Graham Scott
An Ed Wood Teaching Award from the Higher Education Academy has made Graham Scott unashamedly proud. "People say that awards aren't important, but they are," said the senior lecturer and head of the department of biological sciences at the University of Hull. A "lifelong interest in the world outdoors" led to Dr Scott's academic career specialising in ecology and animal behaviour. He undertook a PhD at the University of Edinburgh and became a research associate at Newcastle University before landing a lecturing position at University College Scarborough, which went on to become part of the University of Hull. Dr Scott said that he thought the Ed Wood award, named in honour of Edward J. Wood, who established and became the first director of the Learning and Teaching Support Network for Bioscience, was important because it focused on a part of university life that he felt was underappreciated. "I think teaching is the most important thing that happens in universities," he said. "Helping people to learn for themselves and making them self-sufficient as learners is what makes a good university." Dr Scott said that his family made sure he stayed down to earth despite the accolades. "When I came home from receiving the award, my wife said: 'They didn't announce it in Times Higher Education, so you're not important.'"
Richard Brow
A university administrator will be combining his experience in alumni relations with his academic interests in the Middle East when he moves to the American University of Beirut. Richard Brow, who is currently director of communications and development at University of the Arts London, has been appointed to the role of vice-president for university advancement. He is looking forward to the move. "It'll be a little bit different from London," he joked. Originally from Canada, Mr Brow received his BA in political science from Concordia University and his MA in Middle East area studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies. He said that his interest in the Middle East was sparked by family friends while he was growing up, and was consolidated by studying the area as part of his degree at Concordia. "I was seduced by it," he said. "The more I knew, the more I wanted to find out." Before University of the Arts London, Mr Brow held positions at the London School of Economics, where he headed individual giving during the Campaign for LSE, and at Soas, where he was head of the development office. He also held the post of Middle East programme coordinator at The Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia, where he worked with former US president Jimmy Carter.
Nigel Scrutton
Nigel Scrutton, appointed director of the Manchester Interdisciplinary Biocentre, is looking forward to breaking free of the "discipline silos". Professor Scrutton, previously associate dean for research at the University of Manchester's Faculty of Life Sciences, has plans to take the centre in new directions. "Manchester is focusing on a major energy drive through 'Manchester Energy' and I would like the centre to contribute to that," he explained. Professor Scrutton said his plans fit well with the centre's research themes. Designed to encourage interdisciplinary research between biologists and physical scientists to achieve a quantitative understanding of biology, the centre focuses on systems biology, biomolecular mechanisms and catalysis, and molecular bioengineering, with support from an enabling technology arm. "I was delighted to be appointed director, as I am passionate about the types of bioscience that interact with physical sciences," he said. Professor Scrutton added that, although he had always worked at the interface between biosciences and physical sciences, he had felt "constrained by the 'discipline silos'" in the past and was looking forward to championing an "interdisciplinary research agenda" in his new role.
Jeremy Everett
An expert in drug-discovery technologies, chemistry and biology has been appointed professor and head of pharmaceutical, chemical and environmental sciences at the University of Greenwich. Jeremy Everett said an inspirational teacher led to his studying chemistry at the University of Nottingham as an undergraduate. "While there, I became fascinated by molecular structures and new ways of understanding the way that molecules are put together," he said. He stayed at the University of Nottingham to complete a PhD in physical chemistry and then moved to Canada to undertake postdoctoral fellowships, first at McMaster University and then at McGill University. He then moved into the private sector and worked for Beecham Pharmaceuticals and then Pfizer Global R&D where he worked in drug discovery technologies and rose to the role of vice-president. This new role marks his return to the academy, and he will also be taking up the role of visiting professor in the department of surgery and cancer at Imperial College London.
OTHER CHANGES
The University of East Anglia has announced the appointment of Charles Clarke as a visiting professor at the School of Political, Social and International Studies. He was Home Secretary between 2004 and 2006.
Alan Ashworth has been appointed chief executive of the Institute of Cancer Research. He joined the institute in 1986, and has been director of the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre since 1999.
Chris Halliburton, professor of international management and marketing at the London campus of ESCP Europe Business School, has been appointed a Fellow of the Marketing Society.
Virtuoso percussionist Simone Rebello has been appointed director of percussion at the Royal Northern College of Music.
Newcastle University has appointed Dimo Dimov professor of innovation and enterprise. He leaves the University of Connecticut, where he was assistant professor in the department of management.
Two academics from the University of Leicester have been commissioned as deputy-lieutenants of Leicestershire to mark their service to the local community. Vice-chancellor Sir Robert Burgess and Nilesh Samani, British Heart Foundation professor of cardiology, were awarded the honour by Jennifer, Lady Gretton, the Lord-Lieutenant of the county.
Keith Wilkes has been appointed dean of Bournemouth University's School of Tourism. At Bournemouth since 1985, he was most recently deputy dean for education at the school.
Lord Kamlesh Patel of Bradford, shadow minister for communities in the House of Lords, has been appointed to the University of East London as director of strategic partnerships and senior adviser to the vice-chancellor.