Monthly Archives: February 2018

Dr Angelos Lengeris to appear at Speech Science Forum

Dr Angelos Lengeris, Lecturer in Linguistics for the Department of English Language & Linguistics, will present at the Speech Science Forum at University College London (UCL) on Wednesday 21 February 2018.

His talk focuses on how ‘Auditory Training Improves Second-language Pronunciation in Spontaneous Speech’.

Computer-based auditory training has been found to improve the production of second-language vowels and consonants in isolated words, and words in scripted sentences. However, we do not know whether learning transfers to spontaneous speech. In his talk, Angelos will present the results of a study examining the effects of computer-based auditory training on Greek speakers’ production of English vowels in sentences and spontaneous speech.

Vowel production was assessed via an identification test with native English speakers and an acoustic analysis of vowel quality before and after training. Training significantly improved learners’ production of English vowels in sentence materials and in spontaneous speech, which demonstrates the ecological validity of the high-variability paradigm.

The talk will take place at UCL’s Speech Hearing and Phonetic Sciences department in London.

HEAT team take on the hottest, shortest sponsored walk ever!

Jayne Lawson and Chris Laming, from the aptly named HEAT Service, are bracing themselves for a barefoot walk over red-hot wood embers heated to around 800 degrees, to raise vital funds for Pilgrims Hospices in East Kent.

The Pilgrims Hospices Firewalk in Canterbury, the first in a series of four challenge events in March this year, takes place on Friday 2 March at the University of Kent Sports Pavilion. Contrary to popular belief there are no ‘tricks’, illusions or special materials involved in the Firewalk, just participants, their nerve and the flames, and Jayne and Chris can’t wait to face the challenge and confront their fears!

Pilgrims Hospices’ vision is that everyone should have access to the services they need to cope with illness that cannot be cured; providing free of charge hospice care and a range of additional support services for patients and their families. But with only 23 per cent of funding coming from the NHS, Pilgrims Hospices rely on charitable donations and fundraising to continue their invaluable work.

Every penny raised makes an inordinate difference at the most difficult time in people’s lives, so if you can support Jayne and Chris in raising much needed funds for this incredible charity by making a donation, please do so by visiting Jayne’s Just Giving page or Chris’s Just Giving page. You can also contact Jayne or Chris in the HEAT offices on extensions 16197 and 16198 respectively.

Visit the Pilgrims Hospice website for more information about their work and other challenge events.

‘Gold from the Stone’: An evening with Canterbury’s Poet Laureate, Lemn Sissay MBE

The award-winning University of Kent Student Success Project is delighted to host international poet/writer, Poet Laureate of Canterbury and Chancellor of the University of Manchester, Lemn Sissay MBE as part of our Inspirational Speaker Series on Monday 26th February 2018 at 5.30pm.

Lemn Sissay MBE is the author of several books of poetry alongside articles, records, public art, and plays.

He was the official poet for the London Olympics and for the FA Cup in 2015. His Landmark Poems are installed throughout Manchester and London in venues such as The Royal Festival Hall and The Olympic Park.

Bishop Desmond Tutu unveiled his landmark poem Gilt of Cain and his appearance on Desert Island Discs was pick of the year for BBC Radio 4 in 2015.

Lemn was the first Black Writers Development Worker in the North of England. He created and established Cultureword (part of Commonword), where he developed, supported and published many new writers who’ve gone on to a life of creativity. Sissay received an MBE from The Queen for services to literature.

He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Huddersfield, which runs the Sissay Scholarship for care leavers: the first of its kind in the UK. Lemn has also instigated the launch of the Lemn Sissay Law Bursaries at the University of Manchester, an initiative aimed at facilitating the development of black lawyers.

Come and hear the fascinating story of how Lemn created ‘Gold from the Stone’.

This event is free and open to all with a valid ticket. Networking and free nibbles will follow the event. Tickets are available via EventBrite.

Opportunities for Kent staff to attend training at our European partner institutions

Did you know that you can broaden your experience and enhance your skills through a funded Erasmus+ training or teaching visit to one of our partner universities?

Visits provide fantastic opportunities to exchange ideas and good practice; gain insights into the HE/business culture in other countries; and acquire an increased understanding of the needs and experience of international students who come to study at Kent.

You can find out more on our Global webpages.

Some funding is still available for visits which take place before July 2018 so contact Erasmus@kent.ac.uk now to register your interest!

Many partners offer organised Staff Training Weeks focusing on particular areas of work, e.g. Finance or Careers, with a set programme. Go to http://staffmobility.eu/ for details of the events this spring and summer.

Find out how to protect and commercialise your research

The next meeting of the Kent Enterprise and Impact Network (KEIN) will take place on Wednesday 28 February from 12:00 -14:00 in Keynes Seminar Room 14.

In this session, we will look at ‘Enterprising next steps: protecting and commercialising your research’. You will hear from Dr Chris Solomon, a Reader in SPS and Director of spin-out company VisionMetric Ltd, which is the UK’s leading developer and supplier of facial composite software to the police. Also presenting on the day are Technology Transfer Manager Dr Marcus Goodall on protecting and commercialising your research and Enterprise Relationship Manager Marcus Wright, who will provide information on the Hub for Innovation and Enterprise’s dedicated support for start-up development for staff and graduates.

After a networking lunch, there will be short presentations with Q+A, and an informal discussion. If you have any enterprise ideas already or have ideas prompted by the presentations, this is also an opportunity to share these and hear about how the University can provide support.

All University staff are welcome to attend. To reserve your place at the session, including a free light lunch, please email entadmin@kent.ac.uk and specify any dietary or access requirements.

If you would like to come along for the presentations only, you are welcome to turn up on the day without booking. Feel free to bring your lunch with you.

KEIN, a network jointly created by Kent Innovation & Enterprise and Learning and Organisational Development, brings together staff interested in collaboration. Academics, researchers, technicians and other members of staff can explore innovation and enterprise activities to maximise the impact of their work and find out about alternative sources of funding in an informal setting.

Drugs – safety advice and legal high facts

Whatever your attitude is towards drugs, we want you to be aware of the risks. This includes risks to your health and wellbeing, as well as legal consequences.

The best way to stay safe is to avoid drugs but here are some things to consider:

Everyone’s tolerance to drugs is different
Mixing substances (including alcohol) can be unpredictable and dangerous
You can never be sure of an illegal drug’s strength or content
Tell your friends if you have taken drugs in case of any difficulties. Also, if you know one of your friends has taken drugs, look out for them to help keep them safe.

For more drugs related advice, visit the Talk to Frank website.

Warning: Public Health England has recently issued a warning about particularly dangerous drugs, which mimic cannabis and MDMA (ecstasy), in circulation in the region. Users have experienced life threatening symptoms including agitation, delirium and loss of consciousness. Read the full Public Health Statement.

The truth about legal highs

Legal or herbal highs are designed to mimic drugs (e.g. cocaine or cannabis) but may not have been tested for human consumption. New drugs are developed all the time but we don’t know the long-term effects on the brain and body.

The new ‘Psychoactive Substances Act’ means that it’s now illegal to supply any ‘legal highs’ or ‘herbal highs’ for human consumption. This includes selling or giving psychoactive substances to anyone for free, even to friends.

Punishments range from a formal warning to seven years in prison.

Get support

If you need support, you can speak to one of our trained advisers in the Wellbeing Team. Other places you can go for advice include:

The University’s Policy

We also recommend you familiarise yourself with the University’s Drugs Policy.

Image credit: Pills by Grumpy-Puddin. CC BY 2.0.

Freedom of speech within the law – annual reminder

The University has a code of practice that underpins its commitment to freedom of speech within the law. The code is available on the policies and procedures page of the University’s governance website. This code replaces a previous version that had been put in place to meet the requirements of the Education Act 1986.

The aims of the code are: to provide guidance on freedom of speech within the law; to ensure that any restrictions are kept to a minimum; and to outline measures that might be put in place to support freedom of speech in circumstances where there may be concerns about the maintenance of order or health and safety.

It is the responsibility of the Senate, faculties and academic schools to ensure freedom of speech within the law is protected for academic-led events, research and teaching. If you have concerns that an event needs extra measures to ensure that it goes ahead, for instance that there may be disruptive protests; or that an event may go beyond the law, for instance by inciting racial or religious hatred; please contact Keith Lampard, Secretary to the Council and the Court, at the earliest opportunity so that a course of appropriate action may be agreed.

Annex A of the code sets out procedures for student and Kent Union bookings.

An annual report of the operation of the code is submitted to Council every year. The report for 2016-17 is available at http://bit.ly/2Ed1Mqq

Year in Data Analytics Launch Event

The School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science (SMSAS) is kicking off the launch of their new one-year ‘Year in Data Analytics’ programme on Wednesday 21 February, 14.00-15.00 in Sibson Lecture Theatre 2.

The Launch Event with free food is open to all current undergraduate Kent students who would like more information on the programme and want to discover how adding a Year in Data Analytics to their degree can enhance their employability.

Data plays a significant role in today’s world, from predicting our shopping habits and personalising our social media feeds, to determining our eligibility to buy a home and influencing our accessibility to healthcare, social care and much more. Data is used in all sectors in various ways, and knowing how to understand different datasets can prove invaluable when entering the job market of our ever evolving and data-driven world.

For more information about the Year in Data Analytics visit http://bit.ly/YiDA or email us.

Tell us how you really feel

Many students have a love/hate relationship with the library but it’s O.K, we understand! We need a little reassurance sometimes when we get something right and also like to know where we’re going wrong so we can work through the rough patches.

That’s why this Valentines Week we want you to write us a line, whether it’s a love or break-up letter.

You can write to the library as a whole, or pour out your inner-most feelings for a particular space, service or even a piece of furniture. Whatever you need to get off your chest, we’re listening!

Pick up a writing pack from opposite Welcome Desk then pop your letter in the postbox when you’re done. We’ve got sweets at the Welcome Desk for anyone who writes a letter.

Lots of love, Your Templeman Library
xoxo

SMFA music lecturer Sean Williams on Radio 3

SMFA Audio Electronics Lecturer Sean Williams was on a programme called Radio Controlled on BBC Radio 3 on Sunday 11 February at 18.45 with other academics, talking about early experimental electronic music on West German radio in the 1950s.

To listen to the programme go to Sean Williams is a researcher with a strong background in music practice. He has released a number of records on various labels in the UK, Europe and the USA, and performs solo and with groups including Grey Area, and the Monosynth Orchestra.

For more info go to our webpages.