Jo Elsworth, Director of the University’s Theatre Collection and Acting Director of Cultural Collections for Library Services, is grateful for what donor funding has achieved so far and excited for the new University library of the future.
Just one of the many ways in which philanthropic gifts have had an impact on the arts has been our ability to purchase the incredible body of work contained in the personal archive of Oliver Messel. He was a key figure in twentieth century theatre, film, architecture and decor and the archive is one of the most significant purchases made by the Theatre Collection. We absolutely wouldn’t have managed to do it without support from people like you.
When I first assessed the archive, I spent a whole day with Oliver’s nephew, Thomas, uncovering the life story of an incredible creative genius. I opened box after box of letters, photographs, sketches and more, and saw the names and faces of twentieth century icons, such as Lauren Bacall, Cecil Beaton, John Gielgud, Vivien Leigh and Oliver’s uncle, Lord Snowdon. It was an amazing day that eventually led to us purchasing the archive with the support of our many donors.
Interest in Messel is so high that we have already had 30 scholars from all around the world come to study the archive. However, to date, we have not been able to showcase these fascinating items effectively to a wider audience. To put it into context, our Theatre Collection gets a footfall of approximately 3,000 people each year. Yet when we loaned some items to the National Trust who own Messel’s family home, Nyman’s, 38,000 visitors came and viewed the exhibition.
This archive is just one of many collections cared for by the University. Both the University’s Special Collections – archival collections and rare books, many about medical history, religion, philosophy, early sciences and politics – and the Theatre Collection are highly regarded as a vital source of information to researchers, academics and students. The collections are also heavily used in teaching and have a relevance to many different disciplines studied within the University. They are also relevant today because by looking to our past we can understand our present and shape our future.
This is why I’m so passionate about our project to build a new University library at the heart of the campus, where exhibition galleries will enable us to share these wonderful collections with staff, students and the city.
This flagship library will find exciting new ways of making books, digital resources and our cultural collections accessible to the next generation of scholars. And we need your help to do it. I was so moved to hear recently about a donor who left a large legacy to Bristol, specifically to help make the new library a reality. Truly, gifts of all sizes are enabling us to build fantastic collections and share them with you. I hope you’ll come and find out more when you are next in Bristol.
Punsara Navaratna explains how his scholarship has given him an incredible research opportunity that he otherwise wouldn’t have had.
The scholarship I’ve received has made such a difference to me. Without funding it just would not have been possible for me to study for my PhD, especially since I’m an international student. And because my scholarship is funded by alumni and friends, it really makes it that bit more special. For people who have already been to this University to give back and help people like me, is incredible. I’m really grateful and absolutely determined to put their money to good use.
My PhD is in Aerospace Engineering, with a focus on experimental aerodynamics. Specifically, my research involves various types of wind tunnel testing techniques used to study the behaviour of model aircraft or investigate different aerodynamic phenomena. Findings from testing these models can then be applied to the full-scale aircraft. Not only will my PhD help me in my future career, it’s exciting to think that my work could be used to help design a new aircraft and improve safety.
Bristol has a justified reputation for excellence in research and I’m so happy to be doing my PhD here. For my line of work, Bristol’s experimental rig is a unique concept which allows studies to be conducted in a way no other conventional type of rig can allow. This means we can do much more in-depth research into the dynamics and flight mechanics of aircraft. This type of testing is relatively new; for example, Bristol’s rig is capable of simulating free-flight responses and can change the effective weight of the aircraft model without adding or removing mass from it.
I’ve been at Bristol for seven years. I started here studying for my undergraduate degree and now I’m going into the third year of my PhD. Bristol was the only place I wanted to do my PhD, it’s a fantastic university. Not only that, I really like the city – it’s a good place to live and study. Bristol has a good atmosphere and the people are really friendly. I couldn’t have asked for a better place. I’m originally from Sri Lanka, and I didn’t know what to expect when I first arrived, but I was really pleased with what I’ve found. The University was very welcoming, and it feels like home here now. I think that sense of community carries on and I hope that one day I too will be an alumnus who’s able to give back.
Thanks to funding from alumni and friends towards the University’s High Performance Programme, badminton player Dan Bethell, LLB 2017, LLM 2018 has his sights set on the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
I loved badminton from the very first lesson – the speed and power of the game. But I had come across a few sports coaches who believed I should be treated differently because of my disability. When you have cerebral palsy, simple day-to-day tasks are more difficult. But playing sports made me physically stronger and more flexible. It helped me to cope with living with a disability.
Bristol’s combination of sporting and academic excellence made me feel as though I could thrive on and off the court, and the support from the University’s High Performance Programme has been amazing. Bristol staff go the extra mile to make sure everyone achieves their best. In my first year, I sprained my ankle in training on the week of the national championships. I messaged the squad’s strength and conditioning coach late at night to ask for advice. He immediately sent me an essay-length text outlining what to do. The next day, he made calls to find a physio and I got a treatment plan sorted. I was able to compete, and win.
It’s not possible to win World Cups and Olympic medals without a team behind the athletes. The programme enables us to get a degree at one of the most prestigious universities in the country too, setting us up for a great future at the end of our sporting careers. I’ve been given financial and academic support, training in strength and conditioning, nutrition and sports psychology, and so much more. I’ve been given the tools to become a world-class athlete.
And that’s exactly what I’ve become thanks to alumni and friends like you. I won the men’s singles European Championships in 2014 and 2016, won three bronze medals at the World Championships in 2015, and my greatest achievement was when I ranked number one in the world from 2015-2017. I wouldn’t have achieved this success without the High Performance Programme.
In April, I was awarded a generous grant from UK Sport that will allow me to split my time between training on the Team GB Elite Programme, and my postgraduate studies at Bristol. My eye is fixed firmly on looking to qualify for the Tokyo Paralympics in 2020, and to fulfil my dream of winning gold for my country.
By funding the programme, Bristol donors have given students like me a team of experts to ensure they can maximise their talent and achieve great things. But most importantly, it has also given me a group of friends who are going through the same things I am, who have similar challenges, who have similar goals and dreams, and we’re there for each other when it gets tough. And for that, I am forever thankful.
Amber Probyn, MArts Anthropology with Innovation student, reveals what it’s like to benefit from both a bursary and the teaching at Bristol’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
I knew that I wanted to study Anthropology but when I found the option of studying MArts Anthropology with Innovation in the Bristol prospectus, framed with the question ‘Do you want to change the world?’, my answer was a resounding yes! I love studying and I love education, but after seven years of traditional schooling I really wanted something different. You can see how things like cars or phones have evolved over the years, but if you look at a classroom now compared to hundreds of years ago, it’s pretty much the same. Why should it be that way? Bristol has always had a reputation for its ground-breaking research and pushing of boundaries, and the new ways of learning at the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CfIE) immediately attracted me. I met the Academic Director of the Centre, Dr Kirsten Cater, on my offer day and she was incredible. She made me so excited for life and to learn. Education should be inspirational, and she really embodies that.
We work with local companies on business issues they may be experiencing. This year my group has been working on ways to increase the use of the Bristol Pound by small businesses, via a payment app, which has really stretched our thinking and encouraged our collaborative process.
When you put computer scientists, psychologists and historians in a team together for example, their varied ways of thinking build towards finding an innovative solution to the challenge at hand. We’re getting real world business experience within the safety net of the University. It’s a futuristic model that as students we find immensely rewarding and one that many more will have the benefit of experiencing once the CfIE moves to its new home as part of the planned Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus.
I have so many opportunities as part of my course, and something that’s helped enormously has been receiving a bursary. With that support, I’m able to invest my time and money into projects, business ideas and networking, without the worry of financial struggle. For example, I’ve been able to take a language course and buy professional materials for my project work. My sister is a student elsewhere, but she doesn’t have a bursary, and the difference in what we can do is obvious. Her budget is very constrained with no leeway to be spontaneous whereas my bursary helps me network, which is so valuable. Times are changing, and in today’s world meetings often take place in informal settings. It might sound like a small thing but knowing that I can afford to buy coffee in these meetings means that I can connect with other innovative minds, clients and entrepreneurs alike.
I’m both grateful and honoured to have received this bursary. It reminds me that people want the best for others, generosity isn’t lost, and dreams can be achieved. Thank you!
Nicola Morris, Bristol mum to Calum, 12, talks about how research at the University funded by you could help her son.
When my son Calum was less than two weeks old he had to have open heart surgery. My husband John and I were absolutely petrified at the thought of his little chest being cut open. Luckily for us, Calum’s surgeon was the renowned Massimo Caputo, Professor of Congenital Heart Surgery at the Bristol Heart Institute. Calum pulled through that initial sevenhour surgery, thanks to Massimo’s skills and thoughtfulness as a doctor.
Calum has Truncus Arteriosus, which means that his main arteries did not form properly. He has had several operations to place an artificial tube in his heart in place of a missing pulmonary artery, which carries blood from the heart to the lungs. So far Calum has been operated on as a newborn, and again at ages four, six and 11. He needs the repeat operations because as he grows, his heart grows, but of course the artificial tube does not, and it needs to be replaced.
Massimo’s research – funded by you – is trying to change this by creating living heart tissue that will grow with the child. He’s looking at the viability of taking stem cells from babies with congenital heart conditions and creating living tissue that can be used to repair their heart defects. With this option of course, a child could potentially have fewer operations. Instead of time off school and weeks recovering from surgery, children could be children and get on with their lives.
This important research is cutting edge, complex, challenging, detailed, and time consuming, requiring a lot of resource and detailed analysis. There are strict protocols to follow and evidence to be documented at each stage of the research before it can move to clinical trials. This is why we’re so grateful that Bristol alumni and friends understand and support this process, which we hope will lead to a major clinical breakthrough and be lifechanging for people with heart defects.
I recently met a donor in his 80s who’s supporting Massimo’s research. He told me that his greatest wish is for it to become viable before he turns 90! I too hope that it comes to fruition soon, so that children like Calum can be spared what he’s had to go through. There is even hope that it may also help Calum – during his last operation Massimo took some stem cells from his heart and is also researching the viability of creating heart tissue from these cells.
It’s through people like you funding such groundbreaking work at the University of Bristol that lives such as my little boy’s can truly be changed. Calum describes Massimo as his hero, as the one ‘who’s fixing my heart’. Thank you for continuing to support this important research.
Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Hugh Brady and Stephen O’Connor, Director of Development and Alumni Relations reflect on the generosity of alumni over the past year and look ahead towards the future.
Professor Hugh Brady, Vice-Chancellor and President
Bristol’s power is people: it’s people who make the research breakthroughs that put us on the world map, it’s talented people who come from all over the world to study with us, and people – like you – who support the University. It’s people like you who make our University so special – your donations, expertise, and involvement are incredibly valuable. This report is just one way of saying thank you, and my opportunity to add my personal thanks to you.
I’ve met with many of you over the course of the year – here in Bristol at our Alumni Association Student Awards Reception, in London at our Pioneers Celebration, and at our alumni receptions in Beijing and Singapore.
That our supporters are found in every corner of the globe should come as no surprise, because Bristol has a global outlook. It’s that international perspective that has inspired us to create a new scholarship programme – Think Big – which will encourage even more bright international students to join us here in Bristol, building an even richer and more diverse community. With thanks to collective donations from alumni and friends, our first scholars will arrive this autumn, and we look forward to sharing their stories with you in future.
In the following pages you’ll read about some of the inspirational people who have been helped by donations like yours – from refugee and asylum seekers supported through the Sanctuary Scholarship programme, to ViceChancellor’s Fellows like Malu Villela Garcia who are forging bridges between Bristol and the wider world through their work. You’ll meet pioneering researchers like Professor Massimo Caputo and outstanding academics like Dr Kirsten Cater – both of whom are able to push the boundaries of knowledge forward because of generous donations like yours.
Our University brings together talented individuals from diverse backgrounds and a wide range of experiences. Here at Bristol – with your support – they can reach further towards their potential, whether that’s pursuing answers to some of the world’s grand challenges or taking up opportunities that previously seemed out of reach.
Thank you for all that you’ve done to support Bristol’s people and in helping to ensure that your alma mater continues to grow and flourish.
Looking ahead
Stephen O’Connor, Director of Development and Alumni Relations
In this year’s Benefactors’ Report, we reflect on the inspiring contribution that our donors and supporters have made to the University, and to Bristol scholars and academics.
Your gifts are powering our researchers, our academy, our students and our contribution to the city and worldwide. They enable us to have a greater degree of financial independence and freedom that allows Bristol to grow and flourish, keeping our reputation for excellence and innovation to the forefront.
But more than that, your generous gifts are helping to foster Bristol’s long tradition as a place of sanctuary as well as a place of brilliance. Just recently I spoke to an alumnus and scholarship benefactor, whose father had been given refuge in the UK and by the University. Fleeing mainland Europe during World War II, he found a welcome home to study here. We continue to be a place of openness and diversity, which is reflected in our renowned Sanctuary Scholarship programme.
Excellence is central to the Bristol academic experience, and your philanthropic gifts for student support give social currency to those who might otherwise not be able to access it. You can see for yourself in the many stories contained within these pages how you’re very much part of ensuring the continuing quality of the student experience, excellence in research and innovative teaching.
As we look to build on our reputation as a global civic university I sincerely hope that you will continue with us on that journey, allowing many others to access and share the unique Bristol experience. Thank you for your tremendous and continuing support and I look forward to meeting you at the Benefactors’ Reception, or at other events throughout the year ahead.
Specialist researchers at Bristol are investigating the security of systems and the inputs required from human users.
Most people, when asked what cybersecurity is, would answer by saying that it’s making sure we stay safe online, by using strong passwords and up-to-date software. But human behaviour also has a large part to play.
Awais Rashid, Professor of Cybersecurity, is researching both critical aspects. His work investigates the security of that which we might consider to be obvious: computers, mobile phones, Internet of Things devices, as well as systems that are embedded in our critical infrastructure such as water treatment plants and power grids. To understand how people might add value, he also looks at the human component of cybersecurity – how attackers attack our systems, how we detect such attacks, and how we respond to attacks.
One of the things he’s analysed is how people make decisions around security. Because a lot of these decisions are about critical infrastructures there is a lot of confidentiality around them, making it difficult to get the information required.
He and his team devised a game which allows people to discuss how they make security decisions in a general context, without referring to their organisation. The game is effectively a set of building blocks and it represents a utility infrastructure. A lot of the gaming around cybersecurity is about attacking systems and learning from attacks, but Professor Rashid asks people to play the role of defenders, and to collectively make decisions around how to deal with the attacks.
Good patterns included attempts to balance between security priorities, open-mindedness and adapting strategies based on inputs that challenged one’s preconceptions.
Bad practices included tunnel vision, that is, disregarding information given by the environment that did not fit one’s self-proclaimed ‘security expertise’ and focusing excessively on expensive technological solutions while neglecting basic security hygiene. ‘In some cases, you can have a very high-tech network monitoring device, but if your employees are falling victim to social engineering through email, then your network remains vulnerable to attack,’ Professor Rashid says.
In some cases, you can have a very high-tech network monitoring device, but if your employees are falling victim to social engineering through email, then your network remains vulnerable to attack.’ Professor Rashid, Professor of Cybersecurity.
The human element
Professor Rashid is not alone in wanting to develop a better understanding of the human variable in cybersecurity. Dr Emma Williams, who has a background in psychology, a doctorate in deception, and a career that has included time spent working in both the public and private sector, is interested in what makes us engage in secure behaviour online. Dr Williams is conducting her research in her position in one of the newly created Vice-Chancellor’s Fellowships.
‘My research looks at how we can ensure that users are engaging in secure behaviour online,’ she says. ‘And understanding that means answering a range of questions, such as: are we more susceptible to so-called phishing scams at certain points in time? And can our devices adapt to these potential vulnerabilities? For example, if your device can detect that you’re busy or distracted, can it send a request to update important software at another, more appropriate, time?’ By looking at the ways in which people make decisions with regard to their own online security, Dr Williams aims to answer some of these questions.
One key issue is the simple idea that security must not be burdensome. Professor Rashid believes it is security experts who must lower the burden on the user. ‘We can’t have people changing passwords every few days, we can’t expect people to remember 30 passwords. Security is seen as a barrier, and as researchers we have to make it more seamless. We are looking at how the design of security systems acts as a barrier to usability and what can we do to empower users.’
Historically people think cybersecurity sits in the realm of Computer Science – that all you need to do is create an algorithm and everyone is secure. But a lot of these algorithms are based on mathematical ideas.’ Professor Oliver Johnson, Professor of Information Theory.
The mathematics
Bristol’s School of Mathematics will be offering a new MSc in Mathematics of Cybersecurity in autumn 2018. Oliver Johnson, Professor of Information Theory, says, ‘Historically people think cybersecurity sits in the realm of Computer Science – that all you need to do is create an algorithm and everyone is secure. But a lot of these algorithms are based on mathematical ideas. Bristol’s MSc programme will be unique in the UK because it is hosted in the School of Mathematics. Cybersecurity is a key area of emerging importance. With an Academic Centre of Excellence in Cybersecurity in Bristol, and our refurbished and expanded Fry Building giving us a lot more space for Mathematics, we have the platform for new, forward-looking courses.’
The new MSc will offer students the opportunity to prepare for future threats to encryption, such as quantum computers. Professor Johnson explains: ‘Encryption on the internet relies on the idea that factoring big numbers is hard. It’s known that quantum computers can do this efficiently, once somebody builds one. We’re not there yet, but when planning ahead, maybe the algorithms in use now aren’t secure long enough into the future. So, by including quantum computing on this course, students will be able to consider what the next generation algorithms could be.’
Professor Johnson goes on to add: ‘I don’t think it’s going to be a case of a quantum computer on every desk, but for certain high-level transactions, we need to have these quantum-secure protocols built in. But that’s part of the excitement, looking to the future.’
And it makes Bristol an exciting place to be, particularly with regard to the new Temple Quarter Campus and the Quantum Technologies Innovation Centre that will be hosted there, with cybersecurity one of the topics that has been identified for the new campus.
‘I think it’s clear that a lot of the exciting applications, driverless cars, 5G phones, healthcare, will be generating vast amounts of data and it’s going to be absolutely imperative to ensure that data is protected. It’s a huge challenge, and it’s also one of the exciting things about Temple Quarter: we’ll be looking at big problems that require a commonality between thinking and approaches,’ says Professor Johnson.
Alongside the benefits of collaboration between industry, government, and the University, is the opportunity to have an arena where not only technologists will look at cybersecurity. The new campus will have social scientists working alongside legal experts and ethicists, for example developing thinking around questions such as: if someone is hit by a driverless car, who’s responsible? The passenger, the person who wrote the code, the person who sold the car?
There’s a growing network of connected devices, so whereas in the past people may have thought ‘I can opt out of the internet’, now the internet is so ubiquitous, that’s not possible. Protecting that information is a huge challenge.’ Professor Oliver Johnson, Professor of Information Theory.
Though they may not conform to our preconceived notions around cybersecurity, these questions are becoming increasingly important. ‘It may have been in the past people thought of cybersecurity as the computer on their desk, but as the Internet of Things takes over it’s your fridge talking to your smart home hub,’ Professor Johnson says. ‘There’s a growing network of connected devices, so whereas in the past people may have thought ‘I can opt out of the internet’, now the internet is so ubiquitous, that’s not possible. Protecting that information is a huge challenge.’
And how is Bristol helping to keep all that information safe and secure? We’re working to better understand human behaviours around security, and decision-making processes. We’re developing new cryptography techniques, and working on stronger software engineering. We’re studying vulnerabilities across human and technological platforms. What’s more, the University has huge strengths in mathematics, computer science, cryptography, and engineering. And with our new MSc we’re making sure that the next generation has the skills to tackle the security risks we have yet to imagine.
Traditional notions of libraries are changing. The University has announced plans for a new £80 million library to be built at the heart of the Clifton campus – we’ve collected opinions on what the future of university libraries will look like.
Why does Bristol need a new library?
It’s been a long-term dream of the University to upgrade this library. The Arts and Social Sciences Library is quite old now and if you consider when it was built, a lot has changed: how students study, the resources needed, the technology, their interaction with each other. We are really excited about Bristol’s new £80 million library development at the heart of our Clifton campus. Ultimately, students are here to be educated and it’s important to invest in quality facilities that inspire innovation and discovery
My own background is in History, English and Geography, so I’m very conscious that the library is a laboratory for Arts and Social Sciences students. It will function as a community and a collaborative space for students, where they can do self-study but also interact with their peers. It will be a library for the whole University, and provide an opportunity to step up our provision for students. Fundamentally it will support the educational experience, where learning will be extended through exposure to new ideas, space to reflect, and of course books will be front and centre. The new library will also have a gallery space, which will enliven the academic experience and exposure for Arts and Social Sciences students in particular. Students at
Bristol have access to incredible academic and cultural materials that many other universities are not able to provide. Gallery space, showcasing and celebrating our University’s unique special collections, will help to make the most of them.
We plan to increase cultural collections for display too. We have such rich treasures: a strong feminist collection, a rare book collection, a world-class theatre collection and so many other fascinating manuscripts and archival documents which we really want to showcase. Gallery space will help our collections to become something that the whole Bristol community will be proud of.
One of my aspirations is to advance a fantastic digital experience for students. We’ll be introducing a new cataloguing and search system for library items which also links to digital resources. Students will be able to search and access online articles that the University holds subscriptions for. All this will be available via an app on their smartphones.
The library will be inclusive, accessible, inspiring, adaptable and flexible to new ways of learning and technology, and sustainable. It will be built to last and to complement the surrounding heritage. Bristol is one of the world’s greatest civic universities: it’s always been a leader and beacon of excellence, particularly in research. We all aspire to build on our inspirational teaching and further improve the student experience, and having recently moved from the University of Melbourne to take up my post at Bristol, I’m really looking forward to realising our shared vision for this wonderful new library.
Why is the design of a library so important?
The library will be at the centre of the University’s vision for its Clifton campus to be the welcoming ‘heart’ to the University – for students, staff and members of the public alike. It will be a space for connection, with ideas and with others. Digital technologies are linking us more than ever, but we also appear to be more fragmented. Libraries are quintessentially democratic urban gathering places where an increasingly diverse user can connect for their own needs on their own terms. We produce ‘democratic architecture’ – architecture that focuses on the needs and experiences of the people who use the buildings and spaces we design. A place where diversity is valued. With each project, we observe the social habits, needs and the context of the community where our libraries are built.
Libraries are in constant evolution and being at the forefront of this thinking is essential to doing the best work. We have extensive global experience designing libraries at Schmidt Hammer Lassen and our work has been honoured with 16 international awards. Designing libraries of the future is unique because of the need to adapt to shifting human behaviour in terms of how we study and gain knowledge. We are developing the way we think about libraries towards what we refer to as ‘collection to connection’. How do we design libraries that both collect knowledge and bring people together?
The foundation of our creative approach to designing libraries is the concept of a third space that lies between our homes and workplaces. The urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg says the third space is vital for civil society, democracy, citizen engagement and a sense of place. We agree. We believe that architecture affects lives. We’re not interested in building for building’s sake – we’re interested in making a positive difference.
Libraries make a difference in our lives, in connecting us. With the University’s two iconic buildings, HH Wills Physics Building and the Wills Memorial Building, the new library will stand out as the gateway to the campus, a beacon of knowledge, representing the University of Bristol, being visible from all around the Bristol urban skyline.
What does a university library mean to you?
Inspiration. I came to the University in 1971 when the world was vastly different. I used the Wills Memorial library and can recall the hush of the busy monumental reading room, the hunt for a seat in the many alcoves. The impressive backdrop of the library with its high ceilings and formal wooden furniture was inspiring. We seemed to learn just by being in it. Back then all the resources were printed and we used a card catalogue to locate them. Although individual private study was the main mode of learning, the library was still a social space in the sense that there was an unvoiced fellowship among the hardworking users.
Although I was the first person in my family to enter higher education, I was no stranger to libraries. I grew up with the public library as a second home, secured a Saturday job shelving books, and worked on the service counter when I was a student. I learned valuable lessons about delivering face-to-face library services. This stood me in good stead throughout my career as the
University Librarian and Pro Vice-Chancellor at the University of Leicester including overseeing the £32m library renovation project there in 2008, which went on to win numerous library and architectural awards.
Some years ago, pundits were predicting the end of libraries in the digital age, but there has been more investment in academic library buildings and higher use of those facilities than ever before. Far-sighted institutions are demonstrating that libraries have a unique role in expressing and embodying the mission of the university.
It’s thrilling that Bristol sees the library as the hub of the Clifton campus and significant investment has been earmarked to support this conviction. It’s good to hear that extensive consultation on the detailed plans is to take place too – the most important and stimulating part of the project if the library is to become truly the heart of the University. The vision of libraries, evident when I was at Bristol, endures in the digital age: an inspiring environment to support learning and the creation of knowledge.
What will a library in the future be like?
Since I was six years old, I’ve been fascinated by the past. I went on weekly excursions to the library and read everything from Ancient Egypt to the entire Nancy Drew series. I was determined to be an archaeologist and thanks to AHRC funding I’m now doing a PhD in historical archaeology.
But so much has changed since I was six. As a mother and part-time distant-learning student there are so many challenges to overcome. My hours are bound to childcare, which in rural Wiltshire is pretty restrictive moneywise and timewise. I need to incorporate archive visits, fieldwork, and teaching, and last semester required military organisation of grandparents, friends, afterschool clubs, and transport. I’m grateful that the library can post me books when I need them, but now we have the internet, lots of things are available online too.
To study the past I’ve had to dig even deeper into the future. I love the countryside, but it has a huge transport problem, which makes travelling into Bristol incredibly inefficient and impossible if you’re on a tight timescale. Technology has been essential in enabling me to pursue my passion without sacrificing time with my children. But it still has a long way to go.
My dream library would exist in two places: virtually and physically. The resources I need would be online, such as datasets and historical documents. The University has a wonderful stock of hidden knowledge held in documents and collections it’s built up over many years, and it would be great to access these more easily. Academia is also increasingly called upon to engage with the public, which can be difficult to find space for. A public-facing exhibition space is a perfect way to give postgraduates an opportunity to be involved in communicating our work. Finally, my
pie-in-the-sky dream would be an ad-hoc crèche.
My eldest daughter is now six years old, and we’ve enjoyed exploring books on topics like outer space and the Great Fire of London. By the time she goes to University I want to see increased inclusivity and accessibility in the digital and real world, so that everyone can benefit from the knowledge held and generated in these amazing places.
You can listen and download the audio version of this article here:
Goh Siu Lin (LLB 1993) takes us on a journey from Bristol to Malaysia, showing us how she got to where she is today as the first woman to become Chairman on the Kuala Lumpur Bar Committee.
I chose to study at Bristol for many reasons. It is well known for having one of the top Law faculties in the UK. I was drawn to the vibrancy of the student community and loved the iconic grandeur of the Wills Memorial Building. When I graduated I was the first lawyer in my family. While at Bristol I took up volunteering opportunities with Bristol’s Student Community Action and did ballroom dancing which enriched my student life. I also made friends of all nationalities and backgrounds – I love food and there were never too many dinner parties at Bristol, all with new and exciting flavours!
The key things that Bristol gave me were an excellent legal education in a supportive and enriching learning environment, a place for self-discovery, and many, many lifelong friendships. Upon my return to Malaysia I gained admission to the Malaysian Bar and practised for the next two decades at Messrs Shook Lin & Bok. Then when I became the first female to win the Chairman post on the Kuala Lumpur Bar Committee, I was exhilarated! It was as if I’d crossed the finishing line for a marathon.
I’m passionate about women’s and children’s rights and have written and advocated for more gender-responsive laws, policies and systems. My proudest achievement to date was being part of the intense lobbying and legislative efforts which crystallised in the passing of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act in Malaysia on 26 April 2017. If I had any advice for my younger self it would be to read more, to be more involved in Bar activities and to develop networks. I’ve now set up a small boutique law practice of Messrs Kee Sern, Siu & Huey and this, together with my responsibilities for the Kuala Lumpur Bar, keeps me on my toes!
In a year when we’re celebrating 100 years of some women getting the vote in the UK, Nonesuch takes a look at pioneering women in the School of Physics.
When Veronica Macmillan started life as a Physics student at Bristol during World War II, little did she know that over 70 years later she would be helping new generations of physicists with their groundbreaking work by leaving a legacy to the School. Taking advantage of the University of Bristol’s longstanding openness to diversity, Veronica started studying for her BSc in 1942 as one of only a handful of female students of the 100 or so in her year. Her father had died when she was just ten years old, but she did not allow the tragedy experienced as a young girl to derail her ambitions for a higher education. Today we’re well aware of the importance of bursaries and scholarships for amazing students who might not otherwise get the chance to study, and in the 1940s the need for this assistance was also recognised. Veronica was awarded an Education Board Grant for her time at Bristol and travelled to study every day by bus from Bath.
Veronica fondly remembered Professor Arthur M Tyndall, known as the ‘Father of the School of Physics’. Of other lecturers she recalled that their handwriting could be difficult to read – one in particular making little distinction between his Us and Vs, thus making his formulae very difficult to understand!
As well as attending to her studies, Veronica played her part in the war effort, together with several of her fellow students who worked at the nearby Badminton Estate in South Gloucestershire. She recalled seeing Queen Mary who was sequestered there at the time. And while Veronica was working at Badminton, staff in the School were also doing their part, looking at the use of radar in the war.
While Veronica’s time at Bristol might have been overshadowed by the planes of war, 22-year-old Astrid’s research is looking at how to make civil aviation safer, as well as better for the environment. The Rugby native’s fully funded PhD work looks at ‘Non-destructive detection of corrosion on in-service gas turbine components.’
Although she loved her time at the School of Physics, Veronica did feel that she missed out on the social aspect of being a student, as she could not afford to stay in Bristol and went to and from her home in Bath. She did however manage to join her classmates at the refectory, and later in life could still recall the novelty of eating pink semolina pudding!
Upon graduating with her BSc in Physics, Veronica completed her teacher training – also at Bristol – and spent her life working at the convent school in Bath which she herself had attended as a child. Not only did she give back to young children as an educator, on her death last year she bequeathed a large legacy to the School of Physics, so that other bright young minds could carry on the work that she herself had so enjoyed.
One of those bright minds is Astrid Blee (MSci 2017), currently studying for her PhD in Physics, in an environment very different from that of Veronica’s. Despite seeing Bristol at its windy, rainy wildest on a post-offer day at the University, Astrid was still struck by how beautiful and inspiring the campus and city was.
While Veronica’s time at Bristol might have been overshadowed by the planes of war, 22-year-old Astrid’s research is looking at how to make civil aviation safer, as well as better for the environment. The Rugby native’s fully funded PhD work looks at ‘Non-destructive detection of corrosion on in-service gas turbine components.’ In a nutshell, she’s looking at ways to accurately detect ahead of time when an aircraft’s turbine blades are about to crack. Currently there is no accurate way of measuring this, so blades are ‘retired’ long before their life span has ended in order to meet stringent safety regulations. However, this does mean that it’s not great news for the environment to keep replacing the blades unnecessarily.
‘As soon as I came to Bristol I thought it was a place where I could live and thrive. What I really love about my area of physics is applied problem solving. I like taking a real-life problem and looking for a way to solve it.’
PhD student, Astrid Blee (MSci 2017)
So, what is it that attracted Astrid to physics? ‘What I really love about my area of physics is applied problem solving. I like taking a real-life problem and looking for a way to solve it.’ Unlike Veronica, Astrid has lived in Bristol since starting her undergraduate degree here and has been able to take advantage of the social life as well as academia. Her problem-solving mind extends from physics to one of her favourite hobbies – rock climbing. ‘I find it very mindful. You start at the bottom of the wall and your only goal is to get to the top. Working out how to get to the top, particularly when it gets more difficult – you can’t just use brute strength. You have to think about the problem and how you can solve it. And if that doesn’t work, try again.’
And what is it that makes the University of Bristol’s School of Physics so great? According to Astrid it’s the grand long-term vision that what seems elusive and theoretical now will go on to make enormous contributions to society: ‘Researchers who are working on new theoretical physics are laying the foundations now for what’s to come in the future. This maths can and will be applied to real world problems. You need a long-reaching view, which Bristol has, to be confident that it will be of great importance in the future. Take quantum physics. Laying the groundwork for that was started 100 years ago, and now we’re moving towards quantum computing and quantum optics and things that will start to have real world applications. Bristol is nurturing what may seem to some like a lot of theory, but we have the vision that it will be used in the future.’
Bristol’s School of Physics has been making its mark on science for over a hundred years, including turning out several Nobel laureates. It is recognised worldwide for its pioneering research in a wide range of areas, including: quantum mechanics, nanoscience, quantum information science, semiconductors, condensed matter and metal physics, cosmic ray and astrophysics, glaciology, X-ray interferometry and topological optics. Veronica’s legacy will ensure that future students of this esteemed School continue to push the boundaries of science ever further forward. Astrid is just one of many at Bristol taking on the challenges of the world we live in today.
We are holding an event this summer about leaving Legacy gifts to support Physics at Bristol. If you would like to know more about the event then please contact Jenny McGee on +44 (0)117 394 1045.
Jo Elsworth, Director of the University’s Theatre Collection and Acting Director of Cultural Collections for Library Services, is grateful for what donor funding has achieved so far and excited for the new University library of the future. 
