Orchestrating cell separation in plants : what are the risks and benefits?

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In this podcast, Professor Roberts from the School of Biosciences discusses his research into the mechanism responsible for regulating cell separation in plants. In particular how plants ‘shed’ parts of themselves such as leaves or fruit. Professor Roberts explores the potential application of his research, through prevention or encouraging of the ‘shedding’ process, agricultural harvests could potentially be increased or even synchronised. Professor Roberts also discusses the resistance faced to research in this field, exploring the potential problems it presents and benefits for both the plant and agriculture.

Material Type: Lecture

Author: Professor Jerry Roberts

Machinima

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In this presentation from the Institute of Film and Television Studies' Ephemeral Media Conference, Hugh Hancock from The Strange Company gives industry insights into the world of Machinima and its role in the world of media ephemerality, and shows examples of his work. Presentation produced/delivered: June/July 2009 Suitable for Undergraduate study and community education Author and Presenter: Hugh Hancock, Artistic Director, Strange Company Hugh Hancock co-founded the Strange Company in 1997 which is the world's oldest pro 'Machinima' production company, making films in 3D virtual worlds to tell stories that couldn't be told any other way. Hugh Hancock and Gordon McDonald have produced award-winning independent films (including the feature-length 'BloodSpell') as well as commercial films for the BBC, Electronic Arts and many others.

Material Type: Lecture

Author: Hugh Hancock

Living in an era of global terror

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In this podcast, Professor Richard Aldrich from the School of Politics and International Relations, discusses the impact of globalisation, the opportunities this affords to global terrorists and the challenges faced by the intelligence services. Globalisation has led to a free flow of money, people and ideas, which has benefited many people in the West in recent years and enhanced our standard of living, but the price paid is a reduction in security. As we see a shift towards a de-regulated global economy, with states removing controls over their borders, how does a state maintain its security? This has led to an increase in intelligence led activities and increasing expectations upon them. In addition, Professor Aldrich discusses how mass communication has magnified the influence of terrorists and increased the problems faced by the security services. Finally, Professor Aldrich also discusses the challenges faced by the state in balancing our security, liberty and luxury. Are our civil liberties at risk?

Material Type: Lecture

Author: Professor Richard Aldrich

King Lear to In the loop : fiction and British politics (Interview with Tony Saint)

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Material Type: Lecture

Author: Tony Saint

King Lear to In the loop : fiction and British politics (Interview with James Graham)

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On 11 December 2009, Nottingham University's Centre for British Politics held a conference at the British Academy that drew together politicians, writers and academics to explore the interaction of British politics and fiction. In addition to the conference several video interviews were conducted with some of the speakers on the day. In this interview taken at the Fiction and British Politics Conference in London, playwright James Graham (Toryboyz, Little Madam, Sons of York) talks about his approach to political fiction and what inspires him. Suitable for Undergraduate study and community education James Graham, Political Playwright James Graham writes for theatre, radio, film and television. He won the Catherine Johnson Award for the Best Play 2007 for his play Eden's Empire and was awarded the Pearson Playwriting Bursary in 2006. He is Writer in Residence at the Finborough Theatre and a member of the Royal Court/BBC 50 scheme. James's play Tory Boyz for the National Youth Theatre caused a storm during its run at the Soho Theatre for its portrayal of young, gay men in the modern Conservative Party and received excellent reviews. His first film for television, Caught in a Trap, was broadcast on ITV1 on Boxing Day 2008 and was picked as one of the Broadcast Magazine Hotshots in the same year. He is under commission from a number of TV companies and his play The Whiskey Taster premieres at the Bush Theatre in early 2010. The Centre for British Politics is based in the University's School of Politics and International Relations. www.nottingham.ac.uk/politics/cbp

Material Type: Lecture

Author: James Graham

King Lear to In the loop : fiction and British politics (Interview with Joe Ashton)

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Material Type: Lecture

Author: Joe Ashton

King Lear to In the loop : fiction and British politics (Interview with Steven Fielding)

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On 11 December 2009, Nottingham University's Centre for British Politics held a conference at the British Academy that drew together politicians, writers and academics to explore the interaction of British politics and fiction. In addition to the conference several video interviews were conducted with some of the speakers on the day. In this interview taken at the Fiction and British Politics Conference in London, academic and director of the Centre for British Politics, Professor Steven Fielding, talks about the fascination with politics by writers and filmmakers. Suitable for Undergraduate study and community education Professor Steven Fielding, School of Politics and International Relations Professor Steven Fielding is Professor of Political History and Director of the Centre for British Politics: CBP at The University of Nottingham and is an expert on The Labour Party. He is currently working on a commissioned documentary for BBC Radio 4 on the media portrayal of the Labour Party under Tony Blair. Professor Fielding is particularly focused on the fraught relationship between politicians and the society they represent in Parliament. He is also researching the fictional representation of politics in Britain and the US, focusing in part on novels, film and television from Anthony Trollope to ’The West Wing’ and ’The Thick Of It’. The Centre for British Politics is based in the University's School of Politics and International Relations. www.nottingham.ac.uk/politics/cbp

Material Type: Lecture

Author: Professor Steven Fielding

King Lear to In the loop : fiction and British politics (Interview with Laurence Marks)

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Material Type: Lecture

Author: Laurence Marks

King Lear to In the loop : fiction and British politics (Interview with Chris Mullen)

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On 11 December 2009, Nottingham University's Centre for British Politics held a conference at the British Academy that drew together politicians, writers and academics to explore the interaction of British politics and fiction. In addition to the conference several video interviews were conducted with some of the speakers on the day. In this interview taken at the Fiction and British Politics Conference in London, MP and author Chris Mullin talks about his own political fiction and explains why the line between political reality and fiction is much thinner than you'd think. Suitable for Undergraduate study and community education Chris Mullen, Former MP, Author and Journalist Chris Mullen was a Member of Parliament for Sunderland South between 1987-2010. His books include political diaries "A View from the Foothills" and novels such as the classic political thriller "A Very British Coup" and "Error of Judgement - the truth about the Birmingham Bombings" both of which were adapted for TV. The Centre for British Politics is based in the University's School of Politics and International Relations. www.nottingham.ac.uk/politics/cbp

Material Type: Lecture

Author: Chris Mullen

Industry perspectives in media branding and promotion

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In this presentation from the Institute of Film and Television Studies' Ephemeral Media Workshops Charlie Mawer from Red Bee Media, discusses his company's work on the branding and promotion of television channels; from BBC channels through to new channels like Dave. Presentation produced/delivered: June/July 2009 Suitable for undergraduate study and community education Charlie Mawer, Executive Creative Director, Red Bee Media Charlie Mawer, after a spell of writing comedy, joined a fledgling BBC creative department eventually becoming Executive Creative Director. In 2005 he helped transform the company into Red Bee Media. Since then he has overseen high profile work including the rebranding of BBC1, BBC3, Virgin1 and the network rebranding of UKTV including the IPA gold winning creation of Dave. Red Bee Media works globally with media brands including Disney, Discovery, ESPN, Canal+, and has produced branding for CCTV – China Central Television’s Olympic channel, the host broadcaster for the Beijing Olympics.

Material Type: Lecture

Author: Charlie Mawer

Harvesting history, Laxton : the medieval village that survived the modern age

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A video covering the medieval farming and life styles preserved in Laxton, a small village in Nottinghamshire which has survived the modern age. Includes images and artefacts from the exhibition presented by the University of Nottingham Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections. Suitable for community education, secondary education, undergraduate year one and further education Author and presenter: Kathryn Summerwill. Kathryn Summerwill qualified as a professional archivist from the University of Wales, Bangor, in 1996, and has been an Assistant Archivist in The University of Nottingham’s Manuscripts and Special Collections Section since 2002. She is part of a team of staff using digital tools to extend the provision of traditional printed guides and catalogues, and has curated a number of exhibitions featuring material from the collections.

Material Type: Lecture

Author: Kathryn Summerwill

Flu pandemic : how prepared are we?

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In this podcast Professor Robert Dingwall, Director of the 'Institute of Science and Society' at the University of Nottingham, and a member of the UK government’s Department of Heath committee on the ethical aspects of pandemic influenza, discusses the causes and potential impact of a flu pandemic on the UK. In particular, examining how prepared the UK government is to cope with the medical and social impacts of a flu pandemic, and what steps we can take as individuals to protect ourselves. In the last century, there were three separate flu pandemics, the most serious of which occurred in 1918, which is estimated to have resulted in the deaths of 50 million people worldwide. Professor Dingwall discusses the likelihood of another flu pandemic happening in the future and the differing methods available for protecting the population. He also discusses how a flu pandemic could be defeated, emphasising the importance of the role of the wider community and personal responsibility. Professor Dingwall also discusses the potential impact of a flu pandemic on the workplace, in particular health care professionals and the conflicting responsibilities to themselves, their families and their jobs. How prepared are we in the UK for the potential impact of a flu pandemic?

Material Type: Lecture

Author: Professor Robert Dingwall

Doing the right thing : corporate social responsibility in a global marketplace

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Globalisation, mass consumer awareness and public accountability are all factors in persuading companies to adopt ethical policies. As companies become more accountable not only for their own actions but for those within their supply chain, they have to adapt to ensure success within the context of the global society they operate in. Professor Jeremy Moon (Professor of Corporate Social Responsibility at the University of Nottingham Business School and Director of the International Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility) discusses some of the challenges faced by modern companies in responding to the various pressures driving them to focus on contributing to society as well as on business performance. He also talks about the big challenges ahead for international business and what role The University of Nottingham Business School can provide in further developing its teaching and research to best prepare graduates for success in the current climate.

Material Type: Lecture

Author: Professor Jeremy Moon

Depiction of terrorism in film and television

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In this podcast, Professor Roberta Pearson from the School of American and Canadian Studies, discusses the fictional representation of terrorism in modern day television programmes and why more and more people are using fiction instead of the news to inform their opinions of world events. Professor Pearson considers the frequent engagement of modern audiences with such television series’ as ‘24’ and ‘Battlestar Galactica’ and how these common cultural experiences should not be underestimated as a factor in affecting the way public issues are viewed.

Material Type: Lecture

Author: Professor Roberta Pearson

Darwin for a day

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As part of the University of Nottingham, School of Biology's 200 years of Darwin celebrations, evolutionary geneticist Professor John Brookfield in full Victorian attire delivered a talk, as Darwin, on the theory of evolution via natural selection. In this video Professor John Brookfield is interviewed about his experience of being Darwin for a day Interview took place March 2009 Suitable for Undergraduate study and community education Professor John Brookfield, Professor of Evolutionary Genetics, School of Biology Professor John Brookfield has a BA in Zoology, University of Oxford 1976; PhD in Population Genetics, University of London 1980; He has worked as a Research Demonstrator in Genetics, University College of Swansea 1979-1981; Visiting Fellow, Laboratory of Genetics, The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, North Carolina 1981-1983; Lecturer in Genetics, University of Leicester 1983-1986; Lecturer (1987), Reader (1997) and Professor of Evolutionary Genetics (2004) University of Nottingham. He was Managing Editor, Heredity (2000-2003). Vice-President (External Affairs), Genetics Society 2008-, Appointed Fellow of the Institute of Biology, 2009. Member RAE Biological Sciences Panel and Sub-Panel, 2001 and 2008.

Material Type: Lecture

Author: Professor John Brookfield

Creativity and mental illness : the Madness and Literature Network (Presentation by Paul Sayer)

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In this video author Paul Sayer shares his thoughts on madness and creativity during the Madness and Literature Network Seminar in 2009. For related videocasts see those presented by Professor Paul Crawford and Patrick Gale. Presentation delivered May 2009. Suitable for: Undergraduate study and Community Education Paul Sayer, Author. Paul Sayer is a former psychiatric nurse whose first novel The Comforts of Madness (1988) won the Constable Trophy, the Whitbread First Novel prize, and the Whitbread Book of the Year award. His five subsequent books include The Absolution Game (1992), Booker Prize 'long-listed', and Men in Rage (1999) published by Bloomsbury. His work has been translated into ten languages, and he has been the recipient of a number of scholarships, including a Society of Authors travel award and, for 2007/8, a Wingate Scholarship to support the writing of a new novel. Paul has tutored for Arvon, and has numerous credits for reviews and features in: the Sunday Times, Times, Independent, Literary Review, Time Out, Nursing Standard, Nursing Times, and many more. Psychiatry and psychological sciences remain an interest. 'The Comforts of Madness is surely sad, but enthralling in its excellence. Sayer's style is understated and surehanded.'- New York Newsday Important Copyright Information: You are free to copy, distribute and transmit this video as long as you credit the original author. The video is also available on YouTube

Material Type: Lecture

Author: Paul Sayer

Creativity and mental illness : the Madness and Literature Network (Presentation by Patrick Gale)

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In this video author Patrick Gale shares his thoughts on madness and creativity during the Madness and Literature Network Seminar in 2009. For related videocasts see those presented by Professor Paul Crawford and Paul Sayer. Presentation delivered May 2009. Suitable for: Undergraduate study and Community Education Patrick Gale, Author. Patrick Gale was born on the Isle of Wight in 1962, where his father was prison governor at Camp Hill prison. Later the family moved to London. He boarded at The Pilgrim's School, where he was a chorister, then went to Winchester College before reading English at Oxford University. He did a series of odd jobs to support his writing before becoming a full-time novelist, moving to Cornwall in 1987. He is the author of several novels, and also writes short stories and novellas. He has written one book of non-fiction, on the American novelist Armistead Maupin, and also writes book reviews for The Daily Telegraph. His first two novels, Ease and The Aerodynamics of Pork, were published on the same day in 1986. The Facts of Life (1995) tells the story of Edward Pepper, an exile saved from Nazi Germany in the Kindertransport, and Tree Surgery for Beginners (1998) is about Laurence Frost, an inarticulate tree surgeon. A Sweet Obscurity (2003) is told from the alternating viewpoints of four separate characters. Friendly Fire (2003) draws on the author's own experience of a late 1970s adolescence, and Notes from an Exhibition (2007) is set in Cornwall, exploring the effects of mental illness on artist Rachel Kelly and her family. Important Copyright Information: You are free to copy, distribute and transmit this video as long as you credit the original author. The video is also available on YouTube

Material Type: Lecture

Author: Patrick Gale

Conservation and biodiversity

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Dr. Richard Field research interests lie in conservation, biodiversity and the forces that structure ecological communities. In this podcast, Dr Field from the School of Geography compares and contrasts his experiences as a researcher in national parks in Honduras and Indonesia, and the different types of ecological communities he has studied, and goes on to introduce the emerging field of conservation bio-geography.

Material Type: Lecture

Author: Dr Richard Field

Challenging reality

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A behind the scenes interview with Professor Christopher Barnatt, Director and Producer of a new TV documentary on what we perceive to be real, and what, if any, future lies ahead for us. The TV documentary was televised in April 2009 and was based on a book written by Professor Christopher Barnatt in 1997, also entitled Challenging Reality, which focused on momentous change across history. The new television series developed this theme further, with input from numerous other experts at the University of Nottingham, across three episodes looking at human achievement, geography and communications and the individual and their role in society. April 2009 Suitable for Undergraduate study and community education Professor Christopher Barnatt, Associate Professor Business School and Director Producer of "Challenging Reality" Professor Christopher Barnatt has worked in the Business School at the University of Nottingham for around 19 years, where he is now Director of Teaching. Outside of that role he teaches computing and technology modules, mainly on undergraduate programmes. He is currently researching in the areas of Future Studies, Web 2.0, and green computing, and is actively involved in research, online teaching support and development in a variety of media termed as "Higher Education 2.0". Outside of the University he is the author of ExplainingComputers.com and ExplainingTheFuture.com, as well as a regular contributor to the Morning Show on BBC Radio Nottingham and "The Night Before" on Kerrang! Radio.

Material Type: Lecture

Author: Associate Professor Christopher Barnatt

Caistor dig

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A skeleton, found in September 2009 at one of the most important, but least understood, Roman sites in Britain is puzzling experts from The University of Nottingham. Dr Will Bowden from the Department of Archaeology at the University of Nottingham and leader of excavations at the buried town of Venta Icenorum at Caistor St Edmund in Norfolk and is interviewed in this video on site at the dig. September 2009 Suitable for Undergraduate study and community education Dr Will Bowden, Associate Professor of Roman Archaeology, Department of Archaeology Dr Will Bowden's previous research activity includes work on the Samnite cemetery and 12th century abbey at San Vincenzo al Volturno (Italy), survey of the Basilica of the Forty Martyrs (Albania), and survey of the cathedral complex at Jerash (Jordan) (in collaboration with Prof. Beat Brenk (University of Rome, La Sapienza)). He has also worked extensively on the use of the past in constructing present identities in Greece and Albania. Current Project activity includes work on the Caistor Roman Town project and the Butrint Project (Albania). The Butrint Project (Albania) is an interdisciplinary research project focused on the ancient and medieval town of Butrint on the coast of southern Albania. Involved with the project since its inception in 1994 Dr Will Bowden's current role within the project is concerned with the publication of the 1994-2003 excavations of the Triconch Palace (a major late Roman town-house) and the publication of the excavations of a Roman villa and early Christian church at the site of Diaporit, where he directed excavations from 2000-2004. The Caistor St Edmund Roman Town project is a new research initiative focused on the Roman town of Venta Icenorum, which was established in the territory of the Iceni in the aftermath of the Boudican revolt of AD 60-61. Research here is intended to chart the effects of the town's foundation on its surrounding area and to examine the development and eventual decline of the settlement. The project is being developed in collaboration with South Norfolk Council and the Norfolk Archaeological Trust and one of its key aims is to use ongoing research to encourage wider recognition and public enjoyment of this important Roman site.

Material Type: Lecture

Author: Dr Will Bowden

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