A new series of Christmas lectures begin at Sunderland Minster next Wednesday (December 6) looking at the conflict between religious faith and science – beginning with an expert on the human mind.
The first of the weekly Advent Lectures will begin with Dr Harry Erwin, an experimental neuroscientist at the University of Sunderland. Dr Erwin is originally from California and his research has included a stint working with bats to try to discover how they use sound to track and capture their insect prey.
Dr Erwin’s current research looks at how the mind processes sound, and how this can be translated into creating a ‘listening’ robot.
Hospital technician Ken Knight today (Thursday, November 30) received a special award from the University of Sunderland for his services to the health profession.
Ken, who also graduated from the University of Sunderland today, played a key part in developing a training programme at City Hospitals Sunderland, which has had a major impact on staffing levels for the hospital’s new operating theatres.
Over the years Ken has invested a lot of time and effort in the programme, which has helped the hospital bridge the skills gaps. His input into this unique programme of training has allowed many previously untrained staff, mainly technicians, to assist surgeons and anaesthetists with intricate patient care.
Oscar-winning songwriter Sir Tim Rice was honoured today (Thursday, November 30) by the University of Sunderland.
The long-time Sunderland football fan was awarded an honorary doctorate in recognition of his outstanding contribution to musical theatre, film and publishing.
The 62-year-old is known throughout the world for his partnership with Andrew Lloyd-Webber - creating such classics as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita.
Education leaders in Sunderland discussed how best to tackle issues such as racism in schools today (Wednesday, November 29) at a special conference in the city.
The Race and Cultural Diversity in Schools event brought together education experts from the University of Sunderland and teachers throughout the city to promote the need for diversity in schools.
The conference emphasised the important role schools and teachers can play relating to the promotion of diversity, with particular reference to anti-racist work in schools.
One of the North East’s biggest online success stories is celebrating six years in business this week, with an awards ceremony which will recognise the achievements of those at the cutting edge of 21st Century learning.
The Regional Support Centre Northern (RSC) assists colleges, universities and local education authorities in making the best possible use of information and communications technologies. RSC Northern provides technical and learning support to 22 further education and sixth form colleges, three specialist colleges, the North-East’s five universities and 12 local education authorities.
The University of Sunderland’s Big Band will show they’ve got big hearts next Saturday (December 2) when they play a special concert in support of the Grace House Hospice Appeal.
The University Big Band has joined forces with the South Shields Charity Singers for the special concert featuring classic big band music from the 30s and 40s. Tickets cost £5 all of which goes to the Grace House Hospice Appeal.
Oscar-winning songwriter Sir Tim Rice is to be honoured this week (Thursday, November 30) by the University of Sunderland.
The ardent Sunderland football fan is being awarded an honorary doctorate in recognition of his outstanding contribution to musical theatre, film and publishing.
The 62-year-old is known throughout the world for his partnership with Andrew Lloyd-Webber - creating such classics as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita.
If you want to study something a little different the University of Sunderland has the ideal opportunity for you to think about your options.
The Combined Subjects open day takes place at the university’s Gateway on Chester Road this Wednesday (November 29) from 1pm to 4pm. Subjects on offer include everything from American Studies, to Business and Management to Law – many subjects can be combined together to create a degree which is in keeping with your interests or career goals.
The university’s most popular combinations are Psychology and Criminology, Business and PR, English and Media, History and Politics. Learning two subjects in one degree expands your career prospects and broadens your knowledge.
Sunderland based artist Virginia Bodman will complete an art marathon this week, opening three new exhibitions with over 40 paintings - tracing a decade of her work.
The new exhibitions present Virginia’s work from 1995 to 2005.
Sea, a joint exhibition with popular North-East landscape artist Robert Soden opened this week at the Red Box Gallery (Newcastle); Full Volume, is at the Globe Galleries from Saturday (November 25). The Globe Galleries are two interconnected contemporary art galleries; the Globe City Gallery (Newcastle) and the Globe Hub Gallery (North Shields).
Shoppers at the Bridges in Sunderland will see a most unusual work of modern art this Christmas – a giant crocodile made entirely out of food tins.
But Canstruction is an artwork with a difference – it is designed by local schoolchildren, and all the cans will help to feed the needy.
The project has been developed by the University of Sunderland’s Vardy Gallery and is based on a popular American Christmas tradition, where more than 80 Canstructions take place over the festive season.
University of Sunderland caterers have won a national healthy eating award by putting staff and students’ health at the top of the menu.
The Heartbeat Award is presented to caterers who are committed to offering customers greater choice in healthy food, a healthier environment and exacting standards of food hygiene.
The award underlines the university’s commitment to the health and well-being of it staff and students. Heartbeat Award judges were impressed with the healthy ingredients in foods across all menus and with the selection of food, drinks and alternative snack options. Judges also commended the university’s commitment to limiting high sugar and carbonated drinks and replacing these with healthier options.
Student Kelly Lowton has been shortlisted for a young achiever award after showing exceptional commitment in helping young people realise what they can achieve in life.
Kelly, from Sunderland, has been shortlisted in the undergraduate category of next month’s (December) regional Young Achiever Awards.
The 19-year-old photography student at the University of Sunderland sacrificed her own time to take part in the university's Student Associates Scheme, which focuses on working with young people with potential but lack belief in themselves.
University of Sunderland students have scooped an award for the sixth year running at the BBC Radio 1 Student Radio Awards.
This year saw the university’s radio station, Utopia FM, win a silver award in the Best Live Event or Outside Broadcast category. The station was also shortlisted in the Best Journalistic Programming category.
The award, presented in London by Radio 1’s Scott Mills and Jo Whiley, was for programmes recorded outside the studio that capture the essence of an event.
University of Sunderland masters student Richard Pearce is today (Friday, Nov 17) celebrating after being awarded second prize in the UK Science & Enterprise Challenge (UKSEC) Business Planning Competition.
Richard’s new company Qclassics.com beat off strong competition from enterprising students from 18 other UK Universities, which included Oxford and the London Business School, to claim the prize.
Qclassics.com is the world’s first online talking-books store for the lesbian and gay community, and aims to build a high-quality audio archive of fiction and non-fiction material available to buy through the website.
The University of Sunderland’s commitment to equality and diversity has been recognised by renowned gay rights campaign organisation Stonewall.
The new edition of Stonewall's Starting Out Recruitment Guide, which lists UK employers that support equality for gay men and women, has this year included the university.
The guide, aimed at students and jobseekers across the UK, includes the university as one of only seven educational institutions to feature and is the only university in the North-East.
North-East art student Kam-Li Cheng has received one of the top honours in the animation industry.
The 22-year-old, from South Shields, had her work put forward to be exhibited in the student category at the Bradford Animation Festival - one of the industry’s most high profile events.
However, after seeing her designs, festival organisers decided to show her work in the professional section – the ambition of many professional animators.
The University of Sunderland is taking the lead in helping to improve the knowledge and skills of public health professionals in the North-East.
Several new courses have been set up at the university to help staff deal with a population with one of the lowest levels of life expectancy in the UK.
The courses, which begin in early 2007, will concentrate on changing health behaviours, health promotion and drug and alcohol abuse.
England’s largest independent Irish conference gets underway this weekend in Sunderland. (Friday, November 10 to Sunday 12)
Experts, VIPs and visitors from around the world will be at the event - the fourth time it will have been held in the city – to celebrate the richness of the Emerald Isle’s writings, history and culture.
The event, which is hosted by the University of Sunderland, includes plays, exhibitions, poetry, readings, lectures and an end of event ceilidh.
An initiative to tackle the shortage of enterprising companies in the North-East is starting to pay dividends.
Creativitiworks was set up by the University of Sunderland in 2004 to help graduates from the arts, design and media wanting to set up businesses in the region.
The latest company to emerge from the project is Kino Media, created by Sunderland graduates Matt Smith and David Jones.
A film festival with a difference opens in Sunderland next Tuesday (November 7) – there are no films featured in it.
The International Flipbook Festival is at the University of Sunderland’s Vardy Gallery and offers hands-on experience of over one hundred flipbooks made by contemporary artists throughout Europe and North America. The festival is a celebration of hand-powered cinema.
The festival will launch in truly festive style on Tuesday from 6pm when visitors to the gallery can enjoy the new exhibition and also a live Mariachi Band, and a seven foot high chocolate fountain.