Royal visit
10,000 flags were waved and 10,000 ice creams enjoyed as the University welcomed Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh on Wed 2 May. Staff and students from across the University worked together to make the visit a success: from the cleaners, maintenance and grounds staff who ensured the campus looked stunning, to our award winning chefs who cooked a Devon and Cornwall themed lunch, to our students who gave a number of fantastic music, dance and drama performances. We were delighted that so many people came to the campus to join the celebrations. A photo library of the day is online.

Forum open
The Queen performed the official opening of the £48 million Forum. It includes a new Student Services Centre, an extended and refurbished Library with 100% more seating and PCs, new technology-rich learning spaces including the first ‘butterfly’ touch-screen tables for group work in any UK university, a 400-seat lecture theatre, retail and catering outlets, a landscaped piazza and the new University reception. The Forum is large enough to accommodate 330 double decker buses; it has 1,229 Roof Panels , 400 doors and 85 toilets. The Twitter hashtag #uoeforum has some comments from students, staff and suppliers.

Teaching award winners
The winners of this year’s Exeter Students Guild Teaching Awards were announced on 3 May at a glittering ceremony in the Great Hall (using Royal visit decorations). This year over 2,000 nominations were submitted for 588 individual staff members, highlighting the excellence of teaching across the University. For a list of all winners, go online.

Excellence in Professional Services
158 nominations have been received for this year’s Professional Services Recognising Excellence awards, with colleagues nominated within all areas of Professional Services on all three campuses. Nominees will be contacted shortly with the outcome of their nomination. A celebratory Gala Dinner will be held on Thurs 14 June.

THE award nominations
The University has two nominations in the Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards 2012. We are up for International Strategy of the Year and Outstanding Procurement Team. The winners will be announced on 21 June.

USA links
The Vice-Chancellor visited the United States this month, signing two memoranda of understanding with the President of Ivy League Brown University in Providence; hosting an alumni event in Washington DC; and giving the keynote speech at a British Council conference in New York. The Vice-Chancellor also received a Global Leadership Award from the President of the University of South Florida in front of an audience of 7,000 at a graduation ceremony in Tampa.

Recent grants
Prof Bill Barnes has been awarded a Royal Society International Exchange Grant of £10,000 to build an international research collaboration between Exeter's Electromagnetic Materials Research group in Physics and Astronomy, and the Complex Optical Photonics research group at the University of Twente, the Netherlands. This is a powerful new collaboration whose focus will be an exploration of how light interacts with matter at the nanoscale. Prof Leone Niglia, Director of the Centre for European Legal Studies (CELS), has been awarded a £10,000 grant from the British Academy in support for a project on European law and constitutional crisis.

Athena Swan
The University has been awarded the Bronze award under the Athena SWAN Charter, showing our commitment to the advancement and promotion of the careers of women in Science, Engineering and Technology.

Carbon neutral Business School
The Business School is claiming a first in the sector with its decision to become completely carbon neutral. The School has signed up to PAS 2060, the first independent standard for carbon neutrality awarded to organisations that can prove that their activities will not result in any increase in green house gas emissions.

Match funding success
The University was recently highly commended for fundraising success by CASE Europe through our performance in the Matched Funding for Voluntary Giving Scheme. The scheme helped turn £1m of donations into more than £2m.

Staff news
Physicist Prof Steve Eichhorn has won the Rosenhain Medal in recognition of his distinguished achievement in materials science. This prestigious prize is awarded by the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining. Prof Craig Williams, Director of the Children’s Health and Exercise Research Centre, has joined an expert steering committee for Heart Research UK.

International Travel Bursaries
Faculty from all six Colleges are invited to apply for International Exeter Outward Mobility Academic Fellowships and Visiting International Academic Fellowships for the 2012/13 Academic Year.

Medical School progress
The process for the demerger of PCMD is progressing well with the two universities progressing towards signing a legal agreement in the next few weeks. The General Medical Council and HEFCE are both content for the process to continue and we are in dialogue with students and staff. There is unprecedented demand for places at the second University of Exeter Medical School Open Day on Sat 9 June - nearly 1350 bookings have been made.

Fellowships awarded
80 staff at the University have been awarded Higher Education Academy (HEA) fellowships to acknowledge excellent teaching and high quality student support. 40 of these are as a result of the ASPIRE (Accrediting Staff Development in Research-led Education) scheme which is the first of its kind to be accredited by the HEA. The remainder have been awarded through the University’s successful Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PCAP) programme

Email upgrade
The Exchange email system is being upgraded over the next two months. This will be done in a phased approach and each member of staff or student will be contacted to advise when being upgraded. You should not notice any difference, as this is a back-end change, however it will offer a significantly enhanced web mail client with greater operating system and browser support. More info on the Academic Services website.

Update on ExeNet
Network upgrades have been completed to Geoffrey Pope and Henry Wellcome buildings, on time and in budget. Network upgrades are now planned for Physics, Amory, Harrison, Kay labs, Reed Mews (stable block) and Thornlea between August 2012 and July 2013. The network upgrades will result in a faster state of the art network and extension of wireless coverage. For any queries about the ExeNet programme please contact Bernard Ireson, or look online.

Blackwell's bookshop
As of May 21 there will no longer be a year-round physical bookshop on campus. However, Blackwell’s will still be here providing students and staff with a service desk in the Forum Market Place for orders, collections and enquiries manned by full-time expert staff, temporary bookshops at the start of terms, and a brand new website supplying key titles within a 4 hour delivery period to the collection point. Staff receive 10% discount via the website.

Science Film
TV Presenter and Exeter Alumnus Steve Backshall is the narrator for a new film that illustrates the wide range of science and engineering expertise at the University. Penzance-based Three S Films has produced a film showcasing the world class science research undertaken across Devon and Cornwall.

Poole Gate
Poole Gate has been named in honour of foreman Sandy Poole who worked on the University’s grounds for over 45 years. The drive on Streatham Campus comes up from Prince of Wales Road and will act as a key access point to the Forum.

TEDxExeter legacy
The first ever TEDxExeter featured 13 outstanding speakers including Satish Kumar, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and TEDx curator Chris Anderson. The day was packed full of inspirational ideas, hope for the future and challenges to actions which will lead to a more peaceful and sustainable world. The videos are now available online.

Diabetes study
Dr Hannah Farrimond is interviewing people who have Type 2 diabetes themselves, or have a immediate family member with it. Contact her on 01392 725128 or by email. Participants receive a £10 Boots voucher.

Go, Glenn
Glenn Allen, Student Fees Manager in Finance, is competing in a triathlon each month from now to October. He hopes to raise £500 for the Eve Appeal. Support him on the JustGiving website.

Until 20 May
The du Maurier Festival
12 University of Exeter academics are involved in chairing or speaking
Location: Fowey, Cornwall

Until 27 May
Photographic exhibition: ‘On the Surface’
By Paul Sandy, who works in Exeter IT in Academic Services
Location: Innovation Centre cafe, Streatham Campus

Until 16 August
Exhibition: Oliver Flexman - Making Plans for Friday
Exploring identity, cultural stereotypes and exchanges which affect our perceptions and engagement with the Middle East.
Location: The Street Gallery, Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies

Mon 14 May, 3- 4.30pm
The Miraculous Egg: the Construction of Eggs in Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine.
Dr Ilke Turkmendag, Newcastle University
Location: Byrne House, Streatham campus
Info: Claire Packman 01392 725126

Mon 14 May, 8.30pm
Cafe Scientifique: What happens when the oil runs out?
Chris Rhodes
Location: Exeter Phoenix, Gandy Street, Exeter. Free.

Tues 15 May, 1pm
The challenges of researching digital interaction: multimodality, embodiment, time and space Prof Carey Jewitt (University of London)
Location: Baring Court, BC114, St Luke’s Campus

Tues 15 May, 6.15pm
Shaping the future lecture
The Challenges of Public Health in the 21st Century
Professor Dame Sally C Davies, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health
Register by email or contact Margaret House-Hayes 01392 72576
Location: videolink to Lecture Theatre A, Streatham Court, Streatham Campus from the Chapel Lecture Theatre, Cornwall Campus.

Weds 16 May, 4pm
Translational animal models and psychiatry research
Dr Emma Robinson (University of Bristol)
Location: Lecture Theatre, PMS Building, Barrack Road, Wonford, Exeter with a telematic link to the Lecture Theatre, John Bull Building, Plymouth

Weds 16 May, 5.30pm
Inspiring Science lecture
Nanobrick walls that stop fire and nanocomposites that could use your body heat to power your mobile phone
Professor Jaime Grunlan, Texas A&M University
Location: Room 004, Harrison Building, Streatham Campus

Thurs 17 May, 6pm
Sustainability and Business
Public lecture from Deborah Meaden, Honorary Graduate and entrepreneur of Dragon’s Den fame.
Location: Alumni auditorium, The Forum, Streatham Campus.
Reserve a place: alumni@exeter.ac.uk.

Sat 19 May, 9am-4pm
Pop-up exhibition of latest research from the Cornwall Campus and the ESI, including marine renewables, an underwater camera and acoustic monitoring station for tracking local marine wildlife, and a smart phone controlled drone octocopter. Student Ambassadors will provide info on the Cornwall Campus Open Day on 23 June.
Location: Prince of Wales Pier, Falmouth

Sun 20 May
Tremough Campus Culture Festival
Location: Cornwall Campus

Mon 21 May, 3-4.30pm
Growing meat with stem cells: In vitro meat in context
Dr Neil Stephens, Cesagen, University of Cardiff
Location: Byrne House, Streatham campus
Info: Claire Packman 01392 725126

Weds 23 May, 2-2.45pm
Research Speed Updating
Location: XFi lecture theatre, Streatham Campus with videolink to LT3, Peter Lanyon building, Cornwall Campus and Baring Court 212, St Luke’s Campus
Info: Kath Murphy tel 01392 725248

Thurs 24 May
Symposium: Early life origins of adult disease - New approaches and new challenges
12th Annual Plymouth Diabesity Symposium on Obesity, Diabetes and the Metabolic Syndrome
Hosted by Prof Jon Pinkney (PCMD)
Location: Postgraduate Medicine Centre, Plymouth
Online registration now open

Thurs 24 – Sat 26 May
Conference: New Trends in Political Representation in the EU
Funded by the EU Jean Monnet Programme. Organised by Sandra Kroeger and Dario Castiglione. are organising a conference on at the Innovation Centre on 24-26 May 2012.
Register: Fiona Raffael

Thurs 24 May, 6pm
Recent alumni social
Location: Ram bar, Devonshire House, Streatham Campus

Thurs 24 May, 7.30pm
The TV Detective
Crime Writer and BBC Crime Correspondent Simon Hall talks about his work as reporter and author including his book The Balance of Guilt.
Refreshments provided. Open to all. Please register your interest with Jo Cole.
Location: Xfi
Contact: Jo Cole

Fri 25 May, 5pm
2012 Lasok Lecture at the Centre for European Legal Studies, School of Law
Balancing Fundamental Rights in European Law
Professor Allan Rosas, Judge at the Court of Justice of the European Union
Location: Xfi Lecture Theatre, Streatham Campus

Tues 29 May, 3-5pm
Credit in Science: An Interdisciplinary Workshop
Organised by Egenis, The IPBio Network Science, Culture and The Law at Exeter (SCuLE) & University of Exeter Business School
Speaker: Professor Graham Dutfield, University of Leeds
Venue: Byrne House, Streatham campus
Places are limited so book in advance

Tues 29 May, 5pm
University – school based partnerships; networking to increase social capital
Dr Elaine Wilson (Cambridge University)
Location: Baring Court, BC114, St Luke’s Campus

Tues 29 May, 5pm
Public lecture: Hardy and Devon
Dr Angelique Richardson (Exeter)
Location: Lecture Theatre 1, Queen’s Building, Streatham Campus
Advance booking essential on 01392 725879 or artsandculture@exeter.ac.uk

Sat 2 - Sun 3 June
Exeter Respect Festival
Free celebration of diversity with music, dance, crafts, food, drama and Radio 1's Nihal.
To volunteer contact Tim on goonasac@blueyonder.co.uk
Location: Belmont Park, Exeter

Exeter Northcott Theatre events

Thurs 17 – Sat 19 May
Much Ado about Wenlock

Sun 20 May
There was an old lady who swallowed a fly

Wed 23 May
Made in Heaven

Sun 27 May
Peggy Seeger