School of CS newsletter

The School needs a number of evacuation marshals to manage emergency evacuations of the buildings, and first aiders to deal with minor accidents. These roles do not have any associated routine work but help to keep the School safe for us all. Training is provided for each role. If you are interested please contact Tony McDonald.

We are lucky here in the School in that Kilburn Building has one of the few IT Services Walk-in support centres. It is on the ground floor labelled "G.41: IT Support Centre" and is by the seating area in reception.

 

David Rydeheard recently used the service, to get 60 conference accounts allocated, and was pleased with the instant, while-you-wait service.

Obviously, more complicated requests cannot always be dealt with immediately.

 

This IT walk-in help and support is available 9am-5pm Monday to Friday, and can free up our local staff to do more complex support activities for the School.

Have you got a great eye for a picture? – then why not take part in our photography competition and help Manchester celebrate its status as European City of Science 2016.

 

All taught students and staff who have a passion for photography are being invited to showcase their talent and submit their most eye-catching images to the SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION, which is organised by the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences at The University of Manchester.

 

Our photography competition has the theme ‘science and engineering’ and invites you to be as creative as possible and capture university life, revealing what makes it unique, exciting, inspiring or fun for you. 

 

A package of rewards are on offer for the winners – including the opportunity to join the Faculty’s communications and marketing team as official ‘photographer in residence’ for a series of roadshow events we are organising across Greater Manchester and Cheshire to celebrate European City of Science for 2016.

 

Our prize package also includes the opportunity to have your work showcased as part of the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences’ communications and marketing campaign activity, Amazon vouchers plus a visit to the iconic Jodrell Bank in Cheshire.   

 

The five categories are shown below: 

1.       Your study/research area and how this inspires you

2.       The campus both its buildings and campus life 

3.       Facilities that you use as part of your teaching and learning experience

4.       People who inspire in your university life

5.       Manchester which celebrates its status as European City of Science in 2016

 

 

The closing date for the competition is Monday, April 4 and the winning entrants will be selected and informed two weeks after this date. 

 

Manchester is the European City of Science 2016, a status that has been awarded in recognition of its unique scientific and engineering heritage - the University, with its partners, will celebrate by supporting a full programme of events and activities.

 

More information

Getting past the gatekeeper: how to work with MPs’ researchers

 

A policy@manchester event

Wednesday 09 March. 15-16:30

Lecture Room 2B, Simon Building

 

Book a free place - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/getting-past-the-gatekeeper-how-to-work-with-mps-researchers-tickets-22104182204

 

Want an MP to take part in your event or launch a new report? Or perhaps you’re seeking impact by securing a meeting to bring your latest policy-relevant research to their attention?

 

Join Rob Dale, author of the book How to be a Parliamentary Researcher (Biteback, 2015), to hear the inside track about life inside the office of a busy politician.

 

Parliamentary researchers are playing an increasingly important and influential role inside the House of Commons.

 

Branded bag-carriers while actually performing vital duties like drafting speeches and Parliamentary Questions, handling the media and engaging with constituents online, parliamentary researchers do the dirty work behind the scenes, allowing their bosses to focus on their main job – performing.

In this special session, Rob will explain how the MP’s office has developed over recent decades, imparting practical advice on the dos and don’ts of engaging with an MP’s key personnel, laced with acute personal observations and anecdotes.

Rob Dale ran the parliamentary office of Andy Sawford, former MP for Corby and shadow minister. He now works in a lobbying and public affairs agency and studied journalism at university.

Two robots having a conversation about the nature of consciousness is one of the highlights of a new exhibition inspired by Manchester pioneer Alan Turing. The Imitation Game - which has opened at Manchester Art Gallery and runs until 5th June - is a showcase for eight international artists who explore the theme of machines and the imitation of life.

Swedish artist Tove Kjellmark has created a new robotic artwork entitled Talk in collaboration with Professor Steve Furber, from the School of Computer Science at The University of Manchester, and also in partnership with the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm. The two seated robots discuss the nature of human consciousness – and their behaviour is determined by the SpiNNaker brain-simulation technology which has been developed in Manchester by Professor Furber and his team working on The Human Brain project.

http://manchesterartgallery.org/exhibitions-and-events/exhibition/the-imitation-game/