer

chose to study engineering at Brunel

University.

Mobberley said he was good at maths

and physics at school, but in the ‘70s there

were few careers in astronomy, and

engineering was a subject he “could

have a long term career with that

would pay the bills”.

“Being a student in the late 1970s

was pretty good”, Mobberley said. He

received a grant and sponsorship from

Thorn Electrical Industries, who he

had worked for during his industrial

periods.

Students didn’t have much money

trouble on an engineering sandwich

course as they often had sponsors

from the industry.

Many even left

university with

money in the bank.

What holds the

highest importance

is his 46 year

long hobby is

astronomy. He

has written 10

astronomy books,

three children’s

space books,

hundreds of

articles and given

hundreds of talks.

He has his own

observatory in

the English village

RI� &RFNHOG�� LQ�Suffolk, right in

his back garden.

Every evening he

observes the sky

through his biggest telescope, which is

controlled from a computer inside the

house. “However, these days I frequently

take images remotely via observatories

in New Mexico and Siding Spring

Australia, via the internet. It is cloudy

most of the time here!” says Mobberley.

22 L A U N C H P A D 5 0 Y E A R S O F B R U N E L 23

Electronic engineer by profession, astronomer by birth

Sam EtheringtonPAN YUE

Sam Etherington, the

inventor of “Renewable

Wave Power”, won the

James Dyson Award in

2013, and he is a candidate

for the British Engineering

Hall of Fame.

Sam graduated in 2013 with a BA in

Industrial Design and Technology at

Brunel University. He is now working

in Aqua Power Technologies where

he could “do anything he wants”. He is

currently working on three projects, one

of which is the wave power project.

Etherington invented a multi-axis wave

generator, which is designed to be placed

into the sea at 50 metres, whereas normal

devices only work in shallow water. This

enables the generator to reap more energy

because larger waves normally take place

at that depth.

Etherington came up with the idea while

KH�ZDV�NLWHVXUQJ��ZKHQ�KH�UHDOLVHG� MXVW�how much power there was in the sea. He

WKHQ�ZHQW�EDFN�DQG�QLVKHG�WKH�GHYLFH�DV�KLV�QDO�SURMHFW�LQ�WKH�XQLYHUVLW\�

“The hard part is sitting down

pretending in your mind that the device is

there on the water floating. How different

parts interact each other.” Etherington

said many developments based on the

same concept do not completely rewrite

the whole concept.

'RQW� WKLQN� \RXU� QDO� SURMHFW� LV� RQO\�for your degree. It can be so much more.

Anything you think of, anything you design

has values.” Etherignton added.

©M

art

in M

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©Martin Mobberley

©th

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2 4 L A U N C H PA D

Shelina PermallooBy Jasmine Rapson

Yash Gupta is current-ly the Dean of the Johns Hopkins Carey

Business School in Baltimore and graduated from Brunel in 1975 with a master’s degree in Production Management.

Gupta has an extensive his-tory in academia serving as the dean of business schools at four major research univer-sities for over 17 years.

Gupta was born in India but completed his schooling in both India and England, achieving a Ph.D. in Man-agement Sciences from the University of Bradford. After several years as a senior con-sultant with London-based Coopers & Lybrand, Gupta ac-cepted a position as assistant professor at the University of New-Foundland.

He was awarded the Uni-versity of Louisville Presi-dent’s Award for Outstanding Scholarship, Research and Creative Activity in 1991.

From 1992 to 1999, he was the Dean and Professor of Management in the College of Business and Administration at the University of Colorado in Denver.

During his time here, Gupta turned a young, relatively unknown institution into Colorado’s fastest growing EXVLQHVV�VFKRRO�ZLWK� �YH�QHZ�research centres, a new board of advisors and a prominent reputation in the Denver busi-ness community.

Gupta also renovated the Marshal School of Business at the University of South-ern California, developing an innovation-focused MBA curriculum.

Eric HunterBy Sairah Masud

Eric Hunter completed a PhD in Tumour Immu-nology at Brunel Uni-

versity in 1972 and decided to relocate overseas in order to continue with his studies and ultimately pursue his career in medical science.

It was at the Universi-ty of Southern California, where he completed his postdoctoral degree, that he pioneered molecular genet-ics approaches to examine retrovirus replication. Now working from an internation-ally-recognised laboratory, Hunter’s recent medical undertakings have involved investigating the HIV virus in various African countries with an aim to develop novel vaccines.

Up until 2004, he was the founding director of the Uni-versity of Alabama’s AIDS research centre; having nurtured it for sixteen years, it is now one of the leading

AIDS research institutions in the United States.

Currently living in Great-er Atlanta, USA, Hunter is a professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Emory University where he is also co-director for AIDS research.

His prominence within the academia of medical science is apparent in his titles as: Editor-in-Chief of the AIDS Research and Human Retro-viruses Journal; and Chair of the AIDS Vaccine Research Subcommittee.

Yash Gupta

SCIENCESCIENCE

“Up until 2004,

he was the founding

director of the Uni-

versity of Alabama’s

AIDS research cen-

tre; having nurtured

it for sixteen years, it

is now one of the lead-

ing AIDS research

institutions in the

United States.”

SCIENCE

5 0 Y E A R S O F B R U N E L 2 5

Shelina Permalloo

“At that time, the

campus was com-

pletely design fo-

cused at Run-

nymede and I

immediately

felt at home

with both

the physi-

cal working

environment

as well as the

people I met that

day.”

Sam WellerBy Olga Chiruk

Sam Weller studied Bsc in Industrial Design with Professional Develop-

ment at Brunel University and graduated in 2007. He won a D&AD award for his major project Cosy All the Time at Brunel, a prestigious Red Dot design award for the Onzo Home Energy monitoring system.

After graduating from Brunel University, Weller enjoyed developing medical products, food packaging designs, electronic products, telephones, furniture, installa-

tions and more recently light-ing. Lots of time every day he spends in his workshop at home designing products, WHVWLQJ�LGHDV��DQG� �QGV�WKLV�D�great way to relax.

Remembering how he got to the university, he says he was advised by his teacher “a very practically minded man” to visit the Brunel open day.

“At that time, the cam-pus was completely design focused at Runnymede and I immediately felt at home with both the physical working en-vironment as well as the peo-ple I met that day, in particular a lecture given by a Professor Blue Ramsay. He told a great story about a brand extension project for Mercedes which I still remember. 'XULQJ�P\� �QDO�\HDU��P\�

mentor was Paul Turnock, or how he is generally know by students, PT. I learnt a lot from him about design pro-cess and how it is integrated into our daily life”, says Weller.

By Grace Witherden

Shelina Permalloo graduated with a degree in Psychology

from Brunel University in 2004.

After she graduated she got a job in project manage-ment, for this, she credits her course and the sand-wich placement she did during University.

She said: “It allowed me to really get a foot in the GRRU�LQ�WKH�P\� �UVW�MRE��LW�was a really senior role for a fresh out of Uni student, and my degree really directed PH�LQWR�WKH� �HOG�RI�HTXDO�ity, diversity and Project management which I stayed in for around 9 years before I changed my career and entered MasterChef.”

After she won MasterChef in 2012, Shelina’s life changed completely, and now three years on, she has made fre-TXHQW�WHOHYLVLRQ�DSSHDUDQFHV�cooking, and has written a number of successful cookery books.

You might think the career FKDQJH�PXVW�KDYH�EHHQ�TXLWH�a shock for Shelina, but she says the only fear was ‘fear of the unknown’.

“I think the hardest thing was fear of the unknown. But Shelina is proof that if you have a dream, even if it’s miles away from your current career, anything is possible.

“Put your heart & soul into it and dedicate time to learning what it is you want to do.”

Shelina’s cookery books can be bought on her website at: Shelinapermalloo.com.

SCIENCE SCIENCE

CULTURE SPORT

26 L A U N C H P A D

Perri Shakes Drayton

You do have days when you doubt whether you’ll be back but some athletes have done it in the past. I will be back, and I just have tokeep saying that to myself

“

”

© Google Images

SPORT SPORT

26 L A U N C H P A D 5 0 Y E A R S O F B R U N E L 27

The Olympics in 2016 will show if the young athlete managed to put all mental troubles behind after her knee injury three years ago.

HAGEN REINERS

She is known as the rising star, the British hope for Olympic medals. Only now she is 26 already. In WKH� QDOV� RI� WKH� ���P� KXUGOHV�

championship in Moscow in 2013 she suffered from a serious knee injury. Since then she has not competed. Will she be back?

Before her injury she rose to winning gold medals at major events on European level. %DFN�LQ������VKH�JDLQHG�UVW�SURPLQHQFH�IRU�setting a new record time at the English School Championships. She became the second IDVWHVW�%ULWLVK�IHPDOH�DWKOHWH�LQ����P�KXUGOHV�just after famous Sally Gunnel.

Her streak suddenly ended with the accident DQG� GLIFXOW� WLPHV� EHJDQ� IRU� WKH� /RQGRQHU�as she had to momentarily step back from the sport she loves to recover. “You do have days when you doubt whether you’ll be back but some athletes have done it in the past. I will be back, and I just have to keep saying that to myself”, she said in a BBC Interview. “Now I’m just trying to learn how to walk and get my body stronger.”

When Perri was on top of her game she had MXVW�RQH�JHQXLQH�ULYDO�LQ�%ULWLVK����P�KXUGOHV��Scottish Eilidh Child who took over the lead after Perri’s injury. Just recently Perri has vowed to put Child “back in the shade” and announced her comeback.

Perri Shakes-Drayton left all mental troubles behind her and is eager to rise higher than before. The Olympics in 2016 will show.

© Google Images

SPORTS

28 L A U N C H P A D 5 0 Y E A R S O F B R U N E L 29

Football star Tony Adams was a de-fender for Arsenal for 22 years before he ended his playing career and went on to

graduate with a MBE Sports Science degree at Brunel University in 2006. . He was appointed manager of Wycombe Wanderers in Novem-ber 2003, but resigned a year later due to personal reasons. A close friend told the BBC in 2004 that Adams was forced to defer his sports science degree at Brunel University in order to take over at Wycombe, but eager to complete his studies. “I’ve got the experience but I need the knowledge. There’s no British Premiership manager with a sport science degree. As far as I know, only Wenger has one,” Adams told Times Highest Education in 2003. He is considered one of the greatest Arsenal players of all time by the club’s own fans. He was also included in the Football League 100 Legends. ����,�PLVVHG�RXW�RQ�HGXFDWLRQ�WKH� �UVW�WLPH�URXQG��,�ZDV�ZRUNLQJ�hard to make it as a top-level footballer when most kids are out WKHUH�JHWWLQJ�WKHLU�HGXFDWLRQ��VR�LWV�VDWLVI\LQJ�WR�EH�DEOH�WR� �QDOO\�do this.” During his long Arsenal career, Adams won four top-flight divi-

He stands for relieve to British boxing fans for it was 32 years since a British boxer won an Olympic gold medal until

Audley did it in Sydney in 2000. Consequently he became the great hope for British boxing. It was the perfect time for the “A Force” to turn professional. The queen had just awarded him an MBE and the BBC gave him a 1 million pound contract for broad-FDVWLQJ�KLV� �UVW�WHQ� �JKWV��7KH�H[SHFWDWLRQV�ZHUH�KLJK��$XGOH\�was supposed to rise to stardom and become world champion rather sooner than later. Only people forgot that like all profes-sional boxers, Audley had to build up his stats and learn the pro JDPH�E\� �JKWLQJ�OHVVHU�FRPSHWLWLRQ��'LVDSSRLQWPHQW�ZDV�WKH�general reaction when Audley could not live up to the crowd´s unrealistic expectations. It took many years, but eventually Aud-ley fought the best of the world, only he lost. Still he remains one of Britain´s greatest. The biggest highlight of his professional career was in 2010 ZKHQ�KH�GHOLYHUHG�D�VWXQQLQJ�SHUIRUPDFH� �JKWLQJ�IRU�WKH�(%8�European Heavyweight Title against Michael Sprott, who had al-UHDG\�NQRFNHG�KLP�RXW�WKUHH�\HDUV�DJR��7KLV�WLPH�DJDLQ�WKH� �JKW�GLG�QRW�PRYH�LQ�$XGOH\vV�IDYRU��,W�ZDV�WKH���WK�DQG� �QDO�URXQG��Audley was far behind on the referee´s cards and Sprott pinned him against the ropes. If Audley lost this, his career would most certainly be over. Yet, he circled around his opponent catching

Tony AdamsAudley Harri-son

I was working hard to make it as a top-level footballer when most kids are out there get-ting their education, so it’s satisfying to be able WR� �QDOO\�GR�WKLV������ Tony Adams

sion titles, three FA Cups, two Football League Cups, a UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup and three FA Community Shields. About his time at Brunel University, Adams told Matthew Bak-er that ‘going into a class full of students was not easy for me’. “It’s been very humbling, in fact. But I’m here to learn about sport science, so ultimately you have to leave your pride and ego behind. Adams explained that the University experience was humbling because he used to be a decent footballer, but at Brunel he had to recognise that he was average in some subjects. “I had to ask young members of the class to explain A-level maths and biology concepts to me. I suppose what I bring to the group is the applied stuff in terms of experience.”

LEGENDSof SPORTS

“

”

SPORTS SPORTS

5 0 Y E A R S O F B R U N E L 29

After graduating Brunel in 2008 with a law degree, Eniola Aluko went on to become a professional footballer for

Chelsea Ladies and the women’s England team. Aluko was named ‘Young Player of the Year’ at the FA Awards in 2003. In 2012 London Olympics, she represented Team GB in football DQG�UHDFKHG�WKH�TXDUWHU�QDOV���$OXNR�PDGH�KLVWRU\�LQ������DV�WKH�UVW�IHPDOH�SXQGLW�IRU�WKH�50th Anniversary of BBC’s Match of the Day. As well as being a talented and acclaimed female footballer she is training to become a solicitor at Lee and Thompson.

Mike Coughlan was Chief Designer for the McLaren Formula One team from 2002 to 2007. Then he switched to Wil-OLDPV�)��DV�&KLHI�7HFKQLFDO�RIFHU�IURP�

2011 to 2013. Mr Coughlan has been a racing fan since his father took him to watch a race at Brands Hatch when he was 10 years old. Then he has a strong interest in engineering, and studied Mechanical Engineering at Brunel University graduating in 1981.����$IWHU�JUDGXDWLRQ��0U�&RXJKODQV�UVW�MRE�LQ�PRWRU�UDFLQJ�FDPH�LQ������ZLWK�7LJD�FDUV��/DWHU��KH�MRLQHG�)RUPXOD�2QH�WHDP�LQ�1984, when he was 25 years old. He worked on the Type 95 car of 1984 in Lotus’s F1 design team. As the team reoganised in 1990, KH�MRLQHG�-RKQ�%DUQDUGV�GHVLJQ�WHDP�DV�FKLHI�GHVLJQHU�RI�WKH�B191, then he moved to Tyrrell.����0U�&RXJKODQ�MRLQHG�)HUUDULV�GHVLJQ�DQG�GHYHORSPHQW�RSHU-ation before moving to Arrows as deputy technical director in 1997, where he developed his A23 car in 2002. Four years later, his A23 car became the Super Aguri team’s SA05 racecar.����$UURZV�FROODSVHG�LQ�������WKHQ�0U�&RXJKODQ�ZDV�LQYLWHG�WR�MRLQ�Mclaren and worked as chief designer for the team between 2002 and 2007. Between 2007 and 2011, Mr Couglan had a brief stay in Stefan Grand Prix in late 2009 when the Serbian team tried to put to-gether an entry into F1 for the 2010 season. In the same year, he moved to America to help design the Ocelot tactical vehicle for Force Protection. Mr Coughlan was then appointed as the direc-tor of vehicle design for NASCAR team Michael Waltrip Racing. +RZHYHU��KH�OHIW�0LFKDHO�:DOWULS�UDFLQJ�LQ������WR�MRLQ�:LOOLDPV�LQ�-XQH������ On 9 November 2013, Richard Childress Racing hired Mike Coughlan as the team’s new Technical Director.

Eniola Aluko

Mike Coughlan

Kate Walsh is the captain for Great Britain and England hockey player. She won Hockey Writers Club UK Player of

the Year twice, and she was named Great Britain Hockey Athlete of the Year. She has made more than 330 appearances for her country. London 2012 was the Mancunian’s third Olympics and Glasgow ����bPDUNHG�KHU�IRXUWK�&RPPRQZHDOWK�*DPHV�ZKHUH�VKHbZDV�also selected to be Team England’s flag bearer for the closing ceremony. She has owned 16 medals including a Gold medal in Champions Challenge. In 2003, Kate married her long-term teammate, Helen Richard-son. They grew up together, became world-class hockey players together and won Olympic medals together.

KLP�ZLWK�D�VWUDLJKW�ULJKW�UVW��WKHQ�ZDLWHG�IRU�D�VHFRQG��WLPHG�KLV�left hook to the head perfectly and scored a knock out.

Kate Walsh

SPORTS

3 0 L A U N C H P A D

Hope Powellis an English former interna-tional footballer, who was the coach of the England wom-en’s national football team and the Great Britain women’s Olympic football team until August 2013. By Amelie

Powell played 66 games for England and matched 35 goals in her career,

PRVWO\� DV� D�PLGHOGHU�� 3RZHOO� MRLQHG� DW�the young age of 11 Millwall Lionesses and won the FA Woman’s Cup twice, in-cluding the league and cup win in 1996 as D�FDSWDLQ�RI�&UR\GRQ�LQ�������

Two years later, the Football Association DSSRLQWHG� 3RZHOO� DV� (QJODQGV� UVW�HY-HU� IXOO�WLPH�QDWLRQDO�FRDFK� LQ�������6KH�led the team at the 2001, 2005, 2009 and 2013 editions of the UEFA Women’s &KDPSLRQVKLS��

,Q������3RZHOO�EHFDPH� WKH�UVW�ZRPDQ�WR� DFKLHYH� WKH� 8()$� 3UR� /LFHQFHWKH�KLJKHVW� FRDFKLQJ�TXDOLFDWLRQ�DYDLODEOH��3RZHOO�ZDV�DSSRLQWHG�2IFHU� RI� WKH�2U-der of the British Empire (OBE) in 2002 and Commander of the Order of the Brit-ish Empire (CBE) in the 2010 Birthday +RQRXUV�� ,Q������VKH�ZDV� LQGXFWHG� LQWR�the English Football Hall of Fame in rec-RJQLWLRQ� RI� KHU� WDOHQWV��3RZHOO�ZDV�DOVR�awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the 8QLYHUVLW\�RI�(DVW�/RQGRQ�LQ������

Catherine Murphy

was graduated from Brunel University in 1997 with a de-gree in law.

By Grace

Her international athletics career spanned from 1993

till 2006 during which she won six national titles over 200 meters and 400 meters. She also completed in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. Catherine retired from Athletics in 2006 and now lives with partner and two children, working in London.

Lizzy Janes

(Physiotherapy,2006)

Club: Herts Phoenix/North HertsGender: FemaleDate of Birth: 28/04/1985Age Group: SENCounty: HertfordshireRegion: EastNation: England

Lizzy Janes (previously Lizzy Hall) is an international athlete competing as a 3000m cross country runner and steeple-chaser.

She represented Great Britain at the 2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and competed at the European Athletic Championships twice.

CONTRIBUTORS

LanuchPad 2015 contributors from MA International Journalism and MA Journalism

5 0 Y E A R S O F B R U N E L 3 1

Olga Chiruk

Ada Chi

Alasdair Lane

Amelie Heuls

Camilla Brugrand

Federica De Caria

Priya Kingsley-Adam

Hagen Reiners Yue Pan Sarah Barratt

Grace Witherden Sairah Masud

Norah Lindsay

Jasmine Rapson

Muna Abdi

Will Jamieson

Efcharis Sgourou

Established in the wake of the mid-century Robbins higher education report, construction on Brunel University started in 1962. Adopting a Brutalist VW\OH��DUFKLWHFWXUH� �UP�Sheppard Robson were commissioned to design the campus.

TKH�XQLYHUVLW\�OLEUDU\�KDV�EHHQ�UHIXUELVKHG�VHYHUDO�WLPHV�VLQFH� �UVW�opening. With an increasing amount of academic resources being stored online, today’s building is far more open-plan than it was in the 1970s. Following pressure from the students’ union, the library recently introduced a policy of 24 hour, seven days a week access.

1962

1977

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air L

ane,

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nel M

edia

Pro

duct

ion

Serv

ices

PERSPECTIVE

33 L A U N C H P A D

With each successive round of development new buildings have sprung

up on Brunel’s once ubiquitous open spaces. In the 1970s rolling grassland

extended from the campus’s eastern side; today the area houses the Brunel

Business School, the Department of Clinical Sciences and the University’s

prized Indoor Athletics Centre, which hosted Team Jamaica during the 2012

Olympic Games.

Running East to

West, Brunel’s central

concourse extends the

length of the campus.

Today’s School of

Engineering and Design,

based in the Michael

Sterling building, stands

on the site of the 1960s

students’ union.

1972

1967

PERSPECTIVE

5 0 Y E A R S O F B R U N E L 3 4

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