Queen Mary Alumni e-Newsletter: September 2015

QMUL joint 1st in London for student satisfaction
As our students settle in this week, we are pleased to announce that overall student satisfaction at QMUL has climbed to 88%, up from 86% in 2014. The 2015 National Student Survey ranks QMUL joint first in London and in the top 10 of Russell Group universities for student satisfaction. In The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2016, QMUL was rated fifth best university in London.

Olympian Kate Richardson-Walsh opens new dental outreach clinic in Stratford
The Sir Ludwig Guttmann Health & Wellbeing Centre, QMUL and Barts Health NHS Trust’s new facility in the heart of the Olympic Park in Stratford, was officially opened this month by the Olympic Bronze Medallist and Great Britain’s Women’s Hockey Captain, Kate Richardson-Walsh MBE. The clinic features state-of-the-art dental equipment and technology and will provide dental care to communities in East London.

Free advice service for start-up businesses and entrepreneurs
qNomics, a free business advice scheme for start-ups and entrepreneurs in London, has been established by QMUL’s School of Economics and Finance to provide expert consultancy to fledgling businesses in the financial and technological sectors.

Robot poets, international names, slams and debates at the inaugural Globe Road Poetry Festival
World-known poets will perform at a three-day festival on our Mile End campus and nearby venues from 13-15 November. Curated by Andrea Brady, Professor of Poetry in the School of English and Drama, this event will celebrate the diversity of local and global poetic traditions in London’s ever-changing East End and include free readings, artificial intelligence workshops with poetry ‘bots’ and musical performances. Book now.

QMUL microwave pioneer receives prestigious Sir Frank Whittle Medal
Internationally renowned British microwave engineer, Emeritus Professor Peter Clarricoats, who worked at QMUL for nearly 50 years, has been awarded the Sir Frank Whittle Medal - one of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s highest accolades - for his influential achievements.

Alumni Survey prize draw winner announced
Over 2,200 of you completed the Alumni Survey in July. Thank you for taking the time to do so, your comments will help us to shape our services. Congratulations to Gabriella Navarro (English, 2013), the lucky winner of our prize draw. An iPad Mini is on the way to you!

Westfield alumnus one of the world’s most influential researchers
Professor Jack Cuzick (MSc Mathematics, 1971), Director of the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, was one of four QMUL researchers to be named in Thomson Reuter’s Highly Cited Researchers 2015 list, which recognises the top one per cent most cited papers published between 2003 and 2013. In July, Professor Cuzick received The Robert Sutherland Award for Excellence in Transnational Research, in recognition of his longstanding achievements in breast cancer research, at the Australia and New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials Group’s 37th Annual Scientific Meeting in Perth.

Suffragette star Romola Garai interviewed in ES
Former QMUL English student and actress, Romola Garai was recently interviewed in the ES Magazine ahead of the release of her new film Suffragette next month. The two-time Golden Globe Award nominee is best known for appearing in the films Amazing Grace and Atonement and the BBC series, Emma and The Hour.

Connect with Nigerian Networking Community
Monsurat Bakare (Biology with Psychology, 2011; MSc Neuroscience and Translational Medicine, 2012) has set up an online platform, Nigerian Networking Community, to inspire, educate and connect young Nigerian professionals around the world.

Alumna shares insights with young lawyers
Bijetri Roy (LLM Public International Law, 2014) was interviewed by SuperLawyer.in about her studies and career as an Associate with Orbit Law Services in Mumbai. Bijetri’s main practice areas are banking law, project finance, infrastructure, power and energy projects, corporate and legal due diligence.

Stellup start-up
Giuseppe Belpiede (Economics, 2009), a self-professed technology and travel enthusiast, founded Stellup last May. Stellup is a mobile app to meet people within university and company networks. He writes: "It solves a problem I faced while moving abroad several times: a simple way to meet new interesting people, e.g. within the Queen Mary network." The company will launch its first app on iOS next month: register to receive early access.

Provide a QProjects placement
QProjects has helped over 400 Queen Mary students develop their professional skills and take their first step into industry through work experience placements in third sector organisations. These include fundraising, web design, data entry, events organisation and marketing. If you work in a charity or statutory organisation, or know of any charities that might be interested in participating, contact Laura Beswick, QProjects Coordinator.

Are you a Law graduate with an alternative career?
The Alternative Careers arm of the student-led Law Society are looking for Law alumni who haven’t followed traditional legal career paths to speak to current students. If you are interested in sharing your experience, do get in touch.

QMSU needs you!
Queen Mary Students’ Union (QMSU) are looking for alumni volunteers to help with training workshops or short talks on time management, marketing, event management, chairing and facilitating. If you would like to contribute, contact Anna Fons Garcia, Academic Volunteering and Employability Coordinator.

Education UK Alumni Awards 2016
Alumni in Brazil, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the USA who studied at QMUL for at least a semester within the last 10 years are invited to apply for the British Council’s Education UK Alumni Awards 2016. The Awards celebrate the achievements made by business professionals, entrepreneurs and community leaders who can demonstrate how their UK education has impacted on their success. 

Get involved with the Centre for Trauma Sciences Arts Festival 2016
The Centre for Trauma Sciences and Barts Charity are planning the UK’s first arts festival dedicated to raising awareness of traumatic injury as a disease. The event will feature art displays, live music, comedy, poetry and panel discussions by a variety of artists with a personal connection to trauma and its effects. The organisers are keen to hear from alumni who would be interested in getting involved. Contact Nicole Skeltys.