“Let me introduce myself. My name is Rianna and I’m the founder of Dominica Dementia Foundation, we are the only Dementia Foundation in Dominica and the only foundation in the Caribbean. In 2017 I was very lucky to visit Buckingham Palace where I was awarded with the Queens Young Leaders award by Her Majesty the Queen. I also got to speak on BBC1 with Prince Harry about the work I do in Dominica.

“I have been a TEDx speaker and have previously spoken at the University of Kent. In 2017 I was was also honoured to win the Youth in Volunteerism and Professional Development award by the National Youth Council of Dominica. Now I am the membership officer of the Northern District Toastmaster Club and am also part of the Royal Commonwealth Society Network and Young Leaders of the Americas (YLAI).

“I am currently in the process of producing a documentary film on dementia. The idea of launching an organisation came as a memory of my grandfather who passed away with dementia in Dominica. My grandmother passed this year May. I want to share my story with the world in an effort to rewrite the narrative of those with dementia.”

The Queen’s Young Leaders: 

The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme was established by The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, in partnership with Comic Relief, The Royal Commonwealth Society and The University of Cambridge’s Institute of Continuing Education, in honour of Her Majesty The Queen’s lifetime of service to the Commonwealth.

Over the past four years 60 awards have been given to exceptional young people aged between 18 and 29 to honour those addressing the urgent challenges facing their communities – including mental health, education, climate change, employment opportunities and gender equality.

Quantum technologies range from more efficient computers, to better and more accurate measurements and images, to faster and more secure communication.

The School of Computing is celebrating a £445,000 grant award for research into quantum physics. Professor Julio Hernandez-Castro and Lecturer Carlos Perez Delgado will research into quantum random number generators (QRNGs) as part of the EPSRC Quantum Communications Hub.

Joining the project’s Hub Leadership Executive, that will oversee the management and delivery of the project, Julio explained, “Our grant is basically to investigate QRNGs, and to analyse, improve and develop new statistical tests of randomness leading to new certification schemes that would help in guaranteeing the ‘quantumness’ and security of new QRNGs. We are hoping to flood the market with new and better extensively tested products over the next five years or so. This will enable the UK to become world market leaders in this promising new way of commercialisation for quantum technologies

“We are a small part of a much larger project, and together with Queen’s University Belfast we will investigate the security of the products the physicists will develop, including against side-channel attacks.”

Carlos’ main area of work has been to further our knowledge of the advantages and limitations that quantum theory conveys to communication, computation, metrology, and security.

He explained, “Quantum physics is a mathematical theory of the universe that is extremely successful. It however, predicts behaviour that is wildly non-intuitive. Some of this surprising behaviour has permeated into pop-culture. Most have heard of Schrödinger’s cat, which can be alive and dead simultaneously, and of photons that act as both particles and waves.

“For decades, both scientists and philosophers have tried to better understand this behaviour. In the last few decades, however, we’ve begun to try exploit this behaviour in the form of quantum technologies. These technologies range from more efficient computers, to better and more accurate measurements and images, to faster and more secure communication.”

The UK is poised to become an international leader in quantum technologies. As part of its strategy it has funded four Quantum Hubs where universities and private entities have come together to develop these technologies. The University of Kent is now part of the Quantum Communications Hub, which focuses on a more efficient and secure communication using quantum effects including random number generators.

Students from the Environmental Conservation Sustainability Society (ESC Soc) brought together students and staff from across the University to plant 50 new native trees on campus.

The UK Committee for Climate Change has called for dramatic increases in woodland creation as part of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The Woodland Trust are calling on all areas of society to participate as part of their ‘Big Climate Fightback’ campaign and ESC Soc thought what better place to plant trees than on our wonderful green campus.

Supported by the University’s Landscape and Grounds team from the Estates Department, ESC Society secured 50 free trees from The Conservation Volunteers ‘I Dig Trees’ fund, and a piece of land that borders Bluebell wood on the Canterbury campus for the trees to be situated.

On Wednesday 4 December volunteers came together to plant the trees on a beautiful winter’s afternoon. The new trees, once established, will be an extension of Bluebell wood providing more cover for the numerous bird species that feed and nest in that area, such as Great Tits, Wrens, Nut Hatches and Tree Creepers.

The new online accident/incident reporting system eSAFETY has now been launched.

The link to the system and further information and guidance can be accessed via the button called ‘eSAFETY accident/incident reporting system’ on the front page of the Safety Unit website.

Please ensure that any incidents recorded on the Interim Accident/Incident/Fire Related Report form are now entered via the eSAFETY Portal as soon as possible.

In addition, please ensure that any links to iCASS that you have saved are updated.  The new system should work in multi-browsers.

Relevant staff will be notified of new accidents/incidents by email from eSAFETY@warwickicsystems.com with a subject heading including the word ‘eSAFETY’.

Any enquiries to Julie Martin (ext 4589 or email j.e.martin@kent.ac.uk) or Angela Hewlett-Day (ext 4588 or email a.c.hewlett@kent.ac.uk).