Monthly Archives: February 2013

Newcastle University Business School announces David Goldman professors of innovation and enterprise

Posted on by
Reply

A duo of enterprising talent has been appointed as the Business School confirms its chairs in innovation and enterprise

An innovation guru with unrivalled experience in building the world’s biggest brands, Professor Roy Sandbach is set to be the 10th David Goldman Visiting Professor of Innovation and Enterprise: continuing the tradition of the David Goldman endowment’s highly regarded contribution to enterprise and innovation in the region.

The David Goldman endowment was established at the Business School in 2001 to create a legacy in memory of David Goldman, founder of software company Sage Group Plc. Professor Roy Sandbach is to be welcomed to the Business School as the 2013-14 Goldman Visiting Professor, at his inaugural lecture on 13 March.

It is almost certain that you will use everyday products at home that were conceived and developed by Professor Roy Sandbach. For over 30 years he has led global innovation programmes at Procter and Gamble (P&G), the $80BN multinational and the biggest consumer products company in the world.

Beyond the realms of P&G, Roy brings his skills to bear across the business, science, design and education sectors throughout the UK.

Currently, he leads business engagement for the Centre for Competitive Design at Cranfield University. Roy’s lifelong commitment to science remains strong, he is: a Trustee at Newcastle’s Centre for Life; sits on the Industry Council of the Royal Society of Chemistry; and is a business ambassador for NetPark, the hi-tech science park in County Durham. He is also a non-executive director of NCFE, the national qualifications body, and a governor at Seaton Burn College.

In March he will take the David Goldman Visiting Professor reins from James Timpson OBE, chief executive of the family firm Timpson Group.

Professor Roy Sandbach said:

“I am honoured to accept the David Goldman Visiting Professorship. It offers a wonderful opportunity for me to share broadly my knowledge of strategic business innovation to support enterprise for wealth-creation and social benefit. It is a particular pleasure for me to be able to do this in my home region, among friends and at the university where I gained my Ph.D. Most of all, it will be an honour to build on the legacy of David Goldman.”

The Goldman Endowment funds: a permanent Professorship role within the Business School; the David Goldman Visiting Professor of Innovation and Enterprise; a David Goldman Doctoral Studentship, and the Annual David Goldman Lecture.

The Business School has also announced that its new, permanent David Goldman Professor of Innovation and Enterprise is Savvas Papagiannidis.

As an alumnus of the University, with over 16 consecutive years of studying at the University, Savvas has achieved two PhDs, two Masters, and founded three e-businesses.

Professor Papagiannidis’ research interests lie in the e-business discipline, where he aims to investigate how e-business technologies affect social and business environments, organisational strategies and underpinning business models, and how these are implemented in terms of functional innovations.

Professor Papagiannidis said:

“I am delighted with my new role as the permanent David Goldman Professor of Innovation and Enterprise. 

“I hope that in my new position I am able to make an impact by leading the development and delivery of the innovation and enterprise agenda of the Business School, by encouraging sustainable relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

“I am looking forward to welcoming Professor Roy Sandbach to the Business School.  As an expert in open innovation, brand building, and networking for competitive advantage, Roy’s high- calibre career is one that makes him very suited to the demands of this visiting professorship.”

David Goldman Visiting Professor 2012-13, James Timpson OBE said:

“This role is all about imparting knowledge and more importantly, inspiring enterprise.  However, it isn’t a one-way process: I have also been educated by the students and businesses I have met over the past 12 months.  It has been a great experience, and I am delighted to have been given such an esteemed role. 

“I wish Roy a very enjoyable and educational year!”

If you would like to book your free ticket to the Goldman Lecture please email: bsevents@ncl.ac.uk

 Past David Goldman Visiting Professors of Innovation and Enterprise:
2012- 2013 – James Timpson, OBE, chief executive of Timpson Group
2011-2012 – Tom Maxfield, entrepreneur and former Sales Director for Sage Group
2010-2011 – Will Dracup, founder and chairman of Nonlinear Dynamics
2008 -2010 – Dr Tony Trapp, chairman of IHC Engineering Business.
2007-2008 – Fiona Cruickshank, co-owner and director of SCM Pharma.
2006 -2007 – Paul Callaghan, chairman of Leighton Group.
2005 – 2006 – Chris Thompson, managing director of Express Group.
2004 – 2005 – Mark I’Anson, technology entrepreneur.
2003 – 2004 – Paul Collard, chief executive at Creativity, Culture and Education

Gateshead students take the chequered flag at F1 in Schools North East England Regional Finals 2013

Posted on by
Reply

Newcastle University Business School hosted this year’s regional finals, which saw a team of students from Emmanuel College, Gateshead, celebrate a win.  The winning team are through to the F1 in Schools™ UK National Finals after an intense and hard-fought North East England Regional Finals. This Formula One™ inspired educational challenge has captured the imagination of students up and down the country and with a place on the grid at the F1 in Schools World Finals 2013 to be held in Austin, Texas for the UK National Champions, every team put in hundreds of hours of work in their pursuit of the prize.
 
Red Kite Racing, a team from Emmanuel College with team members: Emily Miller, Team Manager, Elliott Johnson, Design Engineer; Jack Collier, Design Engineer and Rhys Rogers, Manufacturing Engineer, proved that hard work pays off as they collected the 1st Place F1Class trophy, as well as the Best Engineered Car Award and Fastest F1 Car Award, with the team’s car racing down the track in a time of 1.166 seconds.
 
Elliott Johnson said of the team’s success, “I think we took the top award because there was a lot of teamwork, working to our strengths, many hours of hard work put into our design, our presentation and sponsorship. Now we’re looking to the National Finals and hoping to improve our design for it. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to be going there, so we’re really looking forward to it.”
 
Red Kite Racing were one of three teams who raced to victory at the Regional Final and will be representing their school at the F1 in Schools UK National Finals which takes place at the Big Bang Fair, ExCel, London on 15 and 16 March.
 
F1 in Schools challenges students to create their own Formula One team which is commissioned to design, construct and race the fastest miniature Formula One Car of the Future; a 21cm long scale model built from a block of balsa wood and powered by a compressed air cylinder. Each team of between three and six students creates a ‘pit’ display at the Regional Final and showcases their work in developing their race car, with a verbal and written presentation for the judges. The teams then race their model cars on a specially designed 20 metre test track, with the cars covering the distance in just over one second.
 
The competition links closely to the research of Professor Pooran Wynarczyk, of Newcastle University Business School, who studies gender within innovation, and the uptake of STEM subjects. 
 
Professor Pooran Wynarczyk, director of the Small Enterprise Research Unit at Newcastle University Business School, commented:
 
“Working with the F1 in Schools UK team to host the regional finals at the Business School is a highly valuable exercise, as it brings together research and practical learning to enhance a young person’s education.
 
“My research is all about encouraging, and increasing the uptake of, young people into the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and allowing them to realise the potential careers, and paths to such careers, that sit within these subject areas.
 
“It’s always an enjoyable and exciting atmosphere at the event for everyone, and we hope the activities of the day translate into a buzz of new ideas and enthusiasm, from the pupils, towards STEM subjects and activities.”

In addition to representing their country at the World Finals, the F1 in Schools UK Champions and runners up will receive tickets to the 2013 FORMULA 1 BRITISH GRAND PRIX at Silverstone. The National Champions will also win a Red Bull Racing F1 team factory tour and a TW STEEL Watch for each team member.
 
Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman, F1 in Schools, said of this week’s North East England Regional Finals, “We’re experiencing significant growth in the schools entering the challenge this season and the standards are extremely high. The students had to cope with the nerves of presenting to a panel of judges and the pressures of putting their models to the test against the best of the region and all the teams put up a great fight, with only a few points separating the top contenders for a place at the National Finals”.
 
Denford adds, “The challenge not only tests the students in many key areas of educational study such as the STEM subjects, but gives them an opportunity to gain experience of many life skills which will be invaluable in their future careers.”
 
The North East England regional finals took place with the assistance of a host of sponsors and supporters. Amongst these are the IET, Denford, and City University London all of whom are continuing their support of F1 in Schools for the coming year.

Photos from the day can be found by clicking here >

 

Oral health gap research receives funding boost

Posted on by
Reply

Newcastle University Business School is leading research into the long-term imbalance in the UK’s oral health after being awarded an ESRC (Economic and Social Research Centre) grant.

Newcastle University experts are to help tackle oral health inequalities in Britain.

The team will be investigating inequalities in dental care and dental provision in a bid to help narrow health gaps among social groups.

With £200,000 of funding from the ESRC a team of academics from Newcastle University, in collaboration with University College London (UCL), and the National Centre for Social Research (NCSR) hope their findings will influence national and international health policy.

Using the Adult Dental Health Survey (ADHS) from 1988, 1998 and 2009, this 18-month study will inform academics and policy makers on how inequalities change over time, while also providing a vital benchmark to monitor inequalities in the future.

The scope of the research will fall into four main areas: to measure the level of socioeconomic inequalities and to decide what aspects of oral health to measure; to investigate health behaviours, dental service provisions and the interaction between oral health behaviours and the care provided; how these social and economic influences can lead to inequalities; and finally, to investigate the trends in oral health inequality over a 21 year period. 

Newcastle University Business School’s Professor of Health Economics, John Wildman, said: “We are aware of the lack of detailed research in this area of health, and aim for this research to lead and provide a template for future investigations into oral health inequality.

“It is hoped that this research will highlight where policy makers and practitioners can combat health inequalities specifically related to wealth, education or social position. Making the UK society fairer and healthier.”

Co-investigator Jimmy Steele CBE, clinical professor from the School of Dental Sciences and the person behind the Independent review of NHS dentistry in England in 2009, said:  “This collaboration will examine one of the crucial areas as we go forward. Dental health and access to dental health care has improved hugely in the last decade but not for everyone, everywhere.

“We will be seeking to determine why there are big differences, where best practice is and how that can be implemented across the country.”
Research team:

The team of researchers come from a range of backgrounds including: economics, public health and clinical dentistry. 
Principle investigator:
Professor of Health Economics, John Wildman, Newcastle University Business School
Co investigators:
Professor Jimmy Steele, from Newcastle University’s School of Dental Sciences, and Dr Jing Shen from Newcastle University’s Institute of Health and Society.
Three academics from University College London are also on the team: Professor Stephen Morris, Dr Richard Watt, and Dr Georgios Tsakos.
Finally, Elizabeth Ann Fuller will work on the project, and she is from the National Centre for Social Research. 

About the ESRC

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is the UK’s largest organisation for funding research on economic and social issues. It supports independent high quality research which has an impact on business, the public sector and the third sector. The ESRC’s total budget for 2012/13 is £205 million. At any one time the ESRC supports over 4,000 researchers and postgraduate students in academic institutions and independent research institutes.