News

Prestigious post for Vice-Chancellor

Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Ivor Crewe has been elected Master at University College, Oxford from August 2008.

He will be replacing Lord Butler of Brockwell who retires at the end of July 2008.

Sir Ivor Crewe steps down from his post at the University in October and intends to use his research professorship in the Department of Government at Essex and return to research and writing on British government.

He said: ’I am very pleased that I shall continue to have the opportunity to contribute to the quality of the UK higher education system, which has been my life's commitment. And I am delighted that I shall be retaining a link with Essex and in particular the Department of Government which has given me so much throughout my career’.

Dark Discovery

A dive into the dark side led to an amazing discovery for Dr David Smith, Director of the Coral Reef Research Unit.

Coral reefs are recognised as being limited to warm, clear, high light environments so Dr Smith was surprised when, while conducting underwater surveys in the Seychelles, he came across a reef lagoon with poor visibility only to discover a thriving coral reef.

Although Dr Smith’s team thought that reduced light might protect against environment change, they did not expect to see such healthy large colonies. One of the biggest threats to coral reefs around the world is coral bleaching, a phenomena caused by increasing seawater temperatures.

Dr Smith said: ’We now think that coral bleaching is caused by increases in temperature and requires moderately high light to drive the process. It is therefore quite possible that reduced quality habitats may buffer otherwise sensitive species from the effects of future climate change.’

Dr Smith’s discovery was well-received when it was presented at a conference in Tokyo and the Mitsubishi Corporation has agreed to continue to fund the research.

He continued: ‘This discovery, coupled with the results of laboratory experiments being carried out at the University, could radically change our ideas on how we think reef systems should be managed. For example, it might be better to transplant corals into 'bad' environments so that they are protected from future climate change events; in the past we would have done the opposite!’

The next step in the research is to identify which species are able to survive in low light environments. Dr Smith, accompanied by a small team of staff, PhD students and past graduates, is now preparing to return to Indonesia and the Seychelles.

Around the world coral systems provide support for more than half a billion people, by providing a range of services, from fishing to storm protection and eco-tourism.

Diving deep for research

Which witch?

An Essex historian has raised doubts over the identity of a body found in St Osyth in the 1920s.

The body had previously been believed to be those of Ursula Kemp who was hanged in Chelmsford in 1582 for being a witch.

Dr Alison Rowlands of the Department of History spoke of her findings into the St Osyth witch trials to more than 100 local history enthusiasts at the annual Essex Local History Day held at the University's Colchester Campus last month.

Her research has found that the skeleton uncovered in a garden in Mill Street in 1921was quickly labelled as Ursula Kemp after rival reports in the Clacton Graphic and the Essex County Standard, but no scientific testing of the skeleton was ever conducted.

The skeleton, and another unearthed later that year, were believed to be those of Ursula Kemp and Elizabeth Bennett, also found guilty of witchcraft, because they were bound by iron rivets driven into their knees and elbows.

However, as Dr Rowlands explained, the skeletons could be one of a number of women: 'There are at least ten possibilities - five who died at Chelmsford before witchcraft trails, as well as three women who were tried as witches in 1645. When this started out, it was a myth and it was the people's desire to want to believe it was a witch because of the nails in the hands.'

Dr Rowlands added that usually villagers would not have wanted the bodies of the witches to be returned to their village, and that the skeletons required testing and proper dating before they could be named as either of the women.

Sporting success awarded

Record-breaking England International cricketer Claire Taylor was the guest speaker at the University of Essex’s 30th Sports Award dinner.

Held at the Elizabeth Hotel, Copdock, Ipswich, the dinner was attended by more than 250 people, the highest ever number in the history of the event.

Claire Taylor recently posted the highest one day international score at Lord’s, beating the record of the West Indian cricketer, Sir Vivian Richards.

The dinner awards final year students who have made an outstanding contribution to sports at the University. Sixty-five students received Full Colours, which recognise sporting performance, with a further four students, Matt Excell (American Football), Richard Doughty (Dance), Grace Brown (Table Tennis) and Ben Spashett (Triathlon) receiving Outstanding Sporting Achievement awards for playing at representative level.

Eleven students also received Exceptional Service to Sport awards and the Sports Volunteer Award went to Richard Doughty, Newcomer of the Year to Anthony O’Riordan (football), Sports Federation’s President’s Award to Richard Davis and the Simon Loveday Award to Matt Excell.

The team of the year award went to the football team which has been promoted to Tier 1. Dance, now the largest Sports Federation club, was named Club of the year.

Claire Taylor with Anthony O'Riordan

Also in the printed June edition of Wyvern:

• Bosworth in Colchester
• Professor gives views on abduction
• Graduation celebrations