Civil Engineering and Geosciences

26.3.07
The British Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, hosted a high-level workshop to explore future research links in the area of ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) from the 19th to 22nd March 2007. The objectives of the workshop, according to 1st Secretary at the Embassy, Mr Paul Johnson were to explore synergies in future research between the research communities in Japan and the UK and to develop new ways of successful collaboration. The workshop outcomes included commitments to develop cooperative research on modelling, CO2 reduction technologies, future intelligent infrastructure and safety systems. Highlights of the workshop included a reception at the Embassy hosted by the British Ambassador Sir Graham Fry and a visit to Nissan Research to join in demonstrations of the new interactive route guidance and information system the ‘Sky Project’. The Japanese delegation was led by Professor Hironao Kawashima, Keio University, and the UK delegation was led by Professor Mike McDonald (Southampton University) and comprised: Professor Mike Bell (Imperial College); Professor Phil Blythe (Newcastle University); Professor Margaret Bell (Currently Leeds, soon to join Newcastle University); Neil Skelton (ITS UK); Phil Pettit (InnovITS) and Dr Alan Stevens (TRL).

a connected world?

Phil Blythe

Dr Stephen Ladyman experiencing eye-mounted traveller information on the move

15.3.07
Professor Phil Blythe, recently published his vision on how future intelligent infrastructure, as highlighted in the recent OSI-Foresight project, may evolve into a ‘connected world’ using small wireless devices embedded in transport systems, infrastructure and through ‘wearable interfaces’ on people and their mobile devices (mobile phones, PDA’s etc). The Article first appeared in Eurotransport 'Industry Focus 2007' www.eurotransportmagazine.com and is downloadable as a pdf.

Phil said "the future connected world is a significant area of our ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) research here at Newcastle with a number of current projects investigating this area and a number of innovative demonstration platforms being developed. Projects include MESSAGE (wireless Smartdust sensors for the real-time pervasive monitoring of traffic pollution); EMMA (embedded middleware sensor systems); TRACKSS (Transport applications of cooperative sensor systems); ASTRA (applications of Smartdust in Transport); and ASK-IT (Assistive technology for the mobility impaired).

See the Foresight Intelligent Infrastructure Study for further information.

honour for former transport student

10.3.07
A Newcastle University graduate who went on to head up an organisation responsible for building 15 million homes for low-income families in India is to return to the University to receive an honorary degree.

Prem Singh Rana, who gained a PhD in Transport Engineering and Management in 1983, has recently retired from the post of Chairman and Managing Director of the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) of India.

He is among four individuals who will receive honorary Doctor of Civil Law degrees at a ceremony on Friday 20 April 2007, presided over by the Chancellor, Lord Patten.

Following a PhD from Newcastle University, Dr Rana has had over 30 years experience in planning, design, implementation and management of major housing and infrastructure projects. Since 2003, he has been at the head of probably the largest housing and infrastructure financing organisation in the world. HUDCO is so large that it is difficult to comprehend. For example, it has built or enabled the building of 15 million dwellings in India of which 12 million are for the lowest income group. Its total projects number 15,300 and cost £14.4 billion.

Prior to his appointment as both Chairman and Managing Director of HUDCO, Dr Rana was Senior Executive Director in the housing finance division. Dr Rana was instrumental in the diversification of HUDCO’s portfolio into the areas of Joint Ventures and Consultancy Services. He has been a pioneer in propagating regional development through growth corridors. Before his career at HUDCO, Dr Rana worked at the Delhi Transport Corporation rising from Traffic Planner (1975) to General Manager in 1986. His PhD from TORG at Newcastle was instrumental in this achievement. Dr Rana has also been President of the Indian Building Congress, Chairman of the Indian National Committee on Disaster Management. He is Vice President and a founder member of the Institute of Urban Transport, India.

Dr Rana has taken keen interest in the growth of universities, especially IIT, Delhi. He has been responsible for the setting up of the "National Resource Facility on Bamboo Technology" and also inaugurating the HUDCO Chair of Bamboo Technology.

transport student wins top regional prize

9.3.07
On 7 March, George Nicholson (MSc Transport Engineering and Operations) fought off stiff competition to win first prize in the Institution of Highways and Transportation's Annual Papers Evening for his presentation on the use of safety performance functions in predicting accident occurrence and vulnerability on Jamaican roads. Two further Transport students, Simon Field and Lokesh Reddy, were awarded runners-up prizes at the event held at the Gibside Arms Hotel in Whickham. George is pictured with the current NE Branch Chairman John Barrell from Jacobs, and Senior Vice-Chairman Dave Wafer from Durham County Council.

foresight future flooding report - budget speech

Jim Hall and Enda O'Connell

9.3.07
The Foresight Future Flooding report, for which Enda O'Connell and Jim Hall were both authors, was mentioned in the budget speech.

"Climate change will have mixed effects on the UK. The UK will experience hotter, drier summers and warmer, wetter winters, which could lead to increased frequency of flooding. The Government's Foresight report identified a range of costs from 2 to 27 times current spending levels by the 2080s, depending on emissions trajectories and the choices made about the balance between defences to mitigate flooding and the costs of dealing with floods when they do happen. The Government is working with the Association of British Insurers on a project looking at what more can be done to encourage greater uptake of property-level flood protection measures and resilient repair of properties after a flood - both important adaptations for preparing the country's housing stock for the impacts of increased flood risk. In addition, the Government is also currently developing an Adaptation Policy Framework, which consider how to ensure a more comprehensive approach to adaptation policy across Government, and bring greater transparency to this area."

the Peter Wolf young hydrologists symposium

28th-29th June 2007, Newcastle University

9.3.07
The Peter Wolf Young Hydrologists Symposium aims to bring together young hydrologists, both postgraduates and those working in industry, to promote exchange of hydrological ideas and experience, and to help establish networks among hydrology researchers.

This two-day event will consist of a conference day and a field visit. Day one will open with a keynote speaker, followed by presentations by young hydrologists and a poster session. Day two will include a visit to Kielder reservoir, Kielder fish hatcheries and Newcastle University's sustainable farm initiative at Nafferton Farm.

Abstracts are invited for both presentations and posters; best abstracts will be selected as presentations.

The best presentation will receive a prize of £200.00 and a trophy. Three BHS memberships will also be awarded.

There will be a small charge to attend this event but costs will be kept to a minimum.

Enquiries:
Mark Wilkinson tel: 0191 222 8599

gifted and talented school students visit CeG

9.3.07
On Saturday 10th March, 30 Gifted and Talented School Students from across the North East of England visited CEG. 10 completed a Geomatics-based Master class while the other 20 looked at Climate Change.

The Geomatics Master Class asked to students to collect survey data using levels and GPS receivers and then render their data as a Digital Terrain Model in Google Earth. The school students worked alongside two undergraduates and three members of staff from CEG, host to one of the few Geomatics groups in the UK.

Students interested in Climate Change received an introduction to Civil Engineering and Climate Change and then visited the School's hydraulics lab. During the afternoon, the students prepared presentations about Hurricane Katrina and the aspects of Civil Engineering and Climate Change related to the 2005 storm. Undergraduate students and three members of staff work with the students on the day.

Schools interested in finding out more about visits to or from CeG should contact Tom Bramald.

UK / Japan workshop on flood and coastal defence

Enda O'Connell

22.2.07
Eight Japanese academics, mainly from the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University, visited CEG/IRES recently for a UK/Japan Workshop on ‘Flood and Coastal Defence: Risk Management under Climate and Social Change’. They were joined by a large team from CEG, and UK academics from Bristol, Cardiff, Loughborough and Northumbria universities. The workshop was very successful, and several opportunities for joint collaboration are being pursued. A Memorandum of Understanding will be signed between DPRI and CEG. The workshop was partially funded through the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Global Opportunities Fund (GOF).

northern mobility in transport research

24.1.07
Professor Margaret Bell is moving north to join the transport research team at Newcastle University as the Science City Chair in Transport and Environment. This move reinforces the current research at Newcastle addressing the key challenges of transport, energy and climate change. Margaret’s research activity naturally enhances all current transport research at Newcastle both in TORG within the School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences but also in many other parts of the University – i.e. within Transport@Newcastle. Her research also sits naturally alongside the Newcastle contributions to the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change and the Science City theme of Energy and Environment. This move strengthens existing collaborative research between the two northern region transport research centres of TORG at Newcastle and ITS at Leeds and enhances the research activity of the Instrumented City, a national UK academic facility.

There is further northern mobility with Professor John Nelson moving to the University of Aberdeen following his appointment to the Sixth Century Chair in Transport Studies with responsibility for establishing a new transport research centre. The new centre at Aberdeen is part of a major investment in the field of transport research and will have a strong public transport focus. With a strong emphasis on collaboration between centres of excellence, the plan is that a very strong connection will be developed between the new centre in Aberdeen and the public transport research team John leaves at Newcastle.

As part of the commitment to the further growth of transport research, Newcastle announces the appointment of two new eminent visiting professors, Professor Eric Sampson and Professor Richard Allsop. Newcastle welcomes back Richard Allsop who has recently retired from UCL but who actually established transport research at Newcastle nearly 35 years ago. He will be supporting the safety research portfolio and mentoring early stage researchers. Eric Sampson who recently retired as Head of Transport Technology and Standards Division at the DfT will be supporting the ITS research and developing strategic links within the region.

science and engineering ambassadors

Tom Bramald

24.1.07
On 28th February, the Lord Oxburgh is hosting a lunchtime reception for Science and Engineering Ambassadors who work as part of the Science, Engineering and Technology Network, SETNET.

Tom Bramald, the School Development Officer is part of the Ambassador scheme and will be attending the reception.
Tom's work with SETNET has seen him work across the UK providing resources and activities to schools to promote careers and study opportunities in Science and Engineering. He has also provided interviews to the media to support national engagement schemes and has featured in a government news network press release.

The lunchtime event comes just days before National Science and Engineering week (09th-18th March) during which time Tom will be making visits to schools in the North East of England as well as co-hosting a school visit to the university.

workshop for the economic costing of demand responsive transport services

Corinne Mulley, John Nelson and Jenny Brake

24.1.07
To be held at Newcastle University on Wednesday 7th March 2007

The Transport Operations Research Group at Newcastle University recently completed a Good Practice Guide to implementing Demand Responsive Transport services with sponsorship from the Department for Transport. The Guide was launched at a Seminar in Newcastle held in July 2006 under the chairmanship of Professor Eric Sampson (then Head of Vehicle Technology and Standards Division, DfT).

Whilst Demand Responsive Transport services are now recognised as meeting social inclusion needs, ways of ensuring the sustainability of these services still need to be understood. Consequently, the discussion at the launch identified a strong need for a follow-up workshop on the economic costing principles contained in the Guide.

The workshop will take place on 7th March from 10am until 3.30pm. The workshop is particularly aimed transport planners in local authorities and Community Transport operators.

physics teachers learn more about GPS

Tom Bramald

35 physics teachers from across the Scottish highlands met in Fortrose on the Black Isle recently for a day of In Service Education and Training. The day was organised by Nick Forwood of the Institute of Physics Teachers' Network and as part of the day, Tom Bramald, the CeG Development Officer, delivered a session about the Global Positioning System (GPS) and how it might be used to support teaching and learning in Physics.

GPS is an increasingly popular tool in a variety of walks of life but it is not widely known that it is just one of three Global Navigation Satellite Systems. Over the next few years, Europe intends to launch its own system called Galileo to sit alongside US-owned GPS and Russian-owned GLONASS, something that looks set to capture the imagination of the media, the public and school children.

Satellite Navigation is just one aspect of geomatics that is already helping teaching and learning in Maths and Geography and it is hoped that the work in Fortrose is just the start of more work with Physics teachers. Teachers interested in finding out more about how the School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences can support teaching and learning in a variety of subjects should contact Tom Bramald.

hydraulic structures - fourth edition

Pavel Novak, Iain Moffatt, Chandramouli Nalluri, Rangaswami Narayanan

The fourth edition of this volume presents design principles and practical guidance for key hydraulic structures. Fully revised and updated text and new sections.The book's key topics are explored in two parts - dam engineering and other hydraulic structures.

This book provides advanced students with a solid foundation in the subject and is a useful reference source for researchers, designers and other professionals.

Further information

chair of Energy and Environment, Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering

The UK government recently announced the establishment of six ‘Science Cities’, with the vision of transforming the interactions between the university science base, industry, regional development and local governance. As a major element of Newcastle Science City, an ‘Excellence Fund’ has been established at Newcastle University to facilitate the appointment of internationally-leading Professors.

We are currently seeking outstanding candidates, at the Professorial level, to provide leadership in world-class research in the following areas:

Molecular Engineering, in which research is currently focusing on emerging electronics and sensors, drug discovery and development, and bio-processing.
Energy and Environment, in which research embraces energy biosciences, clean energy from the geosphere, fuel cells, hydrogen technologies and carbon neutrality.

We seek opinion-leaders in these or complementary areas of research to help us realise the soaring ambitions of Newcastle Science City. A unique opportunity exists for the successful candidates to ensure ideal support facilities, both through engagement in a major new building programme in Newcastle city centre, and through further research staff appointments.
For informal discussions please contact:

Professor Nick Wright n.g.wright@ncl.ac.uk – Molecular Engineering, or
Professor Paul Younger paul.younger@ncl.ac.uk – Energy and Environment

Closing date: 16 February 2007
Vacancy ref: G1659

To apply for this position, please send a CV, covering letter and completed employment record form, quoting reference number G1659 to Mrs Judith Jackson, Senior Appointments Co-ordinator, Human Resources Section, Newcastle University, 1 Park Terrace, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU.

Further particulars, person specification and employment record form can be found on the central University site.