News

School kids attend Maths Day

Students from Sir Charles Lucas and the Gilberd Schools in Colchester were recently welcomed to a Maths for School Students session at the Department of Mathematical Sciences, by Prof John Dowden.

The morning featured talks relating to Pythagoras's Theorem as well as serious and recreational applications of maths including the mathematics of juggling patterns.

Students also enjoyed displays of the football playing robot dogs and other intelligent machines in the Department of Computer Science. Both school libraries also received copies of popular maths books written by Professor Peter Higgins.

On being asked which parts of the morning they found uninteresting, one student replied: 'Nothing, the best day ever!'

Chris Saker demonstrates how to juggle

Wanted: Mentors

For the past three years the University has run a highly successful mentoring scheme. Now in its fourth year the scheme is looking to recruit new student volunteers to act as mentors to pupils from three local schools. Coordinated by Ben Fowler, one the University's Widening Participation Officers, any student can become a mentor.

The scheme works with Year 9 pupils, mentoring them through to Year 11. University students act as positive role models, providing advice and guidance about study skills, further and higher education and employment opportunities with the aim of helping the pupils to improve their performance, raise their aspirations and increase their self-confidence. The scheme can also offer a sports mentoring role whereby students can get involved in assisting with sporting activities within the schools.

The University students involved in the scheme benefit by gaining a number of personal transferable skills, gaining experience of working with young people and increasing their understanding of the teaching and learning process. Full training will be given.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor please contact Ben Fowler, e-mail bfowler@essex.ac.uk

Topping Out ceremony for new college building

The official Topping Out Ceremony of South East Essex College's new campus building took place on 15 July. It was attended by the Right Reverend Dr Laurie Green, Bishop of Bradwell and key members of the academic, business and public sector communities from South Essex.

The Bishop and other guests toured the new college building site to view the work in progress, and for a presentation to mark the topping out of the new building. Steve Hollingshead, Managing Director of Laing O'Rourke spoke of the “ancient tradition of the ceremony” and stated that the project will be “completed on time and in budget.” The Managing Director of Equion, Richard Weston, further explained that, “the topping out ceremonies for new buildings were carried out to ward off evil spirits and to make sure the building has a long and happy life.” Managing Directors from Equion and Laing O'Rourke presented engraved silver trowels to the Bishop and to Jan Hodges, Principal and Chief Executive of the college.

The college will relocate to the new building in August 2004. This will allow for further growth and development of the institution, in particular allowing the college, working in partnership with the University, to expand its higher education programmes. It will also be a key delivery location of the Thames Gateway South Essex New Technology Institute. The cost of the building is £52 million and funding for this is in place from the Learning and Skills Council, the Higher Education Funding Council, the University of Essex, college reserves and a bank loan.

Also in the printed October edition of Wyvern:

• Major expansion of Southend campus
• New website offers opportunities to collaborate with business
• Learning Partnerships
• Solutions 2003
• Launch raises profile of Essex Air Quality Consortium