Sail Magazine 2020 [Eng]

Sail Magazine 2020 [Eng]

SAIL Campaigner, activist and Obama Fellow, ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2020

t ells us about her Stand to End Rape initiative and meeting Barack Obama. Oluwaseun

ALUMNI PROFILES PHOTO SHARING VIRTUAL VARSITY OUR COVID RESPONSE

A Century of Inspiring Alumni

WELCOME TO THIS CENTENARY EDITION OF OUR ALUMNI MAGAZINE,

Sail.

Across the world, the outbreak of coronavirus (Covid-19) has changed the way in which we live and work together. Here at Swansea University, we have drawn upon 100 years of resilience, innovation and collaboration to adapt, and contribute to national and international response efforts. Our staff, students and partners are working together to support the logistical demands faced by our healthcare infrastructure. We have used our state-of-the-art 3D printers to produce visors and face shields and have repurposed one of our solar laboratories to produce 5000 litres of hand sanitiser a week to supply our local NHS. A team of our students has developed a new rapid-release gas treatment for ambulances which could reduce the time it takes to remove Covid-19 contamination from surfaces and the air from 45 minutes to under 20 minutes, removing human cleaning intervention. Our world-leading researchers are modelling the social, economic and psychological impacts of the outbreak upon our lives. We are exploring the effects of the pandemic on mental health, looking at the long-term impact of social distancing and offering wellbeing support to those who need it most. We are modelling public perception of the Covid-19 contact tracing smartphone app and are working with partners to understand the population effect of Covid-19 on people’s physical activity and wellbeing at different stages of the UK’s lockdown. The response of our staff, students and partners to this crisis has been inspiring, and builds on a century

of positive impact and purposeful action. I am therefore delighted that this Centenary edition of SAIL provides an opportunity to highlight our University’s long tradition of supporting the development of inspirational and talented students, by showcasing a selection of our alumni and their achievements. While we have many more talented alumni than we could hope to include in one magazine, this collection provides a snapshot that reflects the diversity of our alumni community’s success, across the fields of research, sport, entrepreneurship, societal contribution and social activism. The talent and diversity of our alumni community is a source of great pride to our University, as our former students continue to contribute positively to society across the world. As we enter our second century as a University, I have no doubt that they

will uphold this tradition, continuing to rise to the global challenges of the day as proud ambassadors for our University. Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Boyle

Contents

01.  Swansea Uni Connect 02. Centenary Events

03. Your Support, Our Thanks 04. Our Covid-19 Response

SWANSEA UNI Connect For those of you that have not registered, Swansea Uni Connect is your exclusive online community. As a valued member, we invite you to join today and start enjoying the benefit of a wide and varied network of contacts who all share the Swansea Uni experience! It takes two minutes to sign up by registering through LinkedIn and having your professional information pulled right into your profile on the platform. Alternatively, you can follow easy steps to set up your profile in Connect.

SwanseaUniConnect.com

The benefits of signing up are: 1. A custom news and job feed. 2. Opportunities to mentor and give back, or to get help, advice and assistance that you may need. 3. Scheduling meetings with professionals in your industry for networking, advice, mentoring and more. 4. Finding old friends and classmates. Swansea Uni Connect gives you an exclusive spot to stay connected with your Swansea Uni network and keep up to date with what is going on at the University.

Editors: Rachel Thomas, Gerard Kennedy, Ffion White & Sioned Williams. Design by : IconCreativeDesign.com

SHARE THE SWANSEA EXPERIENCE:

Download the App: Android: “Swansea Uni Connect” Apple:  “Graduway Community” – enter

05. Reunion 06-24. Alumni Profiles

“Swansea University” when prompted

01

CENTENARY EVENTS

CARING FOR OUR COMMUNITY

2020 was supposed to be the year that we celebrated our centenary. However, the extraordinary and devasting effects of the pandemic across the globe, have rightly taken precedence instead this year. Since opening our doors 100 years ago we have innovated, collaborated and grown into a dual campus, world-class institution which serves its community, educates its people, tackles global problems and provides a home for many; our achievements have impacted the world in many ways, and we are extremely proud to have reached this significant milestone in our rich history. Unfortunately, we are unable to celebrate these achievements in the way we had planned, so we have taken the difficult decision to postpone all physical centenary events in 2020. Instead, alongside the crucial donations we receive from our generous supporters, £200,000 previously set aside for our centenary celebrations will be used to fight Covid-19, support our students, and drive innovation, as we begin our next 100 years. While we are disappointed not to be celebrating in person with our alumni, staff, partners, students and friends, we must ensure the safety of our communities and acknowledge that this is a very difficult time for many of the Swansea family. So, in order to keep our Swansea University community entertained and informed during lockdown, we have hosted a series of events online, with more in the pipeline.

On the 29th April, Varsity went virtual. Our student sports teams pitted themselves against arch-rivals Cardiff in a range of online challenges, such as Rugby Ball Keepie Uppies, The Dizzy Penalties Challenge, The Snorkel, Too Hot to Squat and much, much more. Over the course of the day, Swansea triumphed by 17 – 14 to claim the Virtual Varsity crown. A fantastic day culminated with a Virtual Varsity Quiz hosted by Welsh International, Ryan Jones and featuring a host of alumni and friends including Liz Johnson, Paul Thorburn, Alun Wyn Jones, Michael Sheen, Max Boyce and Eddie Izzard. On the 13th May, alumni gathered on Swansea Uni Connect to share their photos and memories of their time in Swansea. During the event, more than 350 photos were shared – spanning 100 years of Swansea University.

CATCH UP ON WHAT YOU’VE MISSED:

All the photos can still be viewed on the photos and albums section of SwanseaUniConnect.com Watch the Varsity video here Swan.ac/virtual-varsity

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While our celebrations have been affected by the Covid-19 outbreak, we have been delighted by the response to our fundraising campaign. From providing seed funding for cutting edge research, to supporting our most vulnerable students, donations from our alumni and friends make a huge difference across the University and beyond. OUR THANKS. Your Support.

PLEASE MAKE A DONATION BY VISITING: swan.ac/donate Your gift will be directed toward the most impactful, pressing and important initiatives at Swansea University.

Thank you so much for your support. By harnessing the collective spirit of the Swansea family, we can look forward to a bright and successful future as we begin our next 100 years.

If you’d like to read more about the University’s centenary, our history, planned events and future aspirations, you can visit: swan.ac/2020

FUNDED HARDSHIP GRANTS. Alumni

“During my second year at Uni, I lost my part-time job and my childcare options. I was considering leaving Uni but then I heard about the alumni funded Hardship grants. Following my application, I was approved the very next day and had the award money in my bank account by the end of the week. The award also came with expertise and guidance which has been invaluable to me and my family, and enabled me to continue my degree.” – Recent Hardship grant recipient

03

COVID RESEARCH & NEWS

OUR RESPONSE TO

WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO:

• Teams from across the University have come together to support a newly established consortium – SWARM (The South Wales Additive and Rapid Manufacturing Consortium) – in its mission to support NHS Wales’ Covid-19 response. • A team of students has developed a new rapid-release gas treatment for ambulances, which could remove Covid-19 contamination from surfaces and the air, in under twenty minutes; half the time it usually takes with human cleaning intervention. • Our Nursing, Paramedic Science and Midwifery students are working on the frontline alongside NHS staff. • A group of Swansea University Graduate Entry Medicine students have been offering emergency relief childcare for vital NHS staff. • A team of Swansea doctors and engineers have designed a new ventilator that can be built quickly from generic parts. Existing ventilator designs can be quick to build or can treat complex patients, but not both. The new design is quick and cheap to build in bulk and can also treat patients with complex needs. • The Medical School and the College of Human and Health Sciences have made their joint clinical skills suite available to the local Health Board.

University staff have been rallying together to donate essential PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to the local hospital.

FIND OUT MORE:

See how the University is supporting the global effort: swan.ac/covid-19 #WeAreTogether #OurSwansea

Students and staff are using the University’s state-of-the-art 3D printers to produce visors and face shields for NHS and frontline workers.

04

Covid-19

During these unprecedented times, our staff and students have been doing all they can to support the fight against Covid-19. We wanted to use this as an opportunity to shine a light on some of this vital work.

A lecturer, from the College of Arts and Humanities, and her husband have transformed their gin business to produce approved hand sanitiser.

2020 hasn’t worked out the way anyone planned it…we were supposed to be having a Centenary Reunion: tours of the campus, Joe’s ice-cream, a trip down Mumbles, a walk around Singleton Park and a Gala Dinner in Fulton House. COMING SOON... Reunion

The University’s solar tech lab, SPECIFIC, has temporarily switched to producing 5000 litres of hand sanitiser a week, which is being used by the local NHS, care homes and frontline housing teams.

IT IS NOT CANCELLED, JUST DELAYED.

More details will be winging their way to your inbox as soon as we can plan some events for everyone to get together. If you have not had an email from us in a while, stay connected and update your details here:

swan.ac/sail-update

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ALUMNI PROFILES

A Century of

As Swansea University celebrates its centenary, we wanted to take the opportunity to celebrate a Century of Inspiring Alumni. As a University we are extremely proud of our graduates. Many go on to achieve great success in their careers, some become internationally recognised and many others achieve success on a more local level. They are all making waves. Excelling in sports, breaking down barriers, challenging stereotypes, giving voice to the oppressed, undertaking ground-breaking research. They are the thinkers, the dreamers, and the doers. They are all Swansea Alumni. INSPIRING ALUMNI

Read the full profiles here: swan.ac/profiles

6.  JOANNE HILL BSc Nursing. Class of 2019. FROM ADDICT TO NURSE. TURNING HER L I FE AROUND. 7.  GEOFFREY THOMAS BSc Physics. Class of 1962. SCHOLAR. EDUCATOR. 8.  FIROUZEH SABRI BSc Physics. Class of 1995. MATERIALS SCIENT IST. MARS LANDER. ROLE MODEL . 9.  NIA PARRY BA Spanish and Welsh. Class of 1996. PASSIONATE WELSH LANGUAGE ADVOCATE. BROADCASTER. STORYTELLER. 10.  SIAN REYNOLDS LLB LAW. Class of 2002. SAI LOR. SOL ICI TOR. 11.  MARIA MARLING BA Business Management. Class of 2012. CO- FOUNDER OF WALES’ F IRST VEGAN FACTORY, SAVEG.

1.  BRONWEN WINTERS BA American Studies. Class of 2020. REACHING WIDER AMBASSADOR. CAMPAIGNER. 2.  ANNABELLE APSION BA Drama and English. Class of 1984. ACTRESS: SHAMELESS, CALL THE MIDWI FE, SOLDIER SOLDIER. 3.  SAM BLAXLAND PhD History. Class of 2017. AUTHOR. TOUR GUIDE. HISTORIAN. 4.  PETER STEAD BA History. Class of 1964. WELSH WRI TER. BROADCASTER. HISTORIAN. 5.  MANUEL NICHOLAUS MSc Aquaculture. Class of 2008. MARINE BIOLOGIST. PROTECT ING

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12.  BEN EVANS

PhD Aerospace Engineering. Class of 2008. AIR BENDER. SPEED DEMON. RECORD-BREAKER. BSc and PhD Physics. Class of 1966. PHYSICS PIONEER. PART ICLE SMASHER. HIGGS BOSON HUNTER. 14.  SHEKHAR DUTT PGDip Development Economics. Class of 1984. GOVERNOR, DEFENCE SECRETARY. 15.  HANNAH LAMDEN 13.  LYN EVANS

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19.  ROGER PHILLIPS BSc Biochemistry. Class of 1977. BUSINESS LEADER. ADVISOR. MENTOR. 20.  ELOISE WILLIAMS MA Creative and Media Writing. Class of 2011. CHI LDREN’S AUTHOR. F IRST CHI LDREN’S LAUREATE WALES. 21.  JONNY OWEN BA History. Class of 1999. BAFTA WINNER. WRI TER. DIRECTOR. ACTOR. 22.  PAUL PINDAR BSc Psychology. Class of 1981. ENTREPRENEUR. BUSINESS LEADER. CAPI TA. PURPLE BRICKS. 23.  LIAM DUTTON BSc Geography. Class of 2002. BROADCASTER. WEATHERMAN. MUSICIAN. EDUCATOR.

BA American Studies. Class of 2008. MEDIA DIRECTOR: L I TTLE MIX, SIMON COWELL . 16.  JONATHAN ELPHICK

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THOMAS BSc Psychology. Class of 2015.

BSc Zoology. Class of 1968. NATURAL HISTORY AUTHOR. ORNI THOLOGIST. 17.  MICHELLE OWEN BA Language and Communication. Class of 2011. COMMENTATOR. COMPERE. FOOTBALL AF ICIONADO. 18.  AIMEE

COMMONWEALTH RECORD HOLDER. 25.  KIRITKUMAR LATHIA BSc Electrical Engineering. Class of 1970. SETT ING THE STANDARDS FOR GLOBAL COMMUNICAT IONS. 26.  ALISTAIR BARNES BSc Chemistry and Management Science. Class of 1990. CHARI TY LEADER. OPPORTUNI TY PROVIDER. COMMUNI TY BUI LDER.

EHRENZELLER BSc Psychology and MSc Physician Associate Studies. Class of 2019. HEALTHCARE HERO.

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ALUMNI PROFILES

JASON MOHAMMAD BA Welsh and Politics. Class of 1996. RADIO AND TELEVISION PRESENTER.

Anne is on a mission to revolutionise the banking sector in a way that delivers a better experience for customers. Leading an established UK bank, she is also a powerful advocate for more women to take up leading roles in business. What led you to the decision to study Computer Science and Chemistry at Swansea ? One of the earliest childhood photos I have is of me clasped in my father’s arms as he stood outside the Swansea University campus. I was born and brought up in the city and everyone there was very proud of the University. I had decided to study medicine and was planning on travelling further afield for my degree. My A-Level results didn’t turn out as good as I hoped, so I spent a long morning on the phone speaking to various universities to see what was on offer. Eventually, I spoke to someone at Swansea who mentioned a Computer Science degree and as soon as they said it, I thought, that is what I want to do. It brought together everything I was interested in and would introduce me to some new skills too. What are your favourite memories of your time at Swansea ? I’m afraid anyone wanting any stories of wild days at uni are going to be very disappointed when they talk to me. Most of my days were spent in the library. I had spent most of my childhood in bookshops, or the library, or with my head in the second-hand Encyclopaedia Britannica that my father had bought me during a teachers’ strike. Now I had an opportunity to sit in a library studying all day long. It was bliss. Computing was still quite basic in those days. We had a PDP 11 Unix computer that allowed us to key in >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28

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