All your latest news and events from Durham University

Newswire
October 2018

The difference you made: Scholarships for Afghan Women

From business development start-ups, to housing, research and digital industries; the Scholarships
Alumni funded have benefitted women in communities across Afghanistan.

Construction begins on two new College facilities

The £80 million Mount Oswald project involves construction of a new home for John Snow College and a brand new College, together totalling 1,000 student bed spaces, at the Mount Oswald site, to the south of Durham City.

Queen’s Campus transition programme

The Department of Psychology, the School of Education and Durham University Business School have now relocated to Upper Mountjoy, Leazes Road and Mill Hill Lane, respectively; John Snow and Stephenson Colleges have completed their relocation to the Howlands site; the transfer of Medicine to Newcastle University has been concluded; and the Sleep Lab has moved to Hilton Cottage.
The University remains fully committed to Stockton and the Tees Valley. The Durham University International Study Centre at Queen’s Campus has enjoyed a very successful first year and we are actively exploring a number of options for the wider repurposing of the campus.

Hatfield alumni help fund Jevons refurbishment

A £5 million project to renovate the Jevons Building in Hatfield College has now finished. The work, which lasted 12 months, has resulted in 60 refurbished student rooms (58 of which are now en-suite) and a remodelled multi-purpose social space – including workspaces, a café, and a bar – accessible to wheelchair users.

The façade of the Jevons Building – specifically the arrow-slit-like windows – has been carefully preserved so as to help to maintain Hatfield College's rich history, dating back to 1846.

Some £30,000 of the £5million spent on the project was generously donated by Hatfield alumni.

Events

Dunelm USA Annual Gala Dinner

Tickets are selling fast for this 6 December Gala - book your place now. Don't miss special guest speaker Most Reverend Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, and Preacher at the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

BUCS Super Rugby - The Big Match

BUCS Super Rugby returns to London for the start of the 2018/19 season as we take on Bath University under the floodlights of Rosslyn Park.
Come along and support Team Durham! Kick-off is 7.30pm this Friday (5 October).

Convocation and Annual Dinner

Convocation of Durham University will take place at the RAC Club, Pall Mall, London followed by the Dunelm Society Annual Dinner on Tuesday 9 October.

Professional Networking: Law in Focus London

Tuesday 16 October at Clyde & Co.
City lawyers with an interest in Corporate, Commercial or related law disciplines are invited to a networking event.

Hensley Henson Public Lecture

Wednesday 24 October at Prior’s Hall, Durham Cathedral.
Reverend Lucy Winkett on Raising Lazarus or raising Cain?
The vocation of the church in contemporary Britain.

Dunelm Days

Catch up with old friends and make brand new connections at the biggest global alumni event!
Events are taking place throughout November in Canada, the US, China, Japan, Europe and the UK.

USA West Coast tour

We have three US events coming up in mid-November – San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle. Look out for dates and details coming soon. Update your address details to make sure you get an invitation.

Boat Club

DUBC had a fantastic summer with four current athletes racing at U23 worlds and three alumni on the GB team for the Senior World Championships.
Book your tickets for the 140th Anniversary dinner in Henley on 10 November.

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Alumni

Class Notes

Patrick Armstrong (Physics and Geography, University College 1960-66) was recently awarded a DLitt degree from the University of Western Australia, where he has been working since 1974, and where he holds an Adjunct Professorship. The Higher Doctorate was given for research and publications in the fields of Geography, Ecology and History of Ideas over a period of 50 years.

Fiona Barker (Psychology, University College, 1987-90) and David Barker (Economics, University College, 1988-91) are both returning to Durham in November to launch books. When Fiona is not being a clinical and behavioural scientist, she writes picture books and is launching Danny and the Dream Dog at Waterstones in Durham on Sunday 11 November at 2pm along with Durham-based illustrator and marine biologist Howard Gray. Dave is coming to the Mari Hannah crime book club event at Waterstones on the morning of Saturday 10 November. He writes thrillers alongside his successful post-Durham career as a senior macro-economist.

Gary R. Bunt (Middle East Studies, Graduate Society, 1991-93) is about to have his new book published, Hashtag Islam.

Tongyu Fan (Human Resources Management, Ustinov College, 2015-16) was selected to be on the finalist of Travel and Hospitality Industry for Forbes China 30 under 30. She is currently taking care of the business development area for her company ProMark Strategies for overall Greater China market.

Rosalind Holt (English Literature, Trevelyan, 1973-76) has just had her novel Modern Magic: Stories of the Overbury Shops published. It is dedicated to Dr Fitzpatrick who was Reader in Philosophy at Durham. The book is about a group of friends, some of whom met at Durham University.

Lily Howkins (English Literature, Josephine Butler, 2006-09) choreographed a production called Soldier On. It is produced by The Soldiers' Arts Academy, a charity which helps veterans rehabilitate and get back on their feet through the arts, and the play was performed by both military veterans (injured both mentally and physically in service) and professional actors. Their sold out national tour and run in London has now been transferred to the West End.

Michelle Peach (Arabic with Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, St Cuthbert’s Society, 1991-95) is the author of Gazelle in the Shadows, a historical crime thriller set in Syria and largely based on her real-life experiences.

Hammie (Elizabeth) Tappenden (Entrepreneurship, 1998-2002) was presented with the MBE by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant, Major General Sir Martin White KCVO CB CBE, at a special ceremony held on the Isle of Wight. Hammie also married her long-term partner, Rob Ford, that morning!
Hammie received the MBE in recognition of her outstanding work in Business Start-Up and Women’s Enterprise across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. For the past 25 years, Hammie has devoted her time to supporting more than 6,000 people wishing to start up their own business and has helped set up more than 800 businesses in the last ten years.

Ruqaya Izzidien (Modern Languages, St Mary's College, 2005-09) has a book launch for her first novel with the Living Texts Research Group in the School of Modern Languages.

Applications and nominations for the Study UK Alumni Awards 2019 are now open.

Colleges

College of St Hild and St Bede

We had a successful Alumni Association Reunion Dinner here at Hild Bede and it was lovely to catch up with what our visitors had been up to. Our next event will be a Burns Supper to be held in London in January.

Grey College

We have just finished welcoming all our new students – over 500 of them! Also, there have been reunions in London and Durham.

Hatfield College

Stay tuned for updates on our Thirty Years of Women celebrations, which will include the installation of a new Lioness Sculpture and announcement of a Lioness Scholarship. Don’t forget to book your place for a weekend of events celebrating Thirty Years of Hatfield Women.

John Snow College

John Snow College are delighted to have settled into their new home on the Howlands site in Durham City. We look forward to welcoming a brand new group of first year students and are excited for the upcoming year of College activities which we will be sure to keep you updated on.

St Aidan's College

The Aidan's Alumni Association invite all alumni to get involved with the JCR Careers Fair on Saturday 10 November.

St Cuthbert's Society

Thanks to all alumni who returned to Durham for the Cuth’s Alumni Weekend. It was fantastic to see so many alumni from across the generations! Join us on Saturday 27 October for the Founders’ Dinner in London to celebrate the 130th Anniversary of the Society.

St John's College

We’ve enjoyed welcoming alumni back to St John’s for reunions this summer, and are now welcoming new students for the first time

Stephenson College

Alex Wheatle, the Bard of Brixton, visits Stephenson College on Friday 12 October, during Durham Book Festival week. Author of the Crongton series, Alex will be talking about his life and writing to children from the region.

Van Mildert College

After a wonderful Wine Tasting event hosted by Van Mildert College Trust, the College is looking forward to the term ahead, with our largest intake of students this year and a huge variety of events for both current students and our alumni!

Departments

Anthropology Department

Anthropologists Prof Jane Macnaughton and Dr Andrew Russell, also members of the Institute of Medical Humanities, were part of The Life of Breath project awarded the inaugural Health Humanities Medal Inspiration Award.

Centre for Catholic Studies

The Ushaw Lecture Series programme for 2018-19 is available now. Lectures are about the remarkable collections of Ushaw and the wider history of which they are expressions.

Durham University Law School

Thom Brooks, the Dean of Durham Law School, has been named Vice President-Elect of the Society of Legal Scholars, the oldest and largest learned society for academics in law.

Institute for Medical Humanities

The Centre for Medical Humanities has relaunched as the Institute for Medical Humanities – the first of its kind in the UK! With support from the Wellcome Trust and Durham University investment, the Institute will focus on improving health by understanding human experience.

Mathematics and Computer Science

A brand new facility to house the departments of Mathematical Sciences and Computer Science has been given the green light by Durham County Council.

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