Wednesday 9 May 2018

Staff Newsletter issue 68

Personal data

As we move towards the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on Friday 25 May, this is a good time to think about activities that use personal data and ask key questions:

• Do we know what personal data we’re using?
• Do we know which systems are used to hold and manage that personal data?
• Do we have the smallest amount of personal data we need for what we’re doing?
• Have we told people what will happen to their data?
• Do we understand why what we’re doing is lawful under the new rules?
• Have we made sure that the information is secure?
• Do we have the appropriate documentation to evidence what we’re doing and why?

Remember that activities or contracts with comparatively small monetary values can still carry significant risks in respect of their use of personal information.

These questions are particularly important when working with high volumes of personal data or high-sensitivity personal data (known as ‘special categories’ of personal data under the new law).

To help you think about these issues, you’ll receive a leaflet in the internal mail on GDPR next week. As well as covering some of the questions above, it highlights three important themes underpinning our compliance with the new data protection law (security, transparency and responsibility). Please keep the leaflet handy and refer any questions or concerns to dataprotection@dundee.ac.uk.

We’re also undertaking a review process to identify systems that hold personal data. Colleagues from LLC&CI will be visiting Schools and Directorates during the next two weeks to take that review forward. Thank you in advance for your support.

No water Sat 26 - Sun 27 May in some city campus buildings

Works to renew some of the Mains Cold Water site distribution valves on the pipework supplying some major buildings at the south end of City Campus will be carried out on the weekend of the 26 and 27 May. The following buildings will have no hot or cold water during these works:

Tower Building
Tower Extension
OMS
OTI
1/3 Perth Road (east end)
Carnelley
Frankland
Peters Building
Harris Building
Carnegie Building
Airlie Place East (1-15).

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Changes to the Inter-library Loan service

If you use the Library’s inter-library loan service to request journal articles, from Friday 1 June you'll need to register for a personal account with the British Library. This is because the software used to provide secure electronic delivery is changing.

Further information is available online or from LLC-ILL@dundee.ac.uk.

Royal Society honour for Professor Tracy Palmer

Professor Tracy Palmer has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS), the world's oldest scientific academy in continuous existence.

Tracy holds a Chair in Molecular Microbiology in the School of Life Sciences. Her research career has been focussed on the study of bacteria, and she is particularly interested in the processes by which bacteria such as E. coli interact with their surroundings. She has published over 100 papers on the subject, gaining international recognition as one of the leading experts in the field.

Read the news story.

Tartan ties on campus

Have you spotted the Library & Learning Security Team in their tartan ties? 

You can buy a tie online. 

DUSA President's Dinner and Annual Awards

The annual President's Dinner and Annual Awards were held last week at DUSA. Each year in May, the DUSA President hosts the event which recognises the achievements of our students, gives thanks to those who have been of great service to the association, and welcomes the new student executive team.

More photos on Facebook.

Find out who won.

All That Remains: A Life in Death with Prof Sue Black (Fri 8 Jun)

Professor of Anatomy and Forensic Anthropology, Dame Sue Black will talk about her new book All That Remains. 

Sue focuses on mortal remains every day, in her lab, at burial sites, at scenes of violence, murder and criminal dismemberment and when investigating mass fatalities due to war, accident or natural disaster.

In her new book, Sue reveals the many faces of death she has come to know, using key cases to explore how forensic science has developed and what her work has taught her.

A book signing and drinks reception will follow the talk.

Book tickets.

Why it's time to be #upfront and share our power (Sat 26 May)

Lauren Currie graduated from the University in 2009 having studied Innovative Product Design and gaining a Distinction from her Masters in Design.

She is a designer who believes in better, and balances being Head of Design at Good Lab (which helps charities solve more of society’s biggest challenges) with being Founder of #upfront. Through her #upfront venture she encourages companies, teams and individuals to become more confident in presenting their own ‘voice’.

Find out why she is so passionate about empowering people for positive change in the final Saturday Series lecture.

Book tickets.

Chartered Management Institute (CMI) Masterclass

This business careers masterclass focuses on effective leadership within an organisation, and is open to staff and students. 

Three key themes:

• The role of transferable skills in career development. With reflections on which skills are important and readily transferred to new roles/sectors.
• A focus on leading inside an organisation. The importance of the professional approach to management and leadership as opposed to the British ‘disease’ of the accidental manager. The ‘tripod’ model of trusting/tending /tasking in leading others.
• Early reflections on digital disruption outside the tech sector and how AI will impact leadership and accountability.

Sign up via Eventbrite.

How is selfie culture on Instagram impacting on self-worth and self-esteem in young adults?

Chiara Di Ponio is studying Social Research Methods (MSc) and is collecting data for her dissertation. Her research looks at how selfie culture on Instagram has an impact on contingent self-worth and self-esteem in young adults. 

Anyone aged 18-30 can take part (even if you've never taken a selfie!). 

Deadline is Monday 28 May. Email c.diponio@dundee.ac.uk with any queries.

Complete the survey.

Child development research studies

Yaroslava Goncharova is a PhD student researching child development with Josephine Ross in the Mini Me Lab. They're recruiting for two studies:

1. If you have a 'mini me' aged 15 months to four years, please complete this online survey about their growing self-awareness and social skills. Complete the survey.
2. You and your child (aged 15-21 months) are invited to learn more about your child's self-awareness and social behaviour in the Mini Me Lab. There are three sessions over three months, and you will receive a goody bag! (If your child is outwith the age range, you can be added to the mailing list by contacting minimelab@dundee.ac.uk.)

Can exercise improve hypo awareness in Type 1 Diabetes?

Diabetes researchers at Ninewells are examining whether or not high intensity exercise can improve hypo awareness. If you're aged between 18 and 55 and have had Type 1 Diabetes for more than five years, they need your help.

If interested, email Dr Catriona Farrell, Clinical Research Fellow at c.w.farrell@dundee.ac.uk.

University Academic Regional Leads for China and India

HR is currently recruiting internal candidates for two exciting new posts:

• Academic Regional Lead for China
• Academic Regional Lead for India

Further details and information on the application process can be found on the University's internal recruitment webpage. 

https://www.dundee.ac.uk/hr/uodrecruitment/staffonly/internalvacancies/.

Scholarship Symposium - call for posters

The Scholarship Symposium (Monday 3 September) will provide a focus for dissemination and discussion of scholarly activities within our institution, and will include presenters from across the University and an external keynote.

Posters are invited from staff and students on anything around scholarship in your practice.

More information.

LifeSpace seeks working models

In June, LifeSpace will present the exhibition ‘A Working Model of the World’. For inclusion in the exhibition, the curators are seeking models that are actively used at the University in research and teaching.

More information can be found at http://lifespace.dundee.ac.uk/research.

Meeting our alumni in New York

Pam Lawrence, Senior Alumni Relations Officer, flew out to New York City last month with her colleagues Ellenore Hobkirk (Head of Development and Alumni Relations) and Kenny Malcolm (Photographer and Videographer) to catch up with our alumni who are now based in the Big Apple.

Pam kept a diary of what they got up to so she could share their work and experiences with us for the One Dundee blog.

Read the One Dundee blog.

If you wish to communicate around the University, this fortnightly newsletter is just one way to do that. Please check our Methods of Internal Communication webpage, and feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.

The next newsletter will be distributed on Wednesday 23 May - the deadline for information to be included is 4pm on Friday 18 May.