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 PHOTO STORY: MAJOR FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED TO RAISE £2.5 MILLION FOR SCOTLAND'S FIRST ROBOTIC SURGICAL EQUIPMENT Read More
STUDENTS AND DONORS CELEBRATE THE GIFT OF SCHOLARSHIPS Read More
NEW ABERDEEN STUDY HIGHLIGHTS SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTIONS IN INVESTMENT AND PRODUCTION OF OIL AND GAS AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE TAX INCREASE ANNOUNCED IN BUDGET 2011 Read More
NEW KING'S MUSEUM OPENS IN OLD ABERDEEN Read More
SCIENTIST INCLUDED IN LIST OF MEN SHAPING FUTURE Read More
15–22 June, Aberdeen - The annual Aberdeen Geological Alumni geology cruise leaves from Stonehaven, providing an opportunity to see the Highland boundary fault from a different viewpoint as well as getting a close look at the birds on the reserve at RSPB Fowlesheugh. Places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment by contacting Roger Hinton.
7 July, London - There will be an informal gathering for alumni living in and around London at The Pontefract Castle, 71 Wigmore Street, off Oxford Street, London W1U 1QB from 6.30pm onwards. The event will offer the opportunity to meet with fellow graduates over a drink. If you would like to attend, please email Hazel Veitch.
20 July, New York - The New York Alumni Ambassadors are organising an outing for Aberdeen Alumni to attend the New York Mets' game against the St. Louis Cardinals. If you would like to join them, please contact David Baxter so he can book tickets.
6 September, Cromarty - Our annual dolphin watching boat trip from Cromarty includes a tour of the University's Lighthouse Field Station - our Highland base for the Zoology Department's research and teaching on the ecology of seals, dolphins and other marine life. Your ticket includes dinner afterwards at Suttor Creek. For more information and to book tickets please contact Hazel Veitch.
British Science Festival (Aberdeen), 4–9 September 2012
CALL FOR PROPOSALS opens Monday 6 June 2011
Europe’s biggest science festival is coming to Aberdeen in 2012 hosted by the University of Aberdeen working alongside TechFest-SetPoint.
As well as spotlighting the host region and partners to an international audience, the festival attracts substantial media coverage and features an exciting suite of specialist, public and schools events.
Do you have an idea for an event? Are there high profile speakers or popularisers of science you would like to see in Aberdeen? Do you have a research project that is likely to be generating major results around the festival?
Whatever your area or interest, you can get involved now. From 6 June 2011 the official Call for Proposals for the 2012 Festival will be open. Visit www.abdn.ac.uk/2012 for more information and a link straight to the online proposal form. You could help shape next year’s festival and be part of a unique event in Scotland’s science scene. As the festival will not return to Scotland for over a decade, this is an opportunity not to be missed!
More Cafe Dates Launched
Click here to download the Summer/Autumn programme for the ever popular Cafe Scientifique series. With several topics and speakers featuring each month there is sure to be something to interest everyone. What's more, most events are free (though some require booking). All are pitched at a very accessible level and give ample time for audience questions and discussion.
Discovery Gallery is the latest series of science-related discussion events. In this, the first series, four experts take inspiration from the 2011 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition at Aberdeen Art Gallery. Click here to download the programme.
Final of the 2011 Shinty Sutherland Cup
 2011 will see Aberdeen University Shinty Club celebrate their 150th birthday and in doing so become the first shinty club to reach this significant milestone. The distinguished association between the University and the sport of shinty will be marked this summer when the University hosts the final of the 2011 Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup on the 30th of July. Click here for more information.
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University of Aberdeen’s new Strategic Plan for 2011-15 Launched
This strategic vision of the University’s future has been shaped by our community in the widest sense having had input from our internal and external communities. The result is an exciting vision, one that clearly asserts Aberdeen’s ambition to enhance its reputation as one of the world’s leading universities but which is also committed to serving the needs of its local and national communities.
It is well known that the next few years are going to be very challenging ones for universities in the UK. Reductions in public funding for higher education are the obvious challenge but there are many others. The expectations of students and society for teaching and research are rightly increasing and we know that the world of higher education will continue to become more and not less competitive.
As we face up to the many challenges facing universities today we can take confidence from several facts. The first is that in developing the Plan we have had these challenges at the forefront of our thinking. The second is the success that the University has shown that it can deliver in recent years. Finally, we can also take confidence from the strength we have in the University’s network of partners, alumni and friends with whom we are committed to working with to realise this strategic vision of a great university that continues to meet the needs of the many communities it serves.
To download a copy of the plan please visit: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/about/strategic-plan.php.
The University of Aberdeen was delighted to hear that an original choral composition by Dr Paul Mealor was chosen by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for their Royal Wedding.
The ceremony in Westminster Abbey on Friday 29 April 2011 featured Paul Mealor’s Ubi Caritas, performed by The Choir of Westminster Abbey and The Choir of Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace, conducted by James O’Donnell.
Paul described how the Royal request came as a total surprise, saying: “I was thrilled to hear that HRH Prince William of Wales had chosen my music for his wedding. How humbling it is for me to know that Prince William and Catherine will celebrate the beginning of their lives together with my music. The ceremony is going to be, without a doubt, the most emotionally intense and exhilarating hour of my life!’’
To hear Ubi Caritas click here and to find out more about the talented 35-year-old choral composer who has taught at the University of Aberdeen since 2003 watch the first in our 5 Minutes With series.
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The Fabric of the Land Exhibition - Call for Submissions
 A geology-inspired exhibition that explores links between art and science is to be held at the University of Aberdeen in association with diversified energy services company Senergy, for the second successive year.
The Fabric of the Land Exhibition will be held in the Meston Building at the University of Aberdeen from 3-17 September and will feature the work of well established and emerging talents whose artworks focus on the theme of the Origin of Colour. The deadline for artwork submissions is 1 July 2011. For more information about the exhibition or how to enter, please visit the website.
Did you Write for Gaudie from 1975-1980?
The student staff members of Gaudie in the late 1970's went on to a variety of careers - some into television, radio, photography and multimedia, journalism and others into teaching. It would be really great to hold a get-together and find out what everyone is up to now. If you wrote for Gaudie from 1975–1980 please email Julie at julie.adams@abdn.ac.uk.
Memories of Rectors of Aberdeen
Donald Wintersgill is writing a book on the Rectors of Aberdeen from 1859 to 2000 and is seeking help from alumni. He is looking for anecdotes, reminiscences, ephemera of election campaigns, photographs, programmes from installations, texts of Addresses - indeed anything or everything that is historic and interesting. If you have anything to contribute please contact Donald Wintersgill by emailing donaldwintersgill@hotmail.com.
Wintersgill is the author of Rectors of Glasgow University 1820 – 2000, of The Rectors of the University of Edinburgh 1859 – 2000, and of The Rectors of St Andrews University 1859 – 2002.
Aberdeen Alumnus Association
On 29 March 2011 members of the Association heard talks by Vice-Principal Chris Gane and Ali MacLeod, Senior Development Executive. Professor Gane, who holds the Chair of Scots Law and is Vice-Principal for Culture and Communities, spoke about the Strategic Plan and more generally about the challenges which the University is facing and how well the University is placed to deal with those challenges. Ms. MacLeod spoke about the University’s very successful fundraising efforts, with particular reference to the new Library and the proposed new international-standard aquatic centre. Both speakers gave most interesting and encouraging presentations and answered questions from members.
On 1 May, 30 members and guests attended the Cowdray Hall to hear performances by the finalists in the Ogston Music Prize. The hall was packed and the very impressive performances were greeted with great enthusiasm.
On 18 May, the Association visited Mackie’s of Scotland at Westerton, Rothienorman. The visit was hosted by Maitland Mackie.
Our next event, on 23 July 2011, will be our annual visit to the Aboyne and Deeside Festival to see a performance of “Absolutely Legless”, preceded by a supper.
For more information about these and other planned events, contact Association Secretary Alan Towns at Aberdeen 589812 or at abalas@btinternet.com. For information about membership of the Association visit the website.
No Other Place
 The Alumnus Association holds some 40 copies of No Other Place, an anthology of poetry from Aberdeen University Review 1913 -1995, published in book form in 1995. It is on sale for alumni at a discounted price of £8.
For more information, contact Association Secretary Alan Towns at abalas@btinternet.com.
Aberdeen Quincentenary Prize
 A gifted musician, an outstanding triathlete and a multi-talented medical student who helps Islamic students to settle in Aberdeen were honoured by the University in May. Natasha Moir, Edward Jones and Nur Aizaan Anwar are this year’s winners of the Aberdeen Quincentenary Prize. The annual award, established to mark the University’s 500th anniversary, recognises the exceptional efforts and talents of students. The students were each presented with a £1000 cash prize and medal in honour of their achievements by the Lord Provost of Aberdeen, Peter Stephen. Click here to read more.
Postgraduate Funded Programmes Announced
The University is delighted to announce that applications are now being invited for a range of Taught Postgraduate Programmes that have been allocated funding by the Postgraduate Students’ Allowance Scheme (PSAS). The programmes are fully funded by the Awards, meaning SAAS will pay full (including MSc) tuition fees direct to the University. Thirty Taught Programmes have been supported in total and the deadline for applications is 21st October 2011.
For more information on the funded programmes please visit www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/psas
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