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Hello
Welcome to the May
edition of the UHI alumni newsletter! May is an exciting month
for us because it's when we open nominations for our alumni awards. And
for the first time - we will be awarding three! If you know anyone
deserving, please nominate them below.
It's
fantastic that we have so many great alumni stories to share this
month - with so many different themes from across the whole UHI
partnership. If you'd like to share your story - please get in
touch.
2022 Alumni Awards now open!
Our Alumni
Awards recognise and celebrate the outstanding contributions and
achievements of our alumni. Pictured is our 2021 winner Lorna
McNee who won the award in recognition of her professional success
which saw her receive a Michelin Star just five months into her first
head chef role, being the first solo female chef in Scotland to be
awarded a star in 20 years!
This year we are
delighted to announce there will be three awards! Nominations are now
open for:
1.
UHI Alumni Impact Award
Recognising
alumni who demonstrate notable success and achievement in their
professional career and/or a significant involvement and impact in
their community.
2.
UHI Alumni Disruptor for Good Award
Recognising
alumni who demonstrate innovation and a commitment to pioneering
changes that make a difference to global and local challenges such as
environmental sustainability.
3.
UHI Alumni Ambassador Award
Recognising
alumni who make an ongoing commitment and contribution to UHI.
Please
note:
- Nominees must be
former students of UHI.
- Nominations must be
submitted by midnight on Sunday, 3rd July 2022.
- Anyone is welcome to
nominate including alumni, students and staff. Self-nominations
are also welcomed.
- Nominees may be asked
for permission to use their nomination as a case study.
- Winners will be
expected to take part in any relevant publicity, including
photographs and attendance at a presentation event.
- Winners will be
encouraged to take part in a least one activity in the year of
their award such as providing a feature story, case study or
video.
- All nominations will
be treated in confidence.
- Should you have any
queries, please email
us.
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Alumni
news
Thanks to everyone
who shares their news with us! We love hearing what you're up to!
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Bekah
MacLeod
BA Gaelic and Media Studies, 2018, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig
Congratulations
to Bekah MacLeod who has recently been announced as BBC ALBA's new
CBBC presenter!
Calling on the
experience she gained at UHI through Sabhal Mòr Ostaig’s TV
course and from her degree in Gaelic and Media Studies, Bekah thrived
in the studio environment. Currently living in Glasgow, she has also
spent time elsewhere in the BBC, undertaking an MG ALBA-sponsored
student placement at Radio nan Gàidheal in Stornoway.
Speaking after
her TV debut and explaining her route to working in broadcasting,
Bekah said:
“I’ve
had a few different jobs and never really knew what I wanted to do,
but I’ve always loved being on stage and performing. I did some
extensive training on my TV course where we covered a little bit of
everything over two years. Day one in the studio was fun - but it’s
quite different with the camera pointed at you! Between my placement
at Radio nan Gàidheal and my early career with BBC ALBA, they have
really helped me confirm that working in the media is the perfect
place for me.”
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Frank
To
PDA
Teaching Practice in Scotland's Colleges, 2017, Perth College UHI
Frank To, an art
lecturer at UHI Inverness, was asked to exhibit at the prestigious
Society of Graphic Fine Art annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries
in central London in May. This was less than six months after selling
all his work in the Royal Society of British Artists exhibition!
His unique
technique uses gunpowder and coloured gunpowder made from illegal
firearms. Frank said:
“I
am continuously pushing the boundaries out there in the art world on
contemporary art. I want to show what I teach is what I do, and this
inspires my students who are the next upcoming generation of Scottish
contemporary artists.”
Frank’s
art is also attracting international recognition, collected by actor
Sir Patrick Stewart and New York-based collector Michel Witmer, who
hangs his paintings alongside those of Picasso, Dine and Warhol.
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George
Gunn
BSc
(Hons) Geography, 2020, UHI Inverness
Congratulations
to alumni ambassador George who was elected as a Fellow of the Royal
Geographical Society earlier this year in recognition of his
innovative research and professional practice.
During his time
at UHI, George researched the urban heat island effect in Inverness,
which was the first of its kind to be conducted in the city, and one
of few similar studies globally. He furthered his research interest
in urban meteorology and climate change at the University of Reading,
before returning to the Highlands to take up a new post as Climate
Change Strategy Officer at Moray Council. He said:
“It is a privilege to have been
elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. My journey as a
geographer was shaped by the endless opportunities that I was
provided with as a student. The Highlands are the best place on earth
to study geography, and you’ll find excellent support to do so at
UHI.”
In his role as
alumni ambassador, George has returned to UHI on several occasions as
a guest speaker and to support students with career development and
opportunities.
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Rachel
McClure
BA
(Hons) Fine Art Textiles, 2020, Moray School of Art
Congratulations
to Rachel, an Elgin-based artist, who was joint winner of this year's
prestigious Glenfiddich Residency Award presented at the Royal
Scottish Academy's New Contemporaries Exhibitions in Edinburgh for
recent graduates.
Rachel is the
first artist from UHI to win the award, and joins other artists from
around the world at the Glenfiddich Artists in Residence programme at
Dufftown distiller this summer.
Find
out more about Rachel and her work on her website.
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Amy
Rayner
BA
(Hons) Popular Music, 2014, Perth College UHI
Amy Rayner, and
her band Go To Girl, were recently crowned winners of the
international ‘Player Plus Sessions’ competition with Fender judged
by industry professionals such as Nile Rodgers of Chic and Ellie
Rowsell of Wolf Alice. Go To Girl are an indie pop quartet based in
central Scotland. Their catchy combination of rhythmic guitar riffs,
soulful vocal harmonies and synth pop vibes have cemented their
reputation as a band with a contagious energy and hooks for days.
Their
prize of studio time enabled them to record their latest single ‘Twenty Something’
which is their ode to their generation – available now to stream and download!
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Blair
Watson
BSc (Hons) Marine Science, 2017, SAMS
Have
a read of Blair's alumni story, where he gives an honest and insightful account of his
experience studying marine science in Oban; what his journey has been
like since graduating and how his degree and networks at SAMS helped
towards securing his exciting Project Officer position working in
marine science outreach and communications at Edinburgh’s Dynamic
Earth!
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Dr
Marc Chivers
PhD,
2017, UHI Shetland
Marc has
recently published his first book called ‘Shetland's Boats: Origin, evolution
and use’. The book is the
culmination of his PhD research and explores the central role
vernacular boats played in everyday Shetland life, meeting the
boatbuilders and the people whose way of life was dependent upon,
these seaworthy craft.
Watch an
interview with Marc here, where he talks about his new book and provides
insight into the central role Shetland's unique open boats played in
everyday Shetland life.
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Also, in 2018
Marc teamed up with fellow UHI alum, archaeologist Dr Esther
Renwick
(PhD, 2017, Orkney College UHI) to launch Moder Dy CIC, a community interest company that works to raise
awareness of Shetland’s eroding maritime heritage by engaging and
supporting local communities through involving them in hands-on
multi-disciplinary research projects.
Find out more about Moder Dy.
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World-leading
research results show importance of UHI community connection
Nearly three
quarters of UHI research has been classified as ‘world leading’ or
‘internationally excellent’ in a new expert review undertaken to
assess the quality of research in UK higher education institutions.
Research in
health and nursing, earth systems and environmental and marine
sciences, archaeology, education, area studies, Gaelic and history
were all recognised by the Research Excellence Framework.
This latest
assessment looked at a range of aspects of the work of 117
researchers across the UHI partnership. It examined the impact of their
research, demonstrating how targeted research at UHI can support
sustainable and inclusive economic prosperity in our communities, as
well as addressing some of Scotland’s biggest challenges.
UHI principal
and vice-chancellor, Professor Todd Walker said:
“This is a great result for UHI
and recognises we can more than hold our own in a very competitive
research environment. We have achieved and exceeded our expectations,
building on our success in 2014. Our staff, students and communities
should be very proud of UHI which is delivering a high standard of
research locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
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Fresh
look for UHI signals shift to where learning means more
The UHI
partnership revealed a new visual identity in March to strengthen
engagement with communities and market its offerings more effectively
through a connected and recognisable brand family.
As well as new
approaches to photography and design, the change features a new logo
across campuses, based on the letters UHI, and an embedded plus sign
and strapline: ‘where learning means more’.
Ten years on
from establishing university status, UHI has built a strong
foundation to move into a new strategic chapter founded on a ‘Daring to be different’ ethos, affirming its role as a regionally focused
partnership of independent colleges and research institutions
covering the largest geographical area of any campus-based facility
in the UK.
Read more
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New
centre to unlock algae potential
A laboratory
based at SAMS is helping to unlock the huge potential of algae as a
sustainable resource for new products and environmental solutions
after opening a new £681,641 centre.
The Culture
Collection for Algae and Protozoa (CCAP) holds around 3,000 strains
of microscopic organisms such as marine and freshwater algae,
cyanobacteria and protozoa, as well as some seaweeds and seaweed
pathogens. The nearly 100-year-old collection, one of the oldest and
most biodiverse in the world, will be at the core of a new centre for
algae production and analysis, the CCAP-ARIES (Algae Research,
Innovation and Environmental Science) Centre. The state-of-the-art
facility will help scientists around the world to discover new
products and medicines and to understand the natural world in a
changing climate.
Read more
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UHI
seeks community views on its Islands Strategy
UHI has launched
a public survey to find out how well the strategic themes of its
Islands Strategy aligns with and can support community and economic
development priorities for the islands of Orkney, Shetland and the
Outer Hebrides.
The online
survey is open to members of the community, public bodies, businesses
and the voluntary sector on the three islands until 6 June
2022.
Click here to take part in the
survey.
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UHI
set to launch NextGen HNC Horticulture
The NextGen HNC
Horticulture will be adaptable and flexible to respond to the needs
of a constantly changing employment environment and will enable
students to develop subject-specific technical skills in preparation
for employment in the land-based sector.
UHI
horticultural students are lucky enough to receive tuition in some of
Scotland’s most stunning gardens, such as Mount Stuart on the Isle of
Bute, and this NextGen HNC will ensure they are well equipped to
become industry leaders of the future.
Find out more about applying to the UHI NextGen
HNC in Horticulture
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Alumni
benefits
UHI alumni have access to
a range of benefits and services.
If you can offer a
discount to your fellow alumni or have any suggestions to enhance the
range of benefits we offer - we'd love to
hear from you!
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Careers
support for life
Our Careers team
are here to support you to develop and manage your future career. You
can book guidance appointments, search the Job Shop, book a mock
interview and upload your CV or application form for feedback.
Simply register with FutureMe.
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Alumni
access to e-Resources
You can access a
range of e-Resources for free to assist with your lifelong learning
after leaving university.
To
access, please register here.
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Where learning means
more | Far a bheil ionnsachadh a' ciallachadh barrachd
www.uhi.ac.uk
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Ness Walk, Inverness, IV3 5SQ |
Slighe Nis, Inbhir Nis, IV3 5SQ
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