Professor Sue Black, one of the world’s foremost experts in forensic anthropology, received her Damehood from HM The Queen in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on 8th November.

Read the full story.

Following this year’s promotion committee, we are pleased to announce that the following staff were awarded personal chairs:

• Glyn Bengough, School of Science & Engineering
• Alessio Ciulli, School of Life Sciences
• Victoria Cowling, School of Life Sciences
• Albena Dinkova-Kostova, School of Medicine
• Graham Fagen, School of Art & Design
• Nicholas Hopkins, School of Social Sciences
• Sally Ibbotson, School of Medicine
• Faisel Khan, School of Medicine
• Mary Modeen, School of Art & Design
• Wendy Moncur, School of Art & Design
• Chris Murray, School of Humanities
• Sonia Rocha, School of Life Sciences
• Helen Walden, School of Life Sciences

Full details will be in the winter issue of Contact. In the meantime, congratulations to them all!

The University has been working through a major exercise aimed at refreshing our brand and the visual identity which supports it, led by External Relations. This work is now in its later stages and will be presented at the Senate meeting at the end of this month.

External Relations are keen to share the results with all staff, and you will receive an email about the brand refresh, following the Senate meeting, and there will be follow up information online. Open sessions have also been arranged for you to come and find out more about the brand refresh – what we’ve done, why we’ve done it, and how it can help us in achieving our goals, particularly in the area of student recruitment.

There are three initial sessions and all are welcome. Please book the most suitable session for you:

Friday 2nd December, 1-2pm, D'Arcy Thompson LT, Tower, City Campus
https://uod-brandrefresh1.eventbrite.co.uk

Monday 5th December, 12-1pm, Dalhousie LT1, City Campus
https://uod-brandrefresh2.eventbrite.co.uk

Wednesday 7th December, 1-2pm, Wolfson LT, Ninewells Campus
https://uod-brandrefresh3.eventbrite.co.uk

Children’s author Pamela Butchart, leading lawyer Joyce Cullen and Dr Niall Elliott, Team GB’s Chief Medical Officer for the Olympics, will all be given honorary degrees at the winter graduation ceremonies this week, alongside hundreds of new graduates.

Winter Graduation takes place on Thursday 17 and Friday 18 November. Full details of what's happening can be found on the Graduation webpages.

The nomination process for the 2017 Stephen Fry Awards for Excellence in Public Engagement with Research is now open. The deadline for applications is Thursday 8th December 2016 at 5pm. Download the application forms and guidance notes.

The awards will be presented on Friday 13th January at the Discovery Days, a series of short talks from our new professors and award-winning teachers.

Students from the University of Dundee’s LGBT+ Society have teamed up with the Institute of Sport and Exercise (ISE) to pilot a new project, which will allow trans and gender non-conforming students supported access to the gym and sports teams.

The University has been named Cycle Friendly Campus of the Year, an award recognising the institution’s efforts to promote sustainable travel.

The award celebrates the University as the first campus in Scotland to achieved Cycle Friendly status through its five-year strategy to build a sustainable transport hub. 

Grand Designs is this month shining the spotlight on a rural dwelling designed by Professor Graeme Hutton, naming it as one of the best homes in Britain.

‘Zinc House’, near Monikie, is in the running for the 'Grand Designs/RIBA Best House in Britain 2016' award. As such, an extended segment extoling its many virtues will feature on the Channel 4 show, which attracts audiences of up to three million for each episode, on Thursday 24th November at 9pm. Find out more.

Students from the Islamic Societies at the Universities of Dundee and Abertay exceeded their massive target of £15,000 this year when they raised  £17,322.87 during their Charity Week, part of an international effort which sees fundraising from afar afield as Qatar and Canada for Islamic Relief.

The University welcomed one of its newest students, Michelle Green, to the School of Dentistry last week.

Michelle is a resident of the remote island Tristan Da Cunha, and has come to Dundee to improve her skills before becoming Tristan Da Chunha’s onsite dental nurse. Read her story.

Read all of the University news at www.dundee.ac.uk/news.

Join best selling authors - and Dundee alumni - Sue Lawrence and Pamela Butchart at Waterstone's for the launch of the Wishing Tree, a unique way for shoppers to gift a book to a young person in Dundee who has a caring role or who is affected emotionally by a family member’s long-term illness, disability, mental health or addiction problems. Thursday 24 November, 5.30pm, Waterstone's.

As part of Dundee Africa Research Network (DARN) Talk Series, staff and students are invited to mark UN Day on the Elimination of Violence Against Women with a talk by Ismail Soile and Howard Chitengi, ‘Researching Africa In and Outside Africa: Reflections on PhD Journeys’. Find out more.

The University of Dundee’s annual service of Carols by Candlelight will take place on Sunday 11 December at 5pm in St Paul’s Cathedral, High Street, Dundee.

The service takes the form of nine lessons/poems and traditional carols - but remember to arrive early to secure a seat!

Join us for the annual Discovery Days where the newest professors, award winning teachers and communicators will be highlighting their work, and the ideas that inspire them, in a series of short talks.

Book your place here.

These are just a few of the events around the University - keep up to date with all of them at www.dundee.ac.uk/events and stay tuned to the weekly What's On email on Fridays.

eVision will be upgraded from 7am on Monday 21 November until 5pm on Wednesday 23 November, so make sure you have what you need beforehand!

More information can be found on the IT Status webpage.

IT is defining a clear list of your IT services that they aim to deliver within the first quarter of 2017, which will be shared with you soon. Until then, feel free to ask for help if you’re ever unsure.

As part of their support in training and development, CASTLE will provide space for you to make the time to write, allowing you to join fellow writers, and support each other in achieving your writing goals.

The group is open to staff, research postgraduates and post-docs, and will normally be held in the EduZone, Main Library, on the first Wednesday of every month.

The first meeting will be on Wednesday 7 December, from 3.30-5pm. Email CASTLE to book or find out more. Limited spaces available!

Do you know of a student who is struggling to achieve their potential? Or a student who could, with a little mentoring, raise their academic performance? 

You can refer such students directly to the CASTLE Academic Skills team, or suggest that they contact CASTLE themselves for a one-to-one appointment to discuss how to enhance their academic writing or academic skills. Email CASTLE for more information or to make an appointment.

Congratulations to Dr Anna Notaro, School of Art and Design’s newly appointed Equality and Diversity Lead, who will be chairing the School’s new Athena SWAN self-assessment team as the school bids for its first Athena SWAN award in November 2017.

For more information or to get involved, email Anna.

Do you book travel, or travel on behalf of the University? Procurement is holding monthly Key Travel Drop In Clinics, taking place from Thursday 17th November 2016 as follows:

10am-12pm, Fairlie Meeting Room, Library & Learning Centre, City Campus,.

2pm-4pm, Teaching Room 3, Ninewells Campus.

See the full list of dates on the Procurement webpage.        

Evolution Everyday White Recycled Paper A4 80gsm is now the University of Dundee’s single source of 100% recycled paper for all normal printing purposes. The supplier (Banner) product code is 884-1945. 

For full details see the University’s Procurement webpage.

Maggie Davidson, Human Resources & Organisational Development, is retiring after over 16 years of service.

To mark this event a reception will be held on Maggie’s last day, Thursday 8th December 2016 at 4pm in the Tower Café. All staff are warmly invited. For catering purposes, please email Dawn Robertson if you plan to attend. 

There will be a collection for a retirement gift for Maggie. Should you wish to contribute please go to the Cash Office, Ground Floor, Tower Building by Thursday 1 December 2016.

The University strives to ensure that our environment is supportive of all our people and is committed to being receptive to requests made through our comprehensive range of Work/Life policies as staff navigate their way through different life events.

Take some time out to review our suite of Work Life Balance policies.

Have you seen our Campus Round-up section on the One Dundee blog? Know any stories that haven't been told? Then get in touch.

"Yes! Doing chores helps! Physical exertion is thought to be very effective is stress busting. By diverting yourself away from the books and screens, you are giving your brain a chance to cool off."

Student blogger, Navin gives us his top ten tips on how to de-stress.

Healthy volunteers, between the ages of 18 and 60, are needed to participate in research which aims to understand the effects of Far infrared. You will be compensated!

If you would like ot volunteer or find out more, email Dr Hala Bagabir, ​School of Medicine. 

The Chaplaincy is holding a Winter Market on Tuesday 6 December, 12-3pm. They are looking for charities to sell their Christmas cards and goodies. If you know of anyone who might want to take part, please email Jill Webster.