News 2010
CMS lecturer named as Most Innovative Teacher of the Year (Dec 10)
 Tony Mann with his award with maths lecturer Noel-Ann Bradshaw and Dr Liz Bacon, Head of School |
Tony Mann has been awarded the prestigious prize of Most Innovative Teacher of the Year by Times Higher Education Magazine.
The judges recognised Tony's inspiring approach, which brings maths alive for a diverse group of students, saying that he "has rare qualities and makes a difference to students' lives through outstanding teaching."
They also commended the way in which coming to Greenwich transforms the employment prospects of Tony's students - graduates have gone on to outstanding PhDs and distinguished mathematical and statistical careers in the City and elsewhere.
Tony, who is now Director of Resources for CMS, was the Head of Mathematical Sciences until very recently.
Under his leadership the department shot up the league tables and, this year, maths students gave the university a 100% rating for student satisfaction.
He commented: "I enjoy the diversity at Greenwich and I love to see students flourish and find out what they can achieve.
It's wonderful to see them emerge as capable and articulate mathematicians and statisticians, who can communicate beyond the narrow confines of these disciplines to make a difference in the wider world."
Regarding the award he also added: "I hope everyone - admin, technical support, academic, management - can take pride in this award, which reflects on the achievement of all of us in teaching and supporting our students."
Times Higher Education Awards 2010 -
University press release -
Dept of Mathematical Sciences
CMS lecturer appointed as Director of British Kinematograph Sound & Television Society (Dec 10)
Dr Chris Woollard, who lectures in Cinematography and Film Making in CMS, has been appointed as a Director of the British Kinematograph Sound & Television Society (BKSTS).
The BKSTS was founded in 1931 to serve the growing needs of the film industry and has since evolved to encompass the sound and television industries.
Today it actively supports the working professional with a range of industry events and training courses and with the support of sponsor companies such as Ascent Media, Pinewood Studios, Kodak, the Moving Picture Company and many more.
Chris commented: "We are getting our Masters in Cinematography and Post Production accredited by the BKSTS shortly.
I have been a member of the BKSTS Education committee for many years and have published various journal articles within its publications.
Two years ago I was elected to the BKSTS Council and have now been appointed a Director."
BKSTS website -
MSc/MA Cinematography & Post Production
CMS students employed on Pirates of the Caribbean 4 (Nov 10)
Over 40 CMS students, many of whom had just started their degree in BSc Film & Television Production, got an unexpected opportunity in their first couple of weeks at the University.
The production company for the forthcoming film "Pirates of the Caribbean 4" was using the Greenwich campus as a major location and decided to employ a large number of students as paid runners.
Furthermore, one of the students on the new MA in Cinematography & Post Production, Kenny Alli-Balogun, is supervising 4K digital screenings at Pinewood and performing original negative processing of the feature.
The Greenwich campus, with its magnificent 17th & 18th century buildings, is used frequently as a film location and has appeared in many movies including such favourites as The Golden Compass (2007) and Four Weddings & a Funeral (1994).
Pirates of the Caribbean 4 on IMDB -
BSc Film & Television Production -
MA/MSc Cinematography & Post Production -
Movies filmed at Greenwich
Rubik's cube expert to give seminar on Recreational Maths(Nov 10)
Professor David Singmaster, credited with introducing the Rubik's cube to the UK and well-known for his solution to the puzzle, is to give a talk at the University about Recreational Maths.
The seminar will take place on Wednesday November 10th in Queen Anne QA180, from 1-2pm - all welcome.
David Singmaster on Wikipedia -
Directions & Campus Plan
Maths graduate wins prestigious award (Oct 10)
 Justin at the award ceremony with tutor, Noel-Ann Bradshaw |
Maths graduate Justin Williams has been awarded the prestigious London Schools and the Black Child (LSBC) award for Outstanding Achievement at Higher Education in recognition of his academic success and his support and participation in the Maths Department, both as a student ambassador and as president of MathSoc.
The annual awards, run by Diane Abbott MP, celebrate academic achievement and presence as a role model among black students at GCSE, A-level and university level.
Justin, who graduated with a first in BSc (Hons) Mathematics in July 2010, was presented his award by the MP at a star-studded event at the House of Commons.
Ms Abbott said Justin was a worthy winner: "Justin was an excellent candidate and he really stood out because of the way he juggled his academic work while working to support himself."
Justin, who now works as an actuarial assistant with Xafinity Consulting, said he was honoured to be chosen: "I shall remember this award for the rest of my life - I had to work hard for my degree and so I like to think my determination has paid off. The award is also a tribute to my tutors at the University of Greenwich, who offered me the most incredible personal support every step of the way."
LSBC prizewinners -
University press release -
MathSoc -
Dept of Mathematical Sciences -
BSc (Hons) Mathematics
Maths graduate awarded £10k scholarship (Oct 10)
 Charlene Mliswa |
Maths graduate Charlene Mliswa has been awarded a £10,000 scholarship, funded by Advent Software, to take an MSc in Applicable Mathematics at the London School of Economics.
The MSc programme aims to provide innovative training in interdisciplinary applied maths with a particular focus on algorithms and computation and covers a broad array of topics including finance, game theory, operational research and statistics.
Charlene, who graduated with a first in BSc (Hons) Mathematics with French in July 2010, has had a busy, but extremely fruitful time at the University.
As well as working as a student ambassador at numerous University events and open days, she has been keen member of MathSoc and in her second year served as the chief editor of Prime Times, the society's newsletter.
In her final year she was awarded the CMS IMA (Institute of Mathematics and its Applications) Award for Outstanding Achievement in Mathematics and was also shortlisted for the Accounting & Finance Graduate of the Year Award as part of the new national Graduate100 Awards.
Advent Software scholarship -
IMA website -
Graduate 100 Awards -
MathSoc website -
BSc (Hons) Mathematics with French -
MSc Applicable Mathematics
Greenwich has most satisfied students in London (Sep 10)
[University news item] Greenwich has scooped top spot in the London league table for student satisfaction, for the second year running. In the latest Sunday Times University Guide league table, published on 12 September, the university is ranked 26th for student satisfaction, out of 122 institutions in the UK, putting it ahead of all other universities in the capital ...
Visit the University Website for the full press release
IEEE Student Branch now formed at Greenwich (Sep 10)
 IEEEGreen members pictured with Head of School, Dr Liz Bacon (centre), and Dr Mona Ghassemian (centre right) |
The Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE) have consented to the formation of a student branch within CMS.
IEEEGreen is one of the many student branches of the global organisation and aims to ensure that Greenwich students get the most from their membership of the IEEE by organising a number of events to help enhance their professional development.
IEEEGreen also provides a forum where students can discuss ideas, learn about and conduct technological related research, and network with both their peers and leading individuals in a variety of technological fields.
IEEEGreen is managed by both undergraduate and postgraduate students on a voluntary basis under the guidance of Dr Mona Ghassemian, Prof. Chris Baily and Prof. Lachlan Mackinnon.
For more information about joining IEEEGreen, or if you have an enquiry, please visit their website.
IEEE Greenwich Student Branch Website
CMS contributes to major sea-trial (Aug 10)
A research team led by the Fire Safety Engineering Group (FSEG) based in CMS has carried out a ground-breaking experiment in ship evacuation and safety procedures which could set the benchmark for future maritime safety engineering.
The team ran its unprecedented research project on board the Royal Caribbean international cruise liner Jewel of the Seas, in which more than 2,300 passengers took part in a 'live' assembly drill while at sea.
Response times, once the evacuation alarm sounded, were measured by one hundred video cameras and all passengers wore specially developed, infra-red tracking tags throughout exercise, which will allow researchers to reconstruct the paths people took as they made their way to the various assembly points on board.
Head of the research team and Director of FSEG, Professor Ed Galea, said the experiment had created nothing less than a piece of maritime history: "This assembly trial was unique in several aspects, as we collected data from a large cruise ship, during a virtually unannounced assembly drill and while we were actually at sea," he said.
"The response-time and validation data we collected from the project is truly unique, and will help set an international standard for ship-based evacuation models in the future."
Fire Safety Engineering Group -
University Press Release
CMS Students Graduate (Jul 10)
|
On Friday 23rd July, CMS students who had successfully completed their programmes of study graduated at a ceremony held in the Chapel at the Maritime Greenwich campus.
Around 600 CMS students attended the award ceremony including around 250 MSc students from one of the largest postgraduate intakes to date.
Further graduations for off-campus students will be taking place in Singapore and Hong Kong.
Head of School, Dr Liz Bacon, pictured here with Muhammed Shameem Siddique who was awarded an MSc in Mobile Computing and Communications, commented "We are all extremely proud of our graduates and wish them the very best for the future."
Pictures from the graduation ceremony
Summer school students stage event at O2 (Jul 10)
Staff from CMS will be encouraging youngsters from local schools and colleges to come to University ... by getting them to stage an event at the nearby O2, one of the most popular entertainment venues in the world.
Year 12 students attending the University's Summer School from the 19th-22nd July will be creating music videos and remixes of songs performed by local bands.
Alongside students working on events management, they will be putting together an event at the British Music Experience in the O2 (just half a mile from the University campus) for friends and family.
Ryan Flynn, programme leader for the popular Games & Multimedia Technologies degree and one of the staff involved, commented: "This is an exciting opportunity for these students, which not only gives them a taste of University life but also replicates a number of real world challenges, and so should help them in their chosen careers."
The O2 -
BSc Games & Multimedia Technologies
Maths department rated sixth in the UK (Jun 10)
The latest league tables from the Guardian have rated the Mathematics Department as 6th in the UK, after Oxford, Cambridge, Lancaster, Warwick and Imperial.
This is the second year in a row that the deparment has come in the top ten, with 4th position in 2009.
Published annually, the Guardian University Guide offers advice on all aspects of the university experience, from choosing which course and where to study, to what to expect from student life.
Tony Mann, Head of Department, commented:
"I am absolutely delighted - although we're down two places from last year this result shows consistency and enhances our reputation.
The factors considered include three aspects of student satisfaction (satisfied with course, with teaching and with feedback) and value added.
We do well in all of these, which are the factors that directly relate to teaching quality."
Mathematics rankings -
Department of Mathematical Sciences
PhD student wins "Best Research" Prize (Jun 10)
A CMS researcher has won the Best PhD Research Prize at the IMPRESS Project meeting held in Budapest, Hungary.
Hong Wang, a member of the Computational Science & Engineering Group, was recognised for the quality of her research work on casting complex turbine blades for use in the aerospace and power generation industries.
Her work formed part of the €40 million IMPRESS Project, which was funded by the European Union and the European Space Agency to overcome current limitations in materials technology and involves over 40 industrial and academic research organisations across Europe.
Professor Koulis Pericleous, Hong's PhD supervisor, commented "Hong's award is well deserved and is a clear recognition that postgraduate research at Greenwich makes a real contribution to addressing complex problems on an international scale."
IMPRESS Project -
Computational Science & Engineering Group
Outstanding graduate prospects for maths students (Jun 10)
Mathematics has been ranked second in the country for "Graduate Prospects" according to the latest league tables from The Complete University Guide, produced in association with The Independent.
The graduate prospects ranking measures the employability of a university's graduates; in the maths a subject group, the University of Greenwich achieved a ranking of 86 and was only beaten by the University of Kent with a ranking of 88.
Tony Mann, Head of the Department of Mathematical Sciences, said: "This is a tribute to the success of the work we have done to enhance graduate employability over the last few years ... but above all this is a tribute to our recent graduates who have shown how employable they are!"
The Complete University Guide 2011 -
the Graduate Prospects ranking -
Department of Mathematical Sciences
Maths department to host busking training (May 10)
The maths department is hosting a training session for the Royal Institution on "Maths Busking", as part of the National HE STEM Programme.
Maths Busking is a way of combining the worlds of mathematics and busking to introduce people of all ages to basic mathematical principles and concepts through tricks and entertaining shows.
The National HE STEM Programme is a three-year initiative funded by the Higher Education Funding Councils for England and Wales which aims to increase and widen participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and enhance the skills and knowledge base of the workforce in these areas.
National STEM Programme -
Department of Mathematical Sciences
MediaRay - the CMS Digital Media Degree Show (May 10)
This year's digital media degree show, MediaRay, will showcase work created by students graduating from CMS's suite of digital media, games and film degrees.
The show starts on Thursday 3rd June (6 - 8pm) and is open on Friday 4th & Saturday 5th (12 to 4pm) in King William Court.
Please take time to come and wander around the exhibits including creative websites, e-learning products, digital video, 3D animation and computer games as well as, for the first time this year, a series of showreels from our newly emerging Film and TV students.
CMS Professor appeals for survivors to contribute to research study (May 10)
Professor Ed Galea, head of the Fire Safety Engineering Group, gave 11 radio interviews, with a potential audience of over 1 million listeners, towards the end of April.
In an item entitled "What Your Brain Does In An Emergency", he appealed for survivors of fires and floods to contribute to the group's latest research study.
The interviews went out on a variety of local and national radio stations, from as far afield as BBC Newcastle to BBC Cornwall.
Fire Safety Engineering Group
CMS student wins film mash-up competition (May 10)
Second year student Nicola Kelly, studying BSc Film & TV Production, has won the E4 mash-up competition.
Every entrant had access to raw material from the E4 programme "Skins", plus a music/sound file and had to edit together a "mash up" - a short promo of clips set to music that gives a sense of the programme.
Talking about her prize, a week's work experience with the editors of Skins, Nicola said:
"The week I spent with the E4 Skins people was thoroughly enjoyable.
I felt as if I had learnt a lot from the week mostly because I experienced it all firsthand.
"I was able to watch and learn from many people who worked there, from the editors, camera operators, directors, actors, sound operators to the make up and costume people.
I believe will help me a lot in future with my career."
The winning video
CMS Professor featured in the Guardian (Apr 10)
Professor Ed Galea, head of the Fire Safety Engineering Group, has been featured in a half-page, in-depth interview by the Guardian.
Professor Galea "has forged a career out of working out the science and psychology behind how people's brains function in disaster zones" according to the article, which also discusses some of the many successful applications of the technology that he and his group have pioneered.
The article appeared in print and is also availble online from the link below.
Guardian article -
Fire Safety Engineering Group
Maths department supports Good Practice Award (Apr 10)
 |
The Department of Mathematical Sciences in CMS has been awarded Supporter Status for the Good Practice Award - a scheme which aims to advance women's careers in university mathematics departments.
The Good Practice Award is a joint initiative from the London Mathematical Society (LMS) and the Heads of Departments of Mathematical Sciences (HoDoMs), the body which represents UK departments of mathematics & statistics.
The maths department at Greenwich was the first in the country to apply.
LMS Women In Mathematics Committee -
Department of Mathematical Sciences
Students Reach Semi-Finals of IBM Challenge (Mar 10)
 The team |
A team of CMS students has reached the Semi-Finals of the IBM Universities Business Challenge 2009/10.
The team consisted of Fiona Conn, Luca Guarnieri, Christakis Demetriou, Aaron Elliott & Rudolf Klokner, all second year students on Digital Media and Web Technologies programmes.
On February 25th, they joined 7 other teams from across the region to compete in a series of team activities including a task to come up with innovative ideas concerning sustainability within 30 minutes.
Although they did not win, their performance in all presentation challenges was excellent and they were commended a number of times.
The IBM Universities Business Challenge
CMS PhD student appointed to IMIS council (Feb 10)
A CMS PhD student, Schmidt Chintu, has just been elected to the council for the Institute for the Management of Information Systems (IMIS).
Schmidt, whose PhD is entitled "Optimising of end to end journey time using network algorithms and solutions" and who is based in Zambia, is the first overseas representative to take on such a role and has also been appointed to the IMIS educational standing committee.
IMIS is an independent professional association for both users and developers of today's information technologies with a focus on the practical issues involved in the application and management of information and communication technologies..
IMIS website
TV documentary features CMS Cutty Sark research work (Feb 10)
A one hour History Channel documentary about the Cutty Sark features some of the research work, by a team from CMS, that has helped to preserve her.
Professor Chris Bailey and his team have used computational technology to build a digital model of the ship in order to answer all of the 'how to' questions - how to lift the ship, how to support it - and thus ensure that restoration work did not damage the structure.
Cutty Sark - the TV show -
Research project website
CMS alumnus leads award-winning airport terminal design team (Feb 10)
Dr Stellios Plainiotis, who studied for his PhD in CMS, has been leading a team of consultants engaged in designing the new Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
Dr Plainiotis, whose thesis was entitled "Study of airborne pollution in the Trans-Manche atmosphere", and his team from IEN Consultants specialise in enviromentally-friendly design and the new terminal is expected to reduce energy bills by 75%, use of mains water by 60% and solid waste to the landfill by 50%.
It will be the World's first airport terminal to receive the LEED Platinum 3.0 award from the U.S. Green Building Council and the first building to receive Platinum cerification with the Green Building Index (GBI).
KLIA LCCT -
IEN Consultants
Tomorrow's Mathematicians Today - undergraduate conference (Jan 10)
 |
The Department of Mathematical Sciences, in conjunction with The Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA), is hosting the inaugural Undergraduate Mathematics Conference, entitled Tomorrow's Mathematicians Today, which will be held on Saturday 6th February 2010 on the Greenwich campus.
The keynote speaker will be Professor Ian Stewart, FRS, best known for his popular science writing on mathematical themes, who will talk on "Mathematical Curiosities and Treasures from Professor Stewart's Cabinet".
There will also be 30 student talks with presenters from as far afield as Abderdeen, St Andrews and Exeter.
Tomorrow's Mathematicians Today
Older News
Visit the news archive 2009 for older CMS news stories.