New project aims to revolutionise pupils’ learning ability in Rwanda26 March 2013Learning a second language is a daunting task for most but imagine being taught school subjects in a language you have limited proficiency in. This is the challenge faced by many eight-year-olds in Rwanda as they are forced to make the transition from learning in their mother tongue, Kinyarwanda in the early years to English. However, a new £362,000 University of Bristol project is aiming to remove this barrier to learning through the development of innovative teacher training and new accessible textbooks for pupils.
Civic leadership in Bristol: what difference can a Directly Elected Mayor make?22 March 2013The mayoral model of governance offers the opportunity to give a real boost to civic leadership in Bristol - according to the majority of respondents in an independent study of leadership in the city carried out just before the mayoral election last November. The findings from the study will be presented at a research launch event with the authors of the project and Mayor George Ferguson today [22 March] at the City Hall in Bristol.
Marcelin Fortes da Cruz, 1952-201322 March 2013PhD student Marcelin Fortes da Cruz, who died in February, is remembered by friends and colleagues from the Faculty of Engineering.
Archerfish get an eye test21 March 2013A modified version of an eye test used to assess visual acuity in the military has been given to archerfish by scientists to help explain how these remarkable fish are able to accurately spit down tiny insects high above the water’s surface.
National media coverage for study into premature death of people with learning disabilities21 March 2013The findings of a three-year study into the extent of premature death in people with learning disabilities, which found that those with learning disabilities are more likely to have a premature death compared with individuals in the general population, has been covered widely in the national media.
Picturing China exhibition opens in Beijing21 March 2013An exhibition of historical photographs of China, brought together by a University of Bristol project, was opened at the JW Marriott in Beijing today by the British Ambassador to China, Sebastian Wood CMG.
Taste of success for Hospitality Team21 March 2013The University of Bristol’s Hospitality Team picked up the Silver Award in the Best Food Outlet category at the first South West Fairtrade Business Awards.
Wendy Larner appointed new Dean of Social Sciences and Law21 March 2013Wendy Larner, Professor of Human Geography and Sociology at the University of Bristol has been chosen to succeed Professor Judith Squires as Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law from 01 August 2013.
Expression of emotion in books declined during 20th century, study finds20 March 2013The use of words with emotional content in books has steadily decreased throughout the last century, according to new research from the Universities of Bristol, Sheffield, and Durham. The study, published today in PLOS ONE also found a divergence between American and British English, with the former being more 'emotional' than the latter.
Professor Rich Pancost awarded Geochemistry Fellowship20 March 2013Rich Pancost, Professor of Biogeochemistry in the School of Chemistry and member of the Cabot Institute, has been awarded a Fellowship of the Geochemical Society and the European Association of Geochemistry and becomes a Geochemistry Fellow.
Bristol Poetry Institute welcomes Northern Irish poets20 March 2013Belfast poet, novelist and musician, Ciaran Carson and Bristol-based poet Andrew Jamison will be giving a reading at the University of Bristol this Friday [22 March]. The event, hosted by the Bristol Poetry Institute, is free and all are welcome.
Study finds people with learning disabilities are more likely to have a premature death compared with general population19 March 2013A three-year study into the extent of premature death in people with learning disabilities has found that those with learning disabilities are more likely to have a premature death compared with individuals in the general population. The findings, published in a Department of Health report, have made a series of recommendations aimed at improving the quality of healthcare that people with learning disabilities receive.
Major grants for Bristol’s School of Mathematics19 March 2013The University of Bristol’s School of Mathematics has been awarded three major grants from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
Study finds that maternal vitamin D levels in pregnancy do not affect children's bone health19 March 2013A study of nearly 4,000 pairs of mothers and their children in the Children of the 90s study at the University of Bristol has shown that maternal vitamin D levels during pregnancy are not associated with the child's bone health in later life. The research, published online first in The Lancet, is the largest ever observational study of the effects of mothers' vitamin D levels in pregnancy on their children's bone health, and suggests that UK health guidelines may be overstating the importance of vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy.
Students’ union snaps silver for going greener18 March 2013The University of Bristol Students’ Union (UBU) has been awarded ‘Silver’ in the Green Impact awards, an environmental accreditation programme designed specifically for students’ unions.
Record numbers vote in student elections18 March 2013The annual student elections at the University of Bristol’s Students’ Union (UBU) saw a record turnout, with 29,595 votes being cast for full-time and part-time elected officers. Candidates had been campaigning furiously and canvassing for votes last week, all hoping to be elected for the important roles which see them act as a representative of the student body.
Students’ union praised for warm overseas welcome18 March 2013University of Bristol Students’ Union (UBU) received ‘Runner up: highly commended’ in the category for ‘Excellence in International Student Support’ at the NUS Internationalisation Awards on Thursday 7 March.
1,300 Bristol youngsters continue the Olympic legacy15 March 2013The Olympic legacy is continuing in Bristol thanks to the Bristol Festival of School Sport which will see 1,300 school children discover a range of new activities under the guidance of past, present and future sporting stars. This year’s three-day event, taking place at Coombe Dingle from 19 to 21 March, will see pupils from 20 of the city’s secondary schools experience the excitement of a major sporting event thanks to the University of Bristol.
Plants let chloroplasts know the time14 March 2013Plant cells communicate information about the time of day to their chloroplasts, the part of their cells that underpins all agricultural productivity on Earth, researchers at the University of Bristol have demonstrated in a study published today in Science.
What happens inside a chrysalis?14 March 2013How the simple breathing tubes of a caterpillar become the intricate respiratory system of a butterfly is captured in footage featured in the BBC Four documentary Metamorphosis: The Science of Change this week. The footage was assembled by a team of scientists including Professor Kate Robson Brown, an archaeologist from the University of Bristol.
Bristol neuroscientists help raise awareness of brain research14 March 2013Over fifty neuroscientists from Bristol Neuroscience, comprising researchers from the Universities of Bristol, the West of England and local NHS Hospitals, are taking part in hands-on demonstrations and brain-related activities as part of ‘Brilliant Brain Week’. The event, which runs until Monday 18 March, is part of a world-wide campaign to increase public awareness of the progress and benefits of brain research.
Professor Tim Gallagher becomes new Dean of Science14 March 2013Tim Gallagher, Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Bristol, has been chosen to succeed Professor Jon Keating as Dean of the Faculty of Science from 1 August 2013.
Priory Road development plans on display14 March 2013Students and staff can now view plans for the next stage of the Priory Road development in the café of the Social Sciences Complex in Priory Road.
Professor Mary Beard to headline sell-out history festival14 March 2013Popular classicist Professor Mary Beard will give an insight into the popularity of Pompeii tonight [14 March] as part of the University of Bristol’s annual history festival. The Cambridge University academic is delivering the first of three public lectures for the Past Matters festival, which has already sold out and features renowned academics from Bristol and beyond.
Tracers study reveals rivers beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet13 March 2013Meltwater flow beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet has been traced up to 60km from the ice margin by a team of scientists from the Universities of Bristol, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Aberystwyth. Their work, which represents the first successful attempt to trace meltwater flow through thick ice and over distances of some tens of kilometres on an ice sheet, is published in Nature Geoscience this month.
Helping to unearth the history of Shirehampton’s war horses13 March 2013Shirehampton’s vital role in supplying horses to the frontline during the First World War is being investigated for a special project being led by the University of Bristol. Residents are being invited to a special event on Sunday [17 March] to contribute any memories and artefacts they might have about the heritage of Avonmouth and Shirehampton, while also learning more about the area’s important role during the war.
Letting the future in: helping children and young people overcome the effects of sexual abuse13 March 2013Sexual abuse has an often devastating and long-term impact on the lives of many children and young people — for these children the future can be very dark indeed. A new study will evaluate the effectiveness of a therapeutic service designed to help children and young people who have been affected by sexual abuse. The research includes one of the largest randomised trials of this type of therapy to have been undertaken in the world.
Duration of breastfeeding during infancy does not reduce a child’s risk of being overweight/obese at 11.5 years12 March 2013A new study that analysed the effects of an intervention which succeeded in improving the duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding during infancy - involving nearly 14,000 healthy infants in Belarus, Eastern Europe - found that it did not result in a lower risk of overweight or obesity among the children at age 11.5 years. The research, led by academics at the University of Bristol, is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association [JAMA].
New study hopes to reduce bone fracture rates in laying hens12 March 2013A new study led by the University's School of Veterinary Sciences hopes to reduce the fracture rates in laying hens thanks to a grant of £532,000 funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and supported by industrial partner, Noble Foods.
iTunes vs the recording industry - how has technology revolutionised music?12 March 2013iTunes and Spotify are just two examples of digital technology that have revolutionised the mainstream music industry. However, exactly how tools like these have affected those at lower levels of the industry is yet to be fully understood. An international conference hosted by academics at the University of Bristol next week [25 Mar] will explore how new technology has impacted the music business.
Experience the gardens and landscapes of Sicily11 March 2013An educational tour next month by the University of Bristol Botanic Garden will explore the gardens, architecture and landscapes of the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.
New Alzheimer's clinical trial makes front-page news11 March 2013A groundbreaking clinical trial into Alzheimer's, led by Dr Patrick Kehoe in Bristol University's Dementia Research Group, was the front-page story on national newspaper, the Daily Express.
Bristol engineer featured in the Evening Post11 March 2013Dr Thilo Gross, a Reader in the Department of Engineering Mathematics, was featured in the Evening Post about the Königsberg bridge problem.
University to spearhead £1.5m transformation of Brunel’s iconic station building11 March 2013One of Bristol’s most historic buildings is to be transformed into a business and innovation hub thanks to an agreement between the University of Bristol and the city council. A total of £1.5 million is being invested to breathe new life into the Engine Shed, which was built by Brunel and previously housed the Empire and Commonwealth Museum at the entrance to Bristol Temple Meads station.
University bus service drives ticket prices down8 March 2013Bristol Mayor George Ferguson has launched a new bus tariff which will cut the cost of bus travel for people across the city. The Wessex Red service, run in partnership with the University of Bristol and UWE Bristol but can be used by anyone, now costs £1 for a three-stop journey.
Bristol hosts UK's largest postgraduate conference in the humanities8 March 2013Postgraduates and early-career researchers working on the study of religions come together in Bristol today for the Eighteenth Joint Postgraduate Religion and Theology conference, the largest humanities postgraduate conference in the UK.
Global demand for Bristol-designed musical instrument8 March 2013It’s the size of a football and uses 48 touch pressure pads to trigger and manipulate sounds and rhythms. This revolutionary Bristol-designed electronic musical instrument – called the AlphaSphere ‘elite’ – has proven so popular that it’s received orders from around the world.
