Perspectives Issue 2 / December 2016

Open doors staff tours Our world-class, large scale, unique facilities enhance and enrich the quality and value of our research and teaching. From early next year, we’ll be opening the doors to some these facilities as part of our soon-to- launch staff tours series. Each month there’ll be an opportunity for staff to sign up to visit a different facility and learn about the associated research that’s taking place.

Cranfield bookshelf

A selection of titles recently published by our staff.

Dr Debra Carr is the editor and has written two chapters of a new book, Forensic Textile Science, due to be published in the New Year by Elsevier. As well as research undertaken by Debra (an expert who has many years’ experience in textile analysis and forensic textile science), it also includes the work of Cranfield’s MSc and PhD students. The international team of contributors offer various perspectives on forensic textile science in a book which provides wide-ranging coverage of textile damage analysis in the context of forensic investigations.

The tours will be publicised on the intranet, so keep an eye out.

Helping with life's challenges Sometimes life can be challenging and overwhelming, causing your home life, happiness and work performance to suffer. If you feel you need help to deal with the challenges you face, both practical and emotional, this is where the University’s new employee assistance service, Optum, comes in. It can be used to seek confidential advice and support on a range of issues from counselling and emotional support to expert information on health, family care, work, legal and similar matters.

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John Hoggard has continued his amateur writing career with two further notable achievements during 2016.

His ‘highly commended’ short story entitled Headhunted appeared in a horror anthology, 666, which unsurprisingly was published at Halloween. John’s work was one of more than 20 horror stories – all 666 words long! – and he follows professional author Michael Brookes’ story (who also wrote the foreword). Two more of John’s stories appeared in a pure science fiction anthology, Synthesis, which was published at the start of the year.

Fully funded by the University, with no cost to yourself, this service is completely confidential.

As well as a 24-hour free phone number, you can also access the Optum portal which contains lots of information on a wide variety of topics.

Explore the University online A new opportunity to ‘virtually’ explore our campus will be offered to prospective students early in 2017 with the launch of an online tour designed to assist students in their decision-making process. This unique service will particularly appeal to international students who are unable to attend physical open days. It will be accessible via a Cranfield web address and consist of a short video showing a typical day in the life of a number of students and an interactive aerial map of Cranfield campus, along with opportunities to browse galleries and facilities at Shrivenham. The map will pinpoint the main campus and research facilities for each theme/course cluster and will show photos and videos as well as a host of 360 degree tours of facilities, giving viewers the opportunity to explore the University.

Find out more on the pay and benefits area of the intranet: ‘Services’ tab > ‘Human Resources’ > ‘Pay and benefits’.

Celebrating a 25 year milestone Congratulations to the fourteen members of staff who celebrated 25 years of unbroken service with the University this year: Shrivenham • Ryan Baker • Clare Lankester (pictured) Cranfield campus • John Alexander • Paul Burgess • Sharon Bush • David Butcher • Tony Gray • Stephen Hallett • Andrew Mills • Andy Pitcher • Suzanne Rose • Dave Shipley • Howard Smith • Marek Szwejczewski

Welcome and farewell

Welcome to those who have recently joined the University and thanks to the contributions of those who have recently left us. The names of those joining and leaving are published monthly on the intranet – find them at: ‘Communications’ tab > ‘Welcome and farewell to colleagues’.

Once launched, it will continue to be developed.

If you have any queries or would like to find out more, please contact: Amy Simpson, Head of Digital – T: 01234 758144; E: amy.simpson@cranfield.ac.uk

Looking for a specific piece of kit, but unsure if it already exists within the University? Look no further than the searchable equipment database on the intranet. Got anything to add? If there’s a piece of equipment you look after or use on a regular basis which isn’t included, take the opportunity to add it. This will hopefully lead to improved visibility, equipment sharing and usability. Greater visibility Information from this site also feeds the EPSRC-funded equipment.data portal which aggregates research equipment from across the UK.

Cranfield campus awardees

Find our database at: ‘Research, learning, teaching’ tab > ‘Equipment database’.

Perspectives online: Intranet > 'Communications' > 'Perspectives'

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