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University of Essex in the press...

Below are examples of recent University press and broadcast coverage. Please note that all websites are external and will take you out of the Communications website.

Members of the University community can receive an electronic daily alert with links to press coverage by contacting the Information Systems Services Systems group (e-mail sgq@essex.ac.uk) and asking to be subscribed to presscuttings@essex.ac.uk.

An archive of recent coverage is available online. A full archive of media coverage is also held in the Communications Office.

Broadcast Digest

May

25 May

What £6bn Government cuts mean
Michael Sherer, of Essex Business School, giving his thoughts to the Government's £6bn cuts.
Heart FM

24 May

ITV Anglia News
Professor Colin Riordan, Vice-Chancellor
Discussing impact of proposed cuts in Government spending (view the clip here and forward to 04:44.

BBC Essex
Professor Michael Sherer, Essex Business School
Discussing impact of proposed cuts in Government spending

21 May

BBC World Service News
Professor Paul Whiteley, Department of Government
Debating with former Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liam Byrne about what Labour has to do now following their General Election defeat

19 May

University KTP to help vulnerable people
Dr Barry Tolchard being interviewed about the new Knowledge Transfer Project between the University and Tendring District Council to help the most vulnerable people living in Pier Ward in Clacton.
Heart Colchester

12 May

BBC Essex
Professor Paul Whiteley, Department of Government
Re: The new Cabinet

11 May

Anglia News
Professor Michael Sherer, Director of Essex Business School
Re: Discussing economic challenges in the Eastern region

10 May

BBC Look East
BBC Essex Drive Time
Vivien Insull, Director of Accommodation Essex
Re: Compensation given to students for noisy building work
View the clip here - select the news programme for the eastern region and forward to 12.28

BBC Essex
Professor Paul Whiteley, Department of Government
Re: Discussions taking place on a possible alliance between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats

7 May

BBC Look East
Professor Paul Whiteley, Department of Government
Reviewing the Election results

BBC Essex
Dr Tom Scotto, Department of Government
Guest on the Ray Clark Breakfast Show reviewing the Election results

BBC Essex
Professor Michael Sherer, Essex Business School
Re: Election outcome and effects on the UK and world-wide economies

6 May

Link 92.2 - The Late Show
Professor Eric Smith, Department of Economics
Re:  The economics faced by the new government that takes power

5 May

Sofa guest
The Vice Chancellor Colin Riordan talking on the BBC Essex breakfast show about his role, the university, the Essex Open House Event and the news of the day.

BBC Essex Hung Parliament
Tom Scotto being interviewed about what a hung Parliament could mean for the UK.
Heart FM

Video clips on-line

BBC Persian
Professor John Packer, Director, Human Rights Centre
Contribution for Human Rights Day.
View the clip here - forward to 12:12 minutes.

Parliament Live
University of Essex report on care farming was discussed as part of an adjournment debate on Care farming and disadvantaged groups by Mr Mark Todd in Parliament on 24th November.
Discussion starts at 7hrs 11 and finishes at about 7hrs 45.

BBC
Flagship University Building open
Teaching has begun in the new flagship building for the recently created university in Suffolk. University Campus Suffolk (UCS), in Ipswich, was established by the University of East Anglia and the University of Essex last year. View the clip here.

The University of Essex in the Press

June 2010

May 2010

29 May

Kids face up to disgust surprisingly late
Debi Robertson from the Department of Psychology quoted in article on research into the way children learn about emotions. Read the full article here
Science News Online

28 May

A Piece of Reece - East 15 Alumni stars alongside Dame Judi Dench
Being a smoking-hot young actor brings considerable perks, but Reece Ritchie's favourite so far was a dinner date with Judi Dench. After A levels, Reece went to East 15 Acting School - 'the only one that would let me in'.
London Evening Standard
thisislondon.co.uk

Benefits system faces radical overhaul
Professor Holly Sutherland, from ISER, is quoted in an article on reform of the benefits system. Read full article here
Financial Times

'Incredible journey' for city's new Lord Mayor
Essex graduate Colin Hall has been installed as Lord Mayor of Leicester. Cllr Hall studied Government at the University. Read full article here
Leicester Mercury

27 May

26 May 

Travellers launch bulletin to battle eviction
The quarterly document has been published for the 86 families hoping to stay at the illegal site with the help of students at the Essex Human Rights Clinic, part of the University of Essex. It is being distributed for publication on the websites of international human rights organisations.
Brentwood Weekly News
Southend Echo

News Insight: Joint working - Detention pledge met with caution
The announcement that children will no longer be detained for immigration purposes has been warmly received by campaigners who have been pushing for such a move for years.
But as the dust settles following immigration minister Damian Green's announcement, the issue of how, or when, it will be achieved remains.
Kamena Dorling, legal and policy officer at University-based Children's Legal Centre, said the recent pledge to end the detention of children for immigration purposes is another welcome step towards fulfilling the UK's human rights obligations and towards recognising that the ‘best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration’ in all actions concerning children.
Children and Young People Now – Online

Children shun exercise
A new British study has found that most kids are staying away from physical activity and this idle lifestyle is making children unhealthy even if they are not obese. Essex University conducted fitness tests on 600 children aged 10 in the gap of a decade.
Gaea Times Blog

Resource Development International Announce New Board Appointment
Resource Development International (RDI) Ltd is pleased to announce the appointment of Prof Kel Fidler as Non-Executive Director to the RDI. Prof Fidler has had a highly distinguished and professional career most recently as Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Northumbria University for 7 years until September 2008. His 45 year career spans ‘old and ‘new’ universities including 15 years with the University of Essex, 5 years as Professor of Electronics with the Open University and 13 years with University of York culminating in his appointment as Deputy Vice-Chancellor at York before moving to Northumbria.
Newswire Today
PR Zoom

Go find some water and trees to improve your mood
We all know the 'aaaah' feeling that comes from being out in nature. But recently, a group of researchers quantified just how much 'aaaah' benefit we get, as long as we're exercising at the same time.
They found that just five minutes of walking in a pretty woodland setting, or gardening, or cycling around a lake — indeed, anything you do to get exercise while in a "natural" setting — could boost your mood and your mental health.
‘We know from the literature that short-term mental health improvements are protective of long-term health benefits,’ said researcher Jules Pretty, of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Environment and Society at the University of Essex in England. His colleague, Jo Barton, added, ‘so we believe that there would be a large potential benefit to individuals, society and to the costs of the health service if all groups of people were to self-medicate more with green exercise.
Mail Tribune - Online

Information not available.

25 May

Uni seeks answers
The Government needs to make it clear how it will fund the nation's higher education. Sarah Mills, University of Essex spokesman said: "Despite pressures on Government finance, this is the right time to invest in high-quality higher education, and the uncertainty over future funding needs to be addressed".
Gazette

News Insight: Joint working - Detention pledge met with caution
The announcement that children will no longer be detained for immigration purposes has been warmly received by campaigners who have been pushing for such a move for years. But as the dust settles following immigration minister Damian Green's announcement, the issue of how, or when, it will be achieved remains. Kamena Dorling, Legal and Policy Officer at the Children's Legal Centre offers a legal perspective.
Children and Young People Now

22 May

Prince takes 'carbuncle war' global
The Prince of Wales has teamed up with a Kuwaiti princess and a Latvian oligarch to take his war on Modernist architecture around the world.
To the dismay of his architect foes, a partnership is being launched to move the Prince's vision of traditional building designs on to a global scale. It has chosen Arab countries, the Americas and Europe as targets for what it describes as its "world-changing" ambitions. In the same year he likened the £6 million newly built Ivor Crewe lecture theatre at the University of Essex, Colchester, to a "dustbin". Read the article here.
The Times

21 May

Get into the carnival spirit
Festival Brasileiro is a vibrant three-day festival of Brazilian culture taking place at the Lakeside Theatre and venues at the University of Essex. The festival will bring the best of Brazilian culture to the area including music and theatre performances, interactive arts workshops, talks and an exhibition.
East Anglian Daily Times

Celebrate Brazil - in Essex
Adriano Adewale, resident artist at the Lakeside Theatre has curated a three-day event which gives local people the chance to learn about Brazil's rich culture and heritage, through dance, music and art.
Essex County Standard

Uni goes nuts for Brazilian culture at music festival
Brazilian performer, Adriano Adewale decided to put on the event as a celebration of his time at the Lakeside Theatre where he is a resident artist. The festival is a collaborative project between the university's arts team, Wivenhoe-based Segue productions and the University's Collection of Latin American art. It forms part of the county-wide Explore Culture, One World Festival.
Gazette

Collaboration event
Businesses are being given a chance to find out just how easy it is to collaborate with the University of Essex, and benefit from its expertise at an event on the Colchester Campus on 27 May.
East Anglian Daily Times

Give us a big cheer
Southend's first cheerleading squad is looking for new recruits and sponsors. The Essex Stars is open to youngsters aged nine to 16 and it's Head Coach is Essex graduate Rachel Blatch who was a cheerleader at the University of Essex for Essex Flames.
Yellow Advertiser

'I want to be a Witham woman in Westminster'
The new Witham constituency deserved somebody completely different as its first Member of Parliament. And it got it. London-born Priti Patel, 37, who became the UK's first woman Gujarati MP, promises to be a jet-assisted new broom in the corridors of power.  Priti was educated at a Watford secondary school before reading economics at Keele University in Staffordshire, and then went to the University of Essex for a degree in British Government and Politics.
Essex Chronicle

Play for today
Read an interview with Annette Badland, an East 15 graduate who has appeared in just about every British TV series of note over the last 30 years from Coronation Street to Cutting It.
This is Bristol

20 May

Obituary for Ulrich Nehmzow
To read the THE's obituary for Professor Ulrich Nehmzow, a former Senior Lecturer in the School of Computing and Electronic Engineering at the University of Essex who died in April. Please click here
THE

After a few tweaks our Manly's back for another outing
The mockumentary 'As I Remember Thrigby' will be shown at the Lakeside Theatre on 31 May. The film was shot in 2008 using locations all over the area.
Gazette

See the stylists cut it at charity hair do
Hairdressing is the new rock and roll with big name stylists from the around the world jetting into Colchester to perform in a live stage show at the University of Essex Sub Zero nightclub. This will be the first event of its kind in the UK.
Gazette

Published this week
Kate Standley from the Department of Law has had a book on Family Law published  this week and Essex graduate, Clive Bloom has had a book on Gothic Histories published.
THE

Big improvements in hospital cleanliness and mixed-sex accommodation, finds major NHS survey
The Care Quality Commission today published the results of the 2009 NHS Inpatient Survey coordinated by Picker on behalf of CQC, covering 162 hospital trusts in England. The data from the survey will be deposited in the UK Data Archive at the University of Essex.
Care Quality Commission

19 May

Beauty contestant appeal for votes
A beauty contestant is appealing for votes in the run-up to a national competition. Isha Prashar, of Wickham Way, Beckenham, has been selected as one of the 30 finalists for the Kent Beauty Awards held on the Miss England website. The freelance journalist, who studied drama and literature at the University of Essex, is hoping to win the title, prizes and a place in the Miss England semi final on June 14.
This is Local London

Nature quests boosts health
Think of walking through a shopping centre and then think of walking through the countryside.
Scientists in England have compared the effects and much to the disdain of those who thrive on shopping, the latter is healthier, especially in a world of stress and hurry.
The researchers at the University of Essex have even gone so far as to suggest that farms are good places for people to boost their mental and physical health because they allow us to be in nature.
Weekly Times Australia

Greener exercise = better mood
We all know the "aaaah" feeling that comes from being out in nature. I even get the same feeling from sitting on my front porch, looking at the birds and trees.
But recently, a group of researchers at the University of Essex quantified just how much "aaaah" benefit we get, as long as we're exercising at the same time.
They found that just five minutes of walking in a pretty woodland setting, or gardening, or cycling around a lake - indeed, anything you do to get exercise while in a "natural" setting - could boost your mood and your mental health.
The Sun Herald
Kansas City Star
Sacramento Bee
Tribune and various other publications

Essex uni leading project to help resort's disadvantaged
Essex University is spearheading a bid to help hundreds of vulnerable people living in bedsits in Clacton.
Scientists are launching a two-year project to help more than 1,000 of the most disadvantaged people living in the town centre. The project will target people with mental health problems living in bedsits and shared flats in the deprived Pier Ward.
The Gazette

 Give us a boost, say cheerleaders
A struggling cheerleading club has appealed for sponsors. Essex Flames, the University of Essex's cheerleading society, is asking businesses in Colchester for help.
The Gazette

Adults get tips on learning
Educational opportunities for adults have been promoted at an event in Colchester. Staff from Colchester Institute, Essex University and Adult Community Learning set up a stall outside the Learning Shop, in St Nicholas Street, as part of Adult Learners' Week.
The Gazette

Go to work on a bike
Colcestrians have been urged to saddle up to help save the planet, speed up the town and supercharge their own health as part of the Colchester Workplace Cycle Challenge.
Staff at organisations as diverse as Essex Univeristy and Defence Support Group, have registered to take part.
The Gazette
Essex County Standard

18 May

40 years on... Essex Uni scheme that took worry out of studies
A service which began in a run-down, pre-fabricated hut in Colchester has helped students at the University of Essex for 40 years.  Professor Geoffrey Hosking set up the service with the aid of the Christian Chaplaincy in 1970 and now there are 34 Nightlines across the UK and seven new Nightlines are being set up this year.
Gazette

A tale of two princes: how Charles altered the landscape with a word in the emir's ear
The Qatari royal family was forced to scrap plans for a £3bn housing development in central London for "political and diplomatic" reasons after the Prince of Wales urged the emir of the gulf state to abandon them, the high court heard yesterday. In 2008, he said the Ivor Crewe Lecture Hall at the University of Essex - later a RIBA award winner - looked like a "dustbin". Read the article here.
The Guardian

But will we be better governed?
Professor Anthony King from the Department of Government writes about fixed term parliaments and the new coalition.
The Daily Telegraph

17 May

Free ice cream offer at learning day
Adult learners can pick up new skills – and a free ice cream – at a community day being held at Clacton's Adult Community Learning centre. Sample courses will be on offer as part of National Adult Learners’ Week. They include courses on improving English and maths skills as well as sketching and drawing, foreign languages, cookery, and even creating your own spa products. Tendring Community Voluntary Services, Clacton Library, Colchester Institute and the University of Essex will also be taking part.
Clacton Gazette

Avatar in dance
A very different Avatar will be wowing audiences at the Lakeside Theatre at the University of Essex this week. Dance troupe Erre Que Erre will perform their mulit-media performance that envisions one person's emergence in a computer-generated world.
Gazette

Story angers students
University students have set up a Facebook group "Essex Uni vs the Daily Mail" after the national newspaper published a story about them being given a £500 rent rebate because of noisy building work and stereotyped the students.
Gazette

Investigators at University of Essex zero in on health and medicine
Christine Voss and colleagues from the Department of Biological Sciences have published their study in Medicine and Science In Sports and Exercise looking at 'Aerobic fitness and mode of travel to school in English schoolchildren'.
Health and Medicine Week

Studies from University of Essex in the area of terrorism published
Professor Gleditsch and colleagues from the Department of Government have published their study in Cooperation and Conflict looking at 'The strategic calculus of terrorism: Substitution and competition in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Cooperation and Conflict'.
Bioterrorism Week

16 May

Fears for England’s 2018 World Cup bid as FA chief quits in bribe row
England’s hopes of hosting the 2018 World Cup were thrown into turmoil yesterday when Lord Triesman resigned as chairman of the FA after claiming that Spain and Russia were planning to bribe referees during next month’s tournament. The former Labour minister first offered his resignation as head of the England 2018 bid committee and then stepped down as the chairman of the FA after revelations that he had accused rival bidders of corruption during a conversation with a former aide. Lord Triesman is a University of Essex graduate.
The Times
London Wired
Belfast Telegraph
ESPN Star
The Daily Mail

14 May

Concern over career politicians' dominance
Professor Anthony King from the Department of Government discusses the influence of politicians who have never worked outside politics.
Read the full article here
Financial Times

Unreliability of economic forecasters
A study at the University of Essex has proved that Google is as good a guide on unemployment as economic models. If you want to know about US jobless trends, use a job search engine to find out how many people are seeking work.
Times online

Essex Uni seeks partner to develop 42 acre accommodation site
The University of Essex is seeking a development partner to design, build and operate a new 750 bedroom student accommodation complex at its 42 acre Knowledge Gateway site.
New Civil Engineer
Builder and Engineer

Mercury rising for uni Brit party night
University clubbers will be busy this weekend with a special Brit night being organised by the University of Essex Cultural Society and Students' Union and the first Big British Fete with a beer festival and a typical British fete.
Gazette

Poet from Down Under comes over
Australian poet Les Murray will be at the University of Essex this weekend as a guest of the Department of Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies. His work contains a deep interest in Aboriginal poetry and an ability to use the conventions and concerns of Aboriginal oral culture in poetry which is distinctively Australian but which has a wide appeal.
Essex County Standard

13 May

Opinionated
Frank Skinner talked about the University of Essex students being given a rebate of their rent because of noisy building works.
BBC

Heavyweights Hotly Debate Future for Online Games Studios
Dr Richard Bartle from the School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering will be one of the panel members debating the issues surrounding  the business of Immersive Games & Social Media; including monetisation and funding.
MCV
Industry Gamers
Gamasutra

Coalition 'has to work for Britain'
Lord Phillips of Sudbury, Chancellor of the University of Essex and a former parliamentary candidate for the Liberals and Lib Dems said he did not think he would ever see the day when his party was in government and it is nothing short of momentous.
East Anglian Daily Times

An outdoor gym'll fix it
According to a study carried out by Jo Barton and Jules Pretty from the Centre for Environment and Society at the University of Essex, just five minutes of "green exercise" a day can benefit people's mood, self-esteem and mental health.
THE

The Week in Higher Education
Students at the University of Essex are being paid £500 as compensation for being woken up by builders during works being carried out at the campus.
THE

Exhibit explores cultural integration
Students at the University of Essex are hosting an exhibition of international artists exploring issues of cultural integration. The MA Gallery Studies and Critical Curating students exhibition 'Neo Pangaea' includes works by internationally renowned artists.
East Anglian Daily Times

Maintaining orbit in hostile skies
Satellite campuses are an increasingly common part of the British higher education landscape as universities strive to widen access and extend their regional reach.
Some satellites form an integral part of the University with shared academic and support staff across different locations and others are separate business units and institutions. In an example of yet another approach, University Campus Suffolk is run jointly by the University of Essex and the University of East Anglia.
THE

Pink army is on the march
Generations of women are coming together to support charity this summer. Cancer Research UK's Race for Life takes place in Colchester with two events running in Castle Park in May and one at the University of Essex in July.
Gazette

A sentimental journey to creative hub of 100-year-old greetings card giant
Hallmark cards have a UK studio in Bradford and University of Essex graduate, Kendra Keller who worked as a writer for Hallmark in Kansas City switched to Bradford a year ago. Her love of England was stirred when she took a Masters degree in Shakespearean studies at the University of Essex University and she promised herself she would return to England one day.
Yorkshire Post

Google searches divine future unemployment rate
Google may or may not be great at helping you find a job, but it seems to be as good as some economic models at projecting whether or not you will have a job. Two researchers affiliated with the Bank of Italy - Juri Marcucci and Francesco D'Amuri, who is also at the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex - have put out a paper describing how search data from Google is as good a leading indicator of the future unemployment rate in the United States as the sophisticated computer models that are employed to predict how many people will be losing their jobs in the coming months.
The Register

Coalition Plans for Five-Year Terms
Britain's new coalition government says it plans to introduce legislation that would create fixed-term U.K. parliaments for the first time, effectively removing one of the prime minister's greatest tactical weapons: being able to choose the date of an election. Professor Anthony King from the Department of Government at the University of Essex said "There wouldn't be this endless speculation about when the election would be held. The governing party isn't in a position to choose an election to serve their own purpose." He added that former Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher were among the leaders who called elections early to capitalize on a wave of popularity.
Wall Street Journal

Coalition Holds Political Risks for Clegg
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg notched a major victory for his small party this week when he struck a coalition deal to run Britain alongside the Conservative Party and claimed the post of deputy prime minister. But victory Mr Clegg comes with risks: He faces tremendous pressure to sustain the coalition and prove to his left-leaning party base that joining forces with the Tory right was worth the gamble. In the long term, he could wind up alienating a large swath of left-leaning voters and taking blame for Tory policies. "Labour is already maneuvering to say there's now just one progressive party, now that the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are in it together," said Paul Whiteley, a Professor of Government at the University of Essex.
Wall Street Journal

Appointment of the Presidential state owned enterprises review committee
Essex Law graduate, Dr Takalani Madima has been appointed a member of the State Owned Enterprises Review Committee.
Polity.org.za

The Art of Psychographics
Kerry William Purcell writes in her blog about Psychographics and mentions Professor Marina Warner's work 'Memory Map' in which she worked with the University of Essex and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Drawing on writing inspired by paintings, ancient artifacts, local stories and folklore, she endeavored to create a memory map of Essex.
Sina Blog

12 May

In our hands
University of Essex economics graduate Rob Whiteman discusses his new role as managing director of the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA). Read the full article on Rob Whiteman here.
The Guardian

Flavour of university life open to all
Talks, lab sessions, interactive tours and exhibitions were top of the timetable at an open day at the University of Essex.
The university opened its doors at the Colchester Campus in Wivenhoe Park, for prospective students and the public, to give people an insight into studying in the town.
A range of experts were on hand to talk to people about everything from art to politics.
East Anglian Daily Times

Students for sexual rights
The University of Essex Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) Society given the Higher Education LGBT Society of the Year award at national conference.
Gazette

11 May

The listening bank
The University of Essex Nightline service is celebrating its 40th anniversary after becoming the first such service in the UK on 7 May 1970. Read the article about the University of Essex Nightline here.
The Guardian
Oman Observer

You, too, can’t have a body like this
Fitness models and bodybuilders are putting their health at huge risk by dehydrating their bodies before competitions and photoshoots and there are potentially fatal consequences. “Any imbalances in sodium or potassium levels can cause heart arrhythmia,” says Dr Martin Sellens, director of sports science at the University of Essex. “If fluid levels drop too low for too long, then potassium becomes concentrated and that can cause the heart to stop.” Read the article here.
The Times

How Essex University is helping doctors gain research experience
Doctors at Colchester General and Essex County Hospital have been gaining valuable research experience thanks to a special partnership with the Essex Biomedical Sciences Institute at the University of Essex which promotes research and training in the medical and health sciences.
Gazette

Coup for Essex Uni as Australian poet pays a visit
Les Murray, Australia's leading poet and one of his country's most influential literary critics will be appearing at the Lakeside Theatre at the University of Essex on Sunday.
Gazette

New findings from University of Essex in the area of social science
Dr Jerzy Kociatkiewicz and colleagues from the Essex Business School have published their study in Organization entitled 'Experiencing the Shadow: Organizational Exclusion and Denial within Experience Economy'.
Science Letter

10 May

LSCT students recognized as Model UN ‘Distinguished Delegation’
Four Lone Star College-Tomball students travelled to New York to compete with more than 5,000 students from around the world as international diplomats. They were participants in the 2010 National Model United Nations-New York (NMUN-NY) Conference. The students worked with and competed against students from the University of Essex, the University of Bonn, the University of Colorado, Rider University, Renmin University of China, Loyola University of Chicago and the University of Washington.
Houston Community Newspapers

I'll try to make a difference but I have no magic wand
The Gazette interviews Pritti Patel, the new Conservative MP for Witham who is an Essex Politics graduate.
Gazette

First race list is now full
The first Colchester Race for Life is now full but places are still available in the afternoon race and at a third event taking place at the University of Essex on 25 July.
Gazette

Pressure mounts for Brown to step down
Prime Minister Gordon Brown is clinging to office after elections left Britain politically deadlocked, but his future as premier is bleak with pressure from the ground and within his own party for him to go. Professor Paul Whiteley from the University of Essex said:'I can't see Clegg agreeing to go into coalition with Labour with Brown at the head.' Professor Whiteley acknowledged that Mr Brown could yet surprise everyone. 'But I rate his chances very low... he's a great survivor, but I just don't see it this time. I think things have caught up with him.'
The Straits Times
World News Connection
Kuwait Times

Study results from University of Essex, Department of Biological Sciences provide new insights into mononuclear phagocyte system
Researchers from the Department of Biological Sciences have had a study published in the Journal of Reproductive Immunology on the Interaction between HLA-G and monocyte/macrophages in human pregnancy'.
Health and Medicine Week 
Life Science Weekly

9 May

Puncturing the myth of decisive government in the national interest
Professor Anthony King from the Department of Government discusses the implications of a hung parliament in the UK.
Read Professor King's full article here.
The Observer

Students paid £500 for being woken up early
Hundreds of undergraduates at the University of Essex in Colchester are receiving the payments "in recognition of the disruption they have suffered" for being woken up as early as 7am. Those living at two halls of residence at the university's Wivenhoe Park campus are receiving the payment, in the form of a £500-a-term reduction off their rent. Others living a little further away are receiving a £100-a-term reduction. It follows an anti-noise demonstration by the Essex University Students' Union in March. Read the full article here.
Sunday Telegraph
Daily Mail
Gazette
The Mirror
Brisbane News
Heart Radio London
LBC 97.3
The Sun

Children respond to call of the wild
A research paper published last year by the University of Essex claims less than 10 per cent of children there play in wilderness, compared with 40 per cent 30 years ago. It cites evidence that a child's contact with nature will influence health in adulthood, increase cognitive functioning, and lead to long-term gains in attitudes, beliefs, self-perceptions, interpersonal social skills and memory creation and retention. Read the article here.
The Sydney Morning Herald

We can't rely on bankers to curb their pay
The Labour government's laissez-faire approach to executive pay was to assume the market's hidden hand would do its work. Looking at the Lloyds Banking Group annual general meeting last week, the policy has been an abject failure. Professor Prem Sikka from the Essex Business School has even characterised immense fees paid by banks as "bungs" for audit firms not to ask too many questions when carrying out their audits.
Sunday Times

Class action threatened after voters turned away
THE human rights campaign group Liberty is considering legal action on behalf of thousands of British people who were denied their vote after they were delayed in queues and postal ballots were exhausted. Dr Bob Watt of the University of Essex said: ''It is beyond doubt that if a larger number of people than the margin were prevented from voting, and this could be shown to be the fault of the election officials, that any petition would succeed.'' Read the full story here.
Brisbane Times
Irish Times
Samoa Observer

8 May

ANALYSIS: So why didn't the Tories reach the summit?
Professor Anthony King from the Department of Government discusses the General Election result and why the Conservative Party failed to gain a majority.
Read Professor King's full article here.
The Daily Mail

WI Harper Expands Advisory Board
WI Harper Group, a leading Chinese early and expansion stage venture capital firm, today announced Mr. Houlin Zhao, the Deputy General Secretary of the International Telecom Union (ITU), has joined the company's advisory board. Mr. Zhao will advise the firm on telecom trends, investment strategies and new opportunities in the Greater China marketplace. Mr Zhao graduated from the University of Essex with an MSc in Telematics.
GFN. com
San Francisco Chronicle
TMC Net
iStockAnalyst
Market Wire
News Blaze
Collegiate Presswire
Finance.Boston.com

7 May

Twins step up their Games preparation
Colchester twins Daniel and Dominic King are taking it one step at a time as they bid to book their place in England's race-walking team at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India in October. They have been in the University of Essex Sports Science laboratory for fitness tests and have been told that they are at the right level to be hitting the qualification times at the moment.
Essex County Standard

Dose of nature recommended
Research by Dr Jo Barton and Professor Jules Pretty from the University of Essex have found that just a small dose of nature every day will benefit people's mood, self-esteem and mental health.
Essex County Standard

Legal challenge to polling stations could result in byelections
Dr bob Watt, from the School of Law, gives his expert view on the legality of election results after voters were turned away from polling stations in some constituencies. Read the full article here.
The Guardian

Varsity honours for the famous
Honorary degrees from the University of Essex are to be awarded to some famous names. Griff Rhys Jones, Essex graduate and House of Commons speaker, John Bercow and Chairman of the Football Association, Lord Triesman will receive honorary degrees in July along with Dr Katherine Rake, Chief Executive of the Family and Parenting Institute and Hanif Lalani, former Chief Executive of BT Global Services.
Essex County Standard

40th anniversary of student crisis line that went global
A trailblazing support service is marking its 40th anniversary. The University of Essex Nightline was set up in May 1970 to help students facing a crisis in their lives. There are now 34 Nightlines across the country and branches have also been set up in the US, Canada, Switzerland and Germany - in many cases by former Essex students. To mark the anniversary, Professor Geoffrey Hosking will return to Essex to speak on his early involvement in establishing Nightline.
Essex County Standard

University agrees rent cut for students disturbed by works
University students who claimed they were forced to live on a building site have been given £500 in compensation.  Students living in Rayleigh and Keynes Towers will receive £500 and those living in Wolfson Court will be given £100. This follows a £25 goodwill payment made to all north campus residents before Christmas following disruption to electricity, internet access and water supplies.
Essex County Standard

Student told: Go back to your country
A woman poured a can of beer over a Chinese student near the University of Essex and told her to "go back to her own country" a court was told. The student was verbally abused and physically assaulted by the woman who had been drinking.
Gazette

Jobs Despair - 2
Eleven months on and it's still tough for Colchester's rising number of job hunters. The University of Essex is one of Colchester's major employers and has about 2,000 staff across its three campuses and is experiencing a high volume of applications for each post it advertises.
Essex County Standard

Graduate scheme has backers
Employers are backing a scheme aimed at helping graduates on to the career ladder and boosting their business at the same time. More than 40 companies have come forward so far to take part in the graduate internships scheme, being run by the University of Essex as part of a programme to tackle graduate unemployment and help small firms. The university's careers centre is now matching up graduates with small business so they can gain work experience.
Essex County Standard

6 May

Offering entrepreneurs happier place
Private equity industry leader Ken Terry has pulled off a feat that has become remarkable since the collapse of Lehman Brothers froze investors. He has pulled together the biggest debut UK buy-out fund since September 2008, aiming to raise a total of £200m. It is "an incredible achievement", according to a rival placement agent. A Leeds University economics graduate, Mr Terry started his career at Standard Chartered's specialist financing division, before becoming a founding partner of private equity group Doughty Hanson.  After investing £1.1bn in 16 deals such as the Priory Group and Tag Heuer, the Swiss watchmaker, Mr Terry left Doughty Hanson in 2004. He took a few years off to study for a history degree at the University of Essex.
FT.com

TV's Griff set for honorary degree
Famous names from entertainment, politics and sport are to be awarded honorary degrees by the University of Essex. Popular comedian and television presenter Griff Rhys Jones and Essex graduates John Bercow, MP for Buckingham and Speaker of the House of Commons, and Lord Triesman, Chairman of the Football Association will all collect their awards at ceremonies in July. Dr Katherine Rake OBE, currently chief executive of the Family and Parenting Institute and Hanif Lalani OBE, an Essex graduate and former chief executive of BT Global Services will also be honoured.
East Anglian Daily Times
Gazette

UEA has got a real buzz about it since 'Climategate'
New analysis measuring positive coverage of universities in online news, blogs and reviews has shown that the University of Essex is in the top 10. The University of East Anglia has come second in the top 10 for blogs and experienced a surge of positivity in the blogsphere "largely driven by Climategate". Read the article here.
THE

Book Review: Children and Adolescents in Trauma
Dr Chris Nicholson from the Centre for Psychoanalytic Studies is one of the authors of a new book 'Children and Adolescents in Trauma: Creative Therapeutic Approaches' and this was reviewed in the THE.
THE

Britain decides: Millions cast their votes as final polls show we're heading for a hung parliament
According to the last polls of the campaign, Mr Cameron is within touching distance of a Commons majority with the Tories set to make massive gains from Labour. Polling guru Professor Anthony King, of the University of Essex, said: ‘There is evidence to suggest that the Tories are doing better in the marginals they need to gain. ‘Under those circumstances, I think a perfectly possible outcome even assuming no last-minute swing, is the Conservatives having between 290 and 300 seats and Labour having around 240. ‘Under that scenario, assuming that the Liberal Democrats get about 80 seats, the Lib Dems could sustain a Cameron government in power, but could not sustain a Labour government under any leader.’  Read the full story here.
Daily Mail

Robofish to clean up
Teddington-based engineering and technology consultancy BMT Group has designed a device to help clear up water pollution — the Robofish. The fish have been built by Professor Huo-sheng Hu and his team at the University of Essex, at a cost of £20,000 each. They are 1.5m long and move at up to 1m per second. They will have autonomous navigation and will communicate with each other using ultrasonics. Information about the location of pollution will be transmitted to a control centre by sonar.
Machinery Market

British elections could deliver a blow to two-party rule
British voters appear set to usher in the most divided parliament in generations, potentially ending the two-party dominance that has defined modern Britain and challenging the ability of the next government to tackle a financial hole that rivals the one in Greece. 'People have failed to pick up, because of the workings of the existing electoral system, the extent to which the former two-party system was already, at least among the electorate, deteriorating and fragmenting,' said Anthony King, a professor at the University of Essex and an authority on British politics.
Washington Post

5 May

University of Texas Dallas Faculty oversee Longtime UK Voting Study
The UT Dallas researchers overseeing the long-running British Election Study (BES) are gearing up for a busy week. Dr. Harold Clarke, the Ashbel Smith professor of political science in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, and Dr. Marianne Stewart, professor of political science, are co-principal investigators for the study, which began in 1964 and is one of the world's oldest continuous political research projects. The other two co-investigators are Professors David Sanders and Paul Whiteley of the University of Essex. The study was conducted for every general election in Britain since 1964. It was developed to describe and explain why people vote as they do, what issues and events affect election outcomes and what consequences result from elections, Clarke said. He and Stewart helped oversee the study for the two previous general elections in 2001 and 2005.
US Federal News

Lee Randall: Alfresco living gets me into a real lather
It’s well known to anyone who's read my columns over the years (or stood next to me after I've been imbibing), that I feel nature is best contemplated from behind a plate glass window.
Though, just to confuse the issue, like anyone else, when those first breaths of spring blow through town, I feel a powerful urge to run outside and be in it, sniffing the dirt and ogling buds on trees.
I take this as an indication that I'm more rather than less mentally healthy, for research done at the University of Essex found that even five minutes outdoors can improve both mood and self-esteem. Read full article here
Scotsman

 New tourism campaign for Southend
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council is backing a new tourism campaign to attract more visitors to the seaside town.
The 'On Sea' campaign builds on the town's name and includes both advertising and marketing material titled 'Dine On Sea', 'Smiles On Sea' and 'Events On Sea'.
The campaign is a joint project by the council, University of Essex, South Essex College, Essex Police and Southend Together - a local strategic partnership.
Leisure Management

Tory: Parties should unite to prevent crisis
 Government of national unity will be needed to avoid economic chaos if there is a hung Parliament, a leading north Essex Conservative has claimed.
The Conservatives are expected to win more seats than Labour, leaving Lib Dems and other parties holding the balance of power.
Dr Tom Scotto, a lecturer at the University of Essex's government department, believes there is only a 20-30 per cent likelihood of the Tories getting an overall majority. Bernard Jenkin, Tory candidate for Harwich and North Essex, is calling for a unified government of all parties in an effort to stave off a financial crisis if there is no overall majority.
The Gazette

Meet our university's new, straight-talking professor of poetry
If anyone could be said to have a way with words it is Derek Walcott.
Essex University's new professor of poetry is a winner of the Nobel Prize and is considered by some to be the best writer of English verse still living. With a peerless command of the language at his disposal, no doubt he could charm the birds out of the trees if he wanted to.
The Gazette

4 May

Essex uni's wellbeing breakthrough
Research by Dr Jo Barton and Professor Jules Pretty from the Centre for Environment and Society have shown that a small dose of nature every day will help people's mood, self-esteem and mental health. Professor Pretty said 'we have been able to show dose-response relationships for the positive effects of nature on human mental health'.
Gazette

Last-ditch push for swing voters on
Britain's party leaders targeted key marginal seats Monday in a final push to win what looks like the closest general election in decades this week. Polling expert Professor Paul Whiteley from the University of Essex told AFP that there were “still lots of people whose votes are to be had” — and that party loyalties were far less strong than a few decades ago. “People’s brand loyalty to the parties has been vanishing for many years and I think we’re reaching a tipping point where there are a lot of people not attached to one political party,” he said. “People are much more consumer-orientated in their voting.
Qatar Tribune
This story was carried by over 10 outlets around the world

Revised plans for more student flats rejected
Controversial plans to extend a student housing complex on Colchester's Greenstead estate have been rejected. Mansion Group wanted to build a further two blocks of flats for University of Essex students at Avon Way, where it currently has 74 flats.
Gazette
Essex County Standard

Other lives - David Musselwhite
Tracy Ryan, a friend of David Musselwhite, who was a member of the Department of Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies between 1973 and his retirement in 2009, has written an obituary for David. 
The Guardian

3 May

Alfresco exercise better than gym, says research
Just five minutes of exercise in the open air improves the mood and self-esteem. Researchers from the Centre for Environment and Society studied more than 1,200 people in Britain and Dr Jo Barton, who conducted the study said ' I think the fact you only have to do it for five minutes to see a positive effect is encouraging'.
The Guardian
This story was featured in over 300 publications around the world

Polls could deliver a blow to two-party rule
British voters appear set to usher in the most divided parliament in generations, potentially ending the two-party dominance that has defined modern Britain and challenging the ability of the next government to tackle a financial hole that rivals the one in Greece. "People have failed to pick up, because of the workings of the existing electoral system, the extent to which the former two-party system was already, at least among the electorate, deteriorating and fragmenting," said Anthony King, a Professor at the University of Essex and an authority on British politics.
Washington Post
The Post.com

2 May

The political fringe comes to the fore in the UK election
“An awful lot of people are saying, in effect, no to the UK political establishment,” said Anthony King, a Professor of Government at the University of Essex. Professor King, Canadian-born but for decades a respected analyst of UK voting patterns, believes the slow but persistent advances made by fringe parties – which he interprets as being any group outside the big three – will be maintained at this election and account for between eight per cent and 10 per cent of the votes cast.
The National, Washington

An American epidemic of pill poppers
The biggest killer drugs in the States right now are legal and have been prescribed. In Britain, we tend to think of prescription drugs as a marginal problem, but a recent study, A Pill for Every Ill, by Professor Joan Busfield from the University of Essex, found that, since 1989, “the average number of prescriptions dispensed in the UK per person has doubled from eight a year to more than 16”. She adds: “Here, anti­depressants are overprescribed.”  Read the article here.
The Times

April 2010

30 April

Workers putting in extra leg work
Walking fever has spread through Colchester. Staff at the University of Essex were encouraged to get healthier and greener by leaving their car at home for National Walk to Work Week and around 15 staff walked from the Castle Gates to the Wivenhoe Campus on Wednesday.
Essex County Standard

Poet makes varsity visit
Novel Prize-winning poet, Derek Walcott will be at the University of Essex this weekend discussing his life and work at a public event in the Lakeside Theatre.
Essex County Standard

New Cycle Path
A new £70,000 cycle path has opened on the University of Essex's Wivenhoe campus. Children from the University's Day Nursery joined the Mayor of Colchester, Henry Spyvee to formally open the path.
Gazette

Ideology wars
Professor Prem Sikka explains how Lord Cashcroft's millions are bankrolling the Tories. Read his article here.
Chartist

29 April

Scholar wages Fol battle for bank collapse data
Professor Prem Sikka, Professor of Accounting at the University of Essex is battling to obtain access to Treasury documents relating to past banking failures, five years after he first asked to see the material under the Freedom of Information Act. Read the article here.
Times Higher Education

Race for Life rally call
Women are reminded that there are still places available in two of the Race for Life events being organised in Colchester. One of these events is taking place at the University of Essex on 25 July.
Gazette

Brown ‘Bigoted’ Gaffe Undermines Trust Argument for Last Debate
Gordon Brown is aiming in tonight’s final leaders’ debate to convince U.K. voters that only his Labour Party can be trusted to safeguard the economy. The person with the most to lose is Gordon Brown because his job is on the line,” said Paul Whiteley, Professor of Government at the University of Essex said “Brown will reiterate that the Tories will put the economy at risk and he is right to do that, but it’s not very easy.”
Bloomberg.com

A Field Guide to Preserving Childhood
For generations, children grew up outside. They walked to school, rode their bikes and walked barefoot through the grass. Childhood was characterized by innocence, imagination, wonder and laughter. According to a 2005 study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, today's children spend over five hours each day plugged into some kind of electronic medium. There's mounting evidence that all of this electronic input is affecting our children's ability to think for themselves. A study at the University of Essex in England concluded that nature helps recovery from pre-existing stresses or problems, has an immunizing effect that protects from future stresses and helps concentration and thought clarity. Read the article here.
Indy's Child
Cinncinati Parent

Social mix 'not important in schools'
Academic attainment levels have little to do with the balance of pupils from different socio-economic backgrounds in schools, it has been claimed. Nick Seaton, Chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, was responding to a new report conducted on behalf of the Sutton Trust, which concluded that social mobility among pupils depends heavily on their parents' educational achievements.  Research for the Sutton Trust report was carried out by John Ermisch and Emilia Del Bono from the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex.
Association of Teachers and Lecturers

Alumni profile: Masters degree in International Economics
Angela Bulgari graduated from the University of Essex with a degree in Financial Economics and then went on to do a Masters degree at HEI. Three years ago, Angela graduated from HEI and is now working as a Financial Application Support Specialist for Thomson Reuters SA, a subsidiary of news agency Reuters.
Business Education

28 April

Robofish dives in to fight water pollution
They look like fish, swim like fish and live underwater - but that's where the similarities end. Meet the robofish - the latest tool being lined up to fight pollution in Welsh waters.
The futuristic-style gadget is being tested in northern Spain, but could be heading for Wales.
Developed by engineering and technology consultancy BMT Group, a marine science conference next month will reveal the robofish is ideal to operate in some Welsh waters.
The fish have been built by Professor Huosheng Hu and his robotics team at the University of Essex at a cost of £20,000 each. Professor Hu, who has worked on the robofish for three years, says the device will be used to detect the location of oil slicks and metals leaked into the sea.
The Western Mail
WalesOnline.co.uk
North Wales Chronicle

And fish chips
Futuristic robotic fish could soon be policing North Wales harbours to detect water pollution.
Bridge Marine Science Group, based in Menai Bridge, plans to discuss bringing the groundbreaking shoal of metal marvels to this region at a marine sustainability conference. One of the main speakers at the May event will be the BMT Group, who helped develop the £20,000 carp-shaped robofish, currently being built by Professor Huosheng Hu and his robotics team at the University of Essex.
The Liverpool Daily Post

Pinta London: A New Chapter in the Expansion of Latin American Art
Following the three preceding shows, which established the prestige of Pinta New York, Pinta London participates in the process of globalization of modern and contemporary Latin American art through a program that includes around fifty renowned galleries, as well as curatorial strategies and visions that broaden the artistic projection of the continent.
The inauguration of the first Pinta London Art Show, from 4-6 June 2010, at Earls Court Exhibition Centre, in London will open a new chapter in the global expansion of Latin American art. This year, following the precedent established by Pinta New York, Tate Modern, the University of Essex Collection of Latin American Art, the Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Barcelona, MACBA, and the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, MIMA, England, will enrich their permanent collections through the incorporation of new Latin American artworks.
Artdaily.com
Art Knowledge News

Studies in the area of life sciences reported from University of Essex, Department of Psychology
A new study, 'Crossmodal visual-tactile extinction: Modulation by posture implicates biased competition in proprioceptively reconstructed space,' is now available. "Extinction is a common consequence of unilateral brain injury: contralesional events can be perceived in isolation, yet are missed when presented concurrently with competing events on the ipsilesional side. This can arise crossmodally, where a contralateral touch is extinguished by an ipsilateral visual event," investigators in Colchester report.
Biotech Week

Social mobility in England 'lagging behind'
Social mobility in England lags behind many other developed countries, when measured by educational achievement, says an education charity's survey.
The Sutton Trust's research found children's exam results in England were more strongly linked to their parents' education than in many other countries.
But it found that this social gap was narrowing for a younger generation.
And this research, carried out by John Ermisch and Emilia Del Bono from the Institute for Social and Economic Research at Essex University, looks at the relationship between the achievements of children in school and their social background - comparing different age groups and different countries.
It found that when looking at people in England now aged in their 50s, 40s and early 20s, that the "attainment gap" between children from graduate and non-graduate parents had begun to narrow for this younger group.
BBC Online
News Portal

Adriano Adewale's sound journey
A virtuoso fusion of music, theatre and dance, by the Afro-Brazilian master percussionist Adriano Adewale. Also Jamaica for Sale – a free premiere of documentary about the economic, social and environmental impacts of tourism and unsustainable development in Jamaica.
The Gazette

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 last updated on Monday June 07, 2010.