51³Ô¹ÏÍø

Here’s a batch of fresh news and announcements from across 51³Ô¹ÏÍø.

From new tools to help pollinators such as bees, to URKI funding for groundbreaking research into human breastmilk, here is some quick-read news from across the College.

Sharing knowledge to save bees

51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s citizen science initiative the (OPAL) has combined some of its best pollinator resources and is launching them across Europe, starting in Italy.

With funding from the National Geographic Society, the new project, called X-Polli:Nation, combines OPAL’s survey about bees and other pollinators with its , designed to make any outside space pollinator-friendly.

Students at St Alban’s School in Hampshire have been instrumental in helping bring the project to life. X-Polli:Nation lead, Dr Poppy Lakeman Fraser said: “We want to provide a platform to support students to take direct action on human-induced changes to the natural world.”

Read more on .

Europe selects new research chief

The has , succeeding Jean-Pierre Bourguignon. Professor Ferrari will oversee the ERC’s multi-billion euro investment in science and innovation when he takes up the post later this year.

The selection panel included 51³Ô¹ÏÍø President Alice Gast and was chaired by former Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti. 51³Ô¹ÏÍø is Europe’s fourth greatest recipient of ERC funding. The ERC’s founding President was the late 51³Ô¹ÏÍø biologist Fotis Kafatos.

Tomorrow’s doctors, today’s teachers

Dr Ged Murtagh, senior lecturer in Clinical Communication, has developed an innovative approach to the way he teaches students in 51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s MBBS course. A group of Year 5 students were tasked with crafting a range of teaching sessions for their peers, based on content they felt was missing or under-emphasised on their course.

Students gathered to present their findings at St Mary’s Hospital on 15 May. One group employed an actor and did quickfire roleplay of breaking bad news, dealing with an angry patient, and handling poor time management.

Students were allowed to watch back recordings of their first attempt, tweak their technique and try once again. Feedback suggests the year group found their peer’s teaching sessions useful and refreshing.

Future leader

51³Ô¹ÏÍø researcher Dr Natalie Shenker has been awarded a Future Leaders Fellowship by UK Research and Innovation. The , worth £900 million in total, will support 550 academics to develop their ground-breaking research for up to seven years.

Dr Shenker has received funding to continue her , including identifying the risk of a mother developing breast cancer and exploring the benefits of donor breast milk for mildly premature babies.

In a last week announcing the awards, Universities and Science Minister Chris Skidmore outlined his ambition to, “maintain the UK’s position as a world-leader in science and innovation and building on our historic legacy.”

–

Want to be kept up to date on news at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø?

Sign up for our free quick-read daily e-newsletter, 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Today.