Pulse

GIS (Geographic Information Systems) technology has revolutionised the construction and use of maps in a very wide range of disciplines. It would be extremely useful to determine the extent to which GIS is being used for research projects based at Swansea University, and how much it is expected to be employed over the next few years, in case there are opportunities for cross-campus collaboration, the inclusion of GIS provision in bids for research funding, and so on. If you use GIS technology, I would be most grateful if you could spare the time to send me a brief email notifying me of any current use as well as any planned use in the near future. Thank you for considering my request.

Daniel Power

Professor of Medieval History

Department of History

Swansea University

Singleton Park

Swansea SA2 8PP

Wales UK

Phone: (+44) (0)1792 602412

Fax: (+44) (0)1792 295746

email: d.j.power@swansea.ac.uk

From the Chemical Database Service - DaresburyAs you may be aware the EPSRC has awarded the CDS group at Daresbury a

http://cds.dl.ac.uk/cds/contract.html Current registered CDS users should see few immediate changes.Elibility and conditions of use of the Service have not been altered.

This week, Index to Theses (www.theses.com) launches an important enhancement to its web-based service that identifies and links to the full text availability of theses online (ETD - Electronic Theses and Dissertations).   For the majority of entries, where an ETD is not yet available, the new Index to Theses feature will describe alternative routes for obtaining the full text of theses from that university, including specific reference to the British Library’s British Theses Service.  A full guide to the new feature is available at www.theses.com/obtain.html  Index to Theses has identified some 3000 doctoral ETDs to date and this figure is estimated to be growing at around 100 per month. This growth is expected to increase significantly to represent an important percentage of the 1500 theses processed by Index to Theses each month.  

Digitisation of theses covered by Index to Theses in the past will also yield full-text links and records will be regularly updated throughout the subscription year, reflecting current ETD availability. A number of UK institutions have already offered their help in ensuring that coverage is as complete as possible. 

With some 517,000 entries - and growing at an annual rate of 18,000 - Index to Theses remains the most comprehensive listing of theses accepted for higher degrees by British and Irish universities. As such it continues to prove an exceptional reference tool for the hundreds of libraries and their patrons throughout the world who subscribe to both the print and online versions. www.theses.com 

The Swansea Science Café offers opportunities for anyone to find out more about new, exciting and topical areas of science. Designed to be informal and entertaining, the café typically runs on the last Wednesday of every month at the Dylan Thomas Centre. Entry is free and talks start at 7:30pm.For future events see http://www.sciencecafewales.org/ 

Leatherback turtles in northern European waters: current patterns and prospects with climate change

Prof Graeme Hays,

Swansea University

Wednesday, 30^th April at 7:30pm

Dylan Thomas Centre 

More details to follow soon.  

We have free trial access until April 27 within the campus to Project Muse (without username and password) at http://muse.uq.edu.au.  Muse contains recent years of 384 scholarly journals in the humanities and social sciences. It includes the journals
Africa: the Journal of the International African Institute, Africa Today and recent issues of African Studies Review which may be of interest to CDS staff. Susan GlenDeputy Subject Librarian (Environment & Society, Engineering, Physical Sciences),

ext. 5031

s.glen@swansea.ac.uk 

A Date for your Diary

On Thursday 22nd May in the Robert Recorde Room, 2nd Floor, Faraday Building, Professor John Tucker, Head of the School of Physical Sciences will give a presentation entitled ‘50 years of Computing in South Wales’.  This presentation will also mark the 50th Anniversary of the British Computer Society.

The presentation will start at approx 6.30 after the annual general meeting of the South Wales Branch of the BCS.  Refreshments will be provided.

All welcome

Beti

Beti Williams
Director, IT Wales
Department of Computer Science
School of Physical Sciences
Swansea University
Singleton Park
Swansea SA2 8PP
www.itwales.com
www.ictforumwales.com

Eight new Intute subject booklets have been published this month, each providing a “taster” of the scholarly Internet resources that can be found by using Intute:Internet resources for environmental science Internet resources for materials engineering Internet resources for film and theatre Internet resources for philosophy Internet resources for education Internet resources for Olympic studies Internet resources for biological sciences Internet resources for pregnancy and childbirth

Over 24 booklets have been published by Intute in recent years, and you are welcome to copy, re-purpose and distribute the printed or electronic versions for non-profit, educational use with suitable attribution, as the work is licenced under a Creative Commons Licence.Staff in UK universities are welcome to order further print copies of the booklets via the Intute Help Desk (while stocks last):

<http://www.intute.ac.uk/feedback.html>_____________________________________________________________Emma Place, Intute Training and Outreach Manager Institute for Learning and Research Technology (ILRT) University of Bristol, 8-10 Berkeley Square Bristol BS8 1HH

Dear all,

The WCC would like to invite you to our Technology Day on ‘Bio-medical Composites’ on the 17/04/08 in Waterton Technology Centre, Bridgend.  

Innovations In Synthetic And Bio-degradable Bones, Prof. Chris Rudd, University of
Nottingham 

Advances In Computer Simulations In Biomechanics, Prof. John Middleton, Biomechanics Research Centre, Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff 

Advances In Titanium Based Materials For Medical Applications, Dr Richard Curtis,
Kings College London 

Composites For Orthopaedic Devices, Prof. John Dominy, Carbon Concepts 

Bio-compatible Textile Ligaments, Mr Julian Ellis OBE, Ellis Developments 

The Potential Of Auxetic Materials In Bio-medical Applications, Prof. Andy Alderson, Auxetic Materials Net, TheUniversity of Bolton

Registration is free and if you would like to attend, please let me know. 

Dr. Anke Skrobek

Project Manager

Welsh Composites Consortium School of Engineering

Swansea University

Singleton Park

Swansea SA2 8PP

Mobile: +44 7934 509414 Fax: +44 1792 602613

To all academic and research staff:

SWANSEA UNIVERSITY

ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH COORDINATION GROUP

Invitation to an Open Forum

on Environmental Research

Friday, 18^th April 2008, commencing 10-30 am

Lecture Theatre

Civil & Computational Research Centre

School of Engineering

Aims

The Open Forum will provide an opportunity for researchers engaged in all aspects of environmental research (business, engineering, health, law, science, etc) to discuss University-wide coordination and out-reach proposals, which have the aims of creating research synergies, expanding the University’s research profile in the environmental theme and establishing better support for academic and related research staff.

Programme

10-30 hrs        Welcome and Introduction by Professor Mike Sullivan, Chair of the 

                         University’s Environmental Research Coordination Group.

10-45 hrs        The University’s developing research strategy by Professor Nigel Weatherill,

                         Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research).

11-00 hrs        Presentations by Schools on their environmental research activities, visions

                        and perspectives.

12-00 hrs        Open discussion.

12-30 hrs        Close

You are invited to the following: 

Seminar Series 

Wednesday 16^thApril

Damian Maye(University of Gloucestershire)

discussing his research on 

 Food Chains & 

 Real Ale

 Microbrewing

  in Wallace, Room 226A, 4.00pm