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18 February 2010 |
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 News
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• China survey - a message from the Director
LSE Director Howard Davies invites all LSE staff to take part in a
short survey on China and its role in the world.
He said: ‘The survey will be an important part of preparations for the
5th LSE Asia Forum, which will be held in Beijing on 26 March 2010. I should
be most grateful if you could take a few minutes to complete it.
Themed China and the World: the challenges of change, the Forum
will bring together leading LSE academics, policymakers and business leaders
to debate key challenges facing China and the world. There will be four
panels, covering the future role of financial markets in creating affluence,
the development of health care systems, climate change and economic growth
and China’s rise as a diplomatic power.
The survey relates to issues covered by the four panels. We plan to use
the results with Chinese and other Asian media, as part of our publicity for
the School and its work as expressed at the Forum. It is an anonymous
survey.‘
The survey can be found
here.
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• LSE
professor receives lifetime achievement award
Professor Rom Harré, director of the Centre for Natural and Social Science
at LSE, has been awarded a lifetime achievement award from the American
Psychological Association (Division 24).
The award, established in 1998, is one of the Association’s highest
awards, and recognises one of its members each year for life-time scholarly
achievement.
Kareen Ror Malone, president of the Society for Theoretical and
Philosophical Psychology of the American Psychological Association
explained: ‘Professor Harré’s numerous and significant contributions to
psychology made him the most highly deserving recipient of this award.’
On receiving the award, Professor Harré said: 'Psychological
understanding is vital in many areas of our lives, and it is cheering that
the efforts my friends and I have made to reshape psychology as a science
have been recognised.'
More
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• LSE
economists call for urgent action on budget deficit
Seven LSE academics were among a group of 20 eminent economists who signed a
letter to The Sunday Times on 14 February calling for urgent action
to reduce Britain's budget deficit.
Tim Besley, Howard Davies, Lord Meghnad Desai, Charles Goodhart, Albert
Marcet, Christopher Pissarides and Danny Quah signed the statement on UK
fiscal policy. To read the full statement, click
here.
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• Cash
for cartridges
The cartridge recycling scheme has been running at LSE for over three
years and is making a real contribution to the School’s recycling
activities.
The Reprographics team estimate that around 600 sacks of used cartridges
have been returned, which amounts to an approximate weight of 4496kg
avoiding land fill.
Smaller contributions are also welcome, i.e. inkjet cartridges.
So far through the scheme, the School has raised an amazing £20,192 which
will be donated to charities such as the Bristol Children’s Hospice, the
Tommy’s baby appeal, Cancer Research and Orca, which looks after whales and
dolphins.
Nick Sharman, office manager in Reprographics, said: ‘This scheme really
does make a difference, so please continue to bring your cartridges to the
Reprographics department, room A33 (preferably in the original packaging).’
For more information, contact Nick on ext 7986 or at
n.p.sharman@lse.ac.uk
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• 2009
staff survey results
The preliminary results of the 2009 staff survey are now online. 1,038
members of staff contributed to the survey which is 45 per cent of salaried
staff. Of these, 77 per cent were ‘very’ or ‘quite’ satisfied with working
at LSE, and 65 per cent strongly agreed or agreed with the statement ‘My
experiences at the School make me proud to work for LSE.’
To view these results, click
here.
The survey consultancy unit of Bristol University - Positive People - who
managed the staff survey are currently analysing the survey in depth and
detailed findings will be presented at two meetings on Wednesday 3 March, at
12.15 and 2pm in Room D602, Clement House. Briefings are open to all staff
and we would be very pleased to see you at one of these meetings.
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• Economists Online launched
Economists Online is a free subject portal allowing users to access a
vast wealth of resources including working papers, journal articles,
books, book chapters and datasets, on economics and related subjects.
It was officially launched on 28 January by LSE professor Nicholas Barr.
Professor Barr described the service as 'a wonderful treasure trove of
easy-to-find resources, all the more because so many can be downloaded
directly.'
Economists Online is run by the Nereus consortium and was co-funded by
the European Commission. It can be accessed at
economistsonline.org
Staff at LSE's Library were heavily involved in the development of
Economists Online, which uses information about LSE researchers and their
research from LSE Research Online. If you have any questions or comments
about the portal, contact Dave Puplett at
d.puplett@lse.ac.uk
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• Man & Cameraman project launched
George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) was not only a prolific playwright and
social-political commentator but an avid photographer, taking and collecting
over 16,000 images, which are now held in the LSE Archives, from c1860s until his death in 1950. In collaboration with The National Trust, his
collection will be catalogued and around half of them digitised.
The photographs include formal and informal portraits of Shaw, with many
images of Shaw’s friends and colleagues, for example, Beatrice and Sidney
Webb, Edward Elgar and Augustus John. There are photographs relating to
Shaw’s travels and productions such as the filming of Caesar and Cleopatra
with Vivien Leigh. The collection also shows how photography was developing
as an art form.
Launched in January 2010, the project will run for 18 months.
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• Advisory group on military detention
Dr Jenny Kuper in the Law Department at LSE is now a member of the
newly-established 'Advisory Group on Military Detention.' Dr Kuper will be
advising HM chief inspector of Prisons, Dame Anne Owers, on inspection of UK
overseas military detention facilities.
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• LSE
Digest 2008-09 now online
The latest version of LSE Digest, a compendium of information about
the School that is published every academic year, is now online.
Featuring information on School activities and news from 1 August 2008 to
31 July 2009, the publication includes Director Howard Davies' annual report
and lists the honours conferred on LSE alumni, governors and Honorary
Fellows; new Honorary Fellows; changes to academic office holders;
obituaries; degrees; scholarships and prizes awarded during the 2008-09
academic year.
The latest edition can be found
here.
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• Just 50 cents
On 7 March, a group of students from the LSE/London School of Hygiene
and Tropical Medicine MSc in Health Policy, Planning and Financing will be
running the Paris Semi Marathon to raise money for the Global Network for
Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD).
In order to raise awareness for their campaign, the students decided to
make a music video to send out their message. Consuelo David, one of the
students involved in the campaign, said: ‘A song and music video seemed like
a great way to do this as it allowed us to showcase the School, the
class, and the cause, but most importantly show how dedicated we are both
individually and as a group.’
The students chose the song Gangsta’s Paradise by Coolio, re-writing the
lyrics to describe why their chosen charity deserves your help and
attention. ‘My class is amazing. Not only are the members smart and motivated, but
they are enthusiastic and have a great sense of humour,’ added Consuelo.
To watch the team’s music video Parasite's Paradise, visit
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGb_UMx1mps. To sponsor them, click
here. 100 per cent of donations will go to NTD control and
elimination efforts in Haiti.
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• Academic
paper from the 1960s to be reprinted
A paper by emeritus Professor Ailsa Land originally published in the
Econometrica journal in the 1960s has been reprinted in 50 Years of
Integer Programming, 1958-2008.
Written in collaboration with Alison Doig, the paper was the outcome of a
year’s research at LSE sponsored by British Petroleum, leaders at the time
in the application of linear programming to refinery operations. BP were
aware that to extend their models to the transport and storage of petroleum
products would require a way of solving problems with discrete rather than
continuous variables. This paper was the first of what became one of the
basic techniques for dealing with such models.
'An Automatic Method for Solving Discrete Programming Problems' by
Ailsa Land and Alison Doig was originally printed in Econometrica 28 (1960)
pp. 497-520. For more on 50 Years of Integer Programming, 1958-2008
or to purchase the new book, see
www.springer.com/mathematics/numbers/book/978-3-540-68274-5 |
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 Notices
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• LSE
Teaching Day 2010 - call for contributions
LSE Teaching Day is a free one-day event dedicated to sharing experiences
and showcasing successful teaching practice and innovation. It builds on the
success of last year's inaugural Teaching Day.
This year's Teaching Day will take place on Tuesday 18 May and will focus
on the following themes:
- Feedback
- Assessment
- Success in undergraduate or graduate teaching
- Research-led teaching
Based on feedback from last year's event, the organising committee are
soliciting contributions from academic colleagues for the parallel sessions
that will run during the day. We aim to bring together staff and students to
explore the challenges and opportunities to improve the learning experience
at LSE. These can take the form of presentations, discussions,
demonstrations and workshops.
Poster presentations, to be displayed throughout the day, are also
welcome. Submissions highlighting best practice from LSE's academic
community are particularly encouraged.
To take part, go to
www.lse.ac.uk/teachingday and complete the form by Friday 19 March.
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• Online
Recruitment System - support for managers
The Human Resources Division is offering drop in sessions of one hour,
twice a week, to discuss with managers any specific questions or give them
an overview of the system.
The sessions take place every Tuesday and Friday between 3-4pm in W200
(second floor, Tower 3). Pop in for any help you might need in using the
online recruitment system. For more information, click
here.
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• Wardens
wanted for three halls of residences
LSE is recruiting to fill three Wardens positions, available from September
2010.
LSE halls are fantastic places in which to live and work. Located in central
London, they play a crucial part in delivering the 'student experience'.
Wardens play a key role in the halls, being responsible for the good order
of the residence community, the social well-being of resident students and
the maintenance of an acceptable standard of discipline within the
residence.
Wardens are supported by teams of sub-wardens, recruited from the LSE
post-graduate student body.
For more information, please go to the HR website, internal vacancies
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 Research
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• Teenage
pregnancy can improve lives
Teenage pregnancy is not always a disaster and can sometimes improve
youngsters' lives, according to a new book which challenges the idea that it
is a symptom of social and moral breakdown.
The book, Teenage Parenthood: what's the problem?, argues that
teenage pregnancy is not necessarily the result of ignorance about
contraception or of low expectations. Instead, the majority of teenage
mothers interviewed by the authors of this edited collection were motivated
to achieve well in education and employment to provide a stable future for
their children. Rather than suffering 'broken homes', they often enjoyed
plenty of support from close family networks.
One of the book's editors, Dr Claire Alexander of LSE, explains:
'Politicians often complain that Britain lags behind other European
countries in reducing the number of teenage conceptions and young mothers.
The book explores how this fear of teenage pregnancy is bound up in
stereotypes of working class young women whose out-of-control sexuality has
historically concerned the ruling classes as having a dangerous potential
for social and moral disorder.'
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• LSE
academic says UK faces looming 'oil crunch'
An LSE academic has joined leading business figures to call on the
government to take action to minimise the damage caused by a future 'oil
crunch' - the result of an imminent peak in world oil production combined
with continuously rising energy demand especially in emerging economies.
A new report, The Oil Crunch - a wake up call for the UK economy,
produced by the UK Industry Taskforce on Peak Oil and Energy Security,
includes an expert opinion from Dr Robert Falkner, a senior lecturer in
international relations at LSE.
The taskforce, made up of the heads of private British companies
including Virgin's Sir Richard Branson, has said that an 'oil crunch' could
emerge within five years. It calls on the government to acknowledge that the
era of cheap oil is over, and that we must plan for a world in which oil
prices are likely to be both higher and more volatile. The UK needs to
prepare itself by further raising energy efficiency and promoting renewable
energy, but also protecting the poorest members of society from increased
energy costs.
More
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• Research
councils around the world join forces to tackle global problems
For the first time in history, research organisations from across the G8
have joined forces to find solutions to some of the biggest global problems.
Research funding organisations from Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Russia,
the UK and the USA have signed an agreement which will bring together the
best researchers in the world to address some of the biggest challenges of the
21st Century.
International collaboration is critical to finding solutions to the major
problems facing the world today. It adds value to the worldwide research
base and helps inform decisions about how to tackle the impact of these
problems on the global economy and society. The Multilateral Research
Funding Programme will give researchers an unprecedented opportunity to
collaborate across disciplines to address major global
challenges including climate change, energy, water resources, the
environment and natural disasters.
The programme is scheduled to run for five years and three calls for
research proposals will be made during that time.
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• Research
opportunities
Candidates interested in applying for any research opportunities should
contact Michael Oliver in the
Research and Project Development Division at
m.oliver@lse.ac.uk or call ext 7962.
The Research and Project Development Division maintains a regularly
updated list of
research funding opportunities for academic colleagues on their website.
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• RPDD
Research e-Briefing
Click
here
to read the January edition of the RPDD newsletter. To sign up
for research news, recent research funding opportunities, research awards
that are about to start, and examples of research outcomes, click
here. The next issue is out
at the end of February 2010.
More
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 Events
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• New LSE event....
The Future Development of International Criminal Justice: an
interdisciplinary approach
On: Friday 5 March at 11-12noon
Speaker: Sang-Hyun Song
Tickets released at 10am on Thursday 25 February
Other upcoming events include....
Barack Obama and the Muslim World
On: Tuesday 23 February at 6.30pm in the Old Theatre, Old Building
Speaker: Professor Gilles Kepel
Civil Society, Aid and Security
On: Wednesday 24 February at 6.30pm in the Old Theatre, Old Building
Speakers: Professor Sally Healy, Dr Jeremy Lind, David Page,
and David Peppiat
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• Podcasts of public lectures and events
Freefall
Monday 8 February, 6.30pm, Peacock Theatre
Speaker: Professor Joseph Stiglitz
Click here to listen
Sustainable Housing: how can we save 80 per cent of our energy use in
existing homes?
Tuesday 9 February, 6.30pm, New Theatre, East Building
Speaker: Professor Anne Power
Click here to listen
A Broken Middle East: a wasted decade of war on terror
Wednesday 10 February, 6.30pm, Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building
Speaker: Professor Fawaz A Gerges
Click here to listen
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• CPNSS 20th anniversary celebrations
The Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science (CPNSS) is
celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, there will
be several celebratory events:
- Show Case Seminar
Friday 12 March, 2pm, Room T206, Lakatos Building
The event will include contributions from new projects as well as the
more long-standing projects within the Centre, and will be followed by a
drinks reception at 5.30pm.
In the Summer term, the Centre will also host three public lectures under
the general theme of Philosophy in Psychology:
- Evolutionary Psychology
Monday 24 May, 3.30pm, Wolfson Theatre, NAB
Speaker: Robin Dunbar, Oxford
- Cognitive Science and the Mereological Fallacy
Monday 7 June, 3.30pm, Wolfson Theatre, NAB
Speaker: Peter Hacker, Oxford
- Problems in the Logic of Personality Studies
Monday 21 June, 3.30pm, Wolfson Theatre, NAB
Speaker: James Lamiell, Georgetown
These lectures will be followed by a reception.
Please note that space is limited, so if you would like to attend some or
all of the events, please RSVP as soon as possible to
philcent@lse.ac.uk
For more information including details of the full programme of events,
or to join the CPNSS mailing list, contact Laura O’Keefe, centre manager on
ext 6172, email philcent@lse.ac.uk
or visit
www.lse.ac.uk/cpnss/20thanniversary
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• The legend behind Shanghai Tang: LSESU HKPASS in conversation
with Sir David Tang KBE
Monday 22 February, 6-8pm, room D402
Sir David is a Hong Kong-born entrepreneur who is best known for founding
the international clothing chain of Shanghai Tang. He is equally well-known
among celebrities all over the world, from politicians to film stars to
members of the British Royal Family.
Many describe Sir David as a relaxed, laid-back individual who is always
fun to be with. As such, this conversation will be kept informal so as to
facilitate an exchange of views on a wide range of issues from British/Hong
Kong politics to entrepreneurship in general.
The session will be conducted in English and refreshments will be
served. For more information, visit
www.lsehkpass.com
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• Oedipus - an LSESU Drama Society production
Monday 22 and Friday 26 February, 7.30pm, Old Theatre, Old Building
The LSESU Drama Society presents Oedipus, bringing Sophocles' epic into
the 21st Century.
Oedipus is the fabled King of Thebes who came to the throne when his
father was murdered and then married his mother. But a curse plagues the
city and its people - and they look to Oedipus to lift that curse and set
the city free once more. Oedipus, perplexed by the curse, sends for help
from the blind prophet, Teiresias. He learns from the prophet that the curse
can only be lifted once the true identity of his father's murderer is known.
Thus follows a relentless search in which Oedipus interrogates suspect after
suspect to the edge of insanity, only to find that the one he is looking for
has been known to him all along.
Tickets are on sale this week on Houghton Street, 11am-3pm
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• Problems with democratic peace
building in Kosovo
Tuesday 23 February, 1-2pm, room M101
Speaker: Edward Balke
Edward Balke is a teaching fellow at LSE's Development Studies Institute
(DESTIN) and a PhD candidate on post-war democratic peace building in
Kosovo. Edward’s research combines an analysis of the international politics
of peace building and the economic and psychological micro-foundations of
local politics.
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• Who's the boss? Kosovo two years
after independence
Wednesday 24 February, 1-2pm, room S421
Speaker: Engjellushe Morina
Two years after declaring independence and 66 country-recognitions,
Kosovo's muddled system of governance and authority is a real problem. Apart
from Kosovo's government, there are UNMIK, the International Civilian
Office, the EULEX mission, Serbian parallel institutions, led by Belgrade,
in areas with majority Serbian population, all competing for power and
influence in Kosovo. Two simple, yet difficult questions arise: who is the
real boss in Kosovo and when will Kosovo be able to be part of the process
in fulfilling its aspiration to join the EU?
Engjellushe Morina is the executive director of Kosovar Stability
Initiative based in Prishtina, Kosovo.
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• The European Republic: utopia or
logical necessity?
Thursday 25 February, 1-2pm, room NAB114
Speaker: Professor Stefan Collignon
European integration is in a crisis of purpose and legitimacy. The
present intergovernmental mode of governance is no longer producing
efficient policy results. It is argued that this problem can be overcome by
establishing a political union with full democracy. This argument is derived
from a republican concept of European public goods and the incentive
structure necessary to govern and administer them. Deliberative democracy
can provide the consensual foundation for such a solution.
Stefan Collignon is professor of political economy at Sant'Anna School of
Advanced Studies, Pisa and chairman of the Scientific Committee Centro
Europa Richerche, Rome.
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• Music@LSE - Ji-Yeoun You (piano)
Thursday 25 February, 1.05pm, Shaw Library, Old Building
A first prize winner in several international competitions, Ji-Yeoun gives
concerts round Europe and teaches music at Berlin University of the
Arts.
This event is free and open to all with no ticket required. Entry is on
a first-come, first-served basis. For more information email
arts@lse.ac.uk
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 60
Second Interview
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• with..... Rafael Cruz
I am a Spaniard from Barcelona
but I have lived in London for 17 years now. People always
ask me how could I swap cool
sunny Barcelona for grey old London
but my first degree was in English
literature so I guess I always
gravitated towards the English somehow.
I fell in love with London from my
first visit back in the eighties. It
may seem a bit clichéd but I like the
multicultural vibe and the fact that
nobody is treated as a foreign person here. I
did an MA in Hispanic studies at Birkbeck College and, soon after, I
found work in different educational
institutions teaching Spanish and
Hispanic culture. I have worked at
LSE since 2000, as a co-ordinating
language teacher (Spanish) in the
Language Centre. I love London and
it seems to be a mutual feeling so
it's a match made in heaven.
What three items would you
take to a desert island with you?
I would take food, books and
music in that order.
If you were stuck in a lift
with someone, who would you want it
to be?
The Marx brothers.
Where is your favourite place
on the LSE campus?
The George IV pub. I love old
Victorian pubs.
What are the best and worst
presents you have ever received?
Worst: a fondue set.
Best: a first edition of T.S.Eliot's
Four Quartets.
What is your favourite sport?
Hiking in the mountains.
What is the best part of your
job at LSE?
Discussing topical issues with
very clever, clued-up and idealistic
students. |
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 Training
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• Chartered
Institute of Environmental Health - principles of risk assessment
Wednesday 24 February, 10am-4pm
This externally accredited course will assist anyone who may be required to
undertake risk assessments and covers the difference between hazard and
risk, identifying control measures, recording and reviewing risk
assessments. Includes a short multiple choice exam to enable candidates to
be awarded the CIEH award.
If you are interested in attending this session, please email
Health.And.Safety@lse.ac.uk
or phone 3677 or 3638.
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• Academic,
personal and professional development courses for staff
Courses on offer next week include:
- Monday 22 February
Moodle basics training
Second life training workshop
Excel 2003: database features
Meditation
Voice training
- Tuesday 23 February
Second life training workshop
Word 2003: essential formatting skills
Time management for your PhD (PhD only)
- Wednesday 24 February
Second life training workshop
Using Web 2.0 and social software tools for teaching
- Thursday 25 February
Voice training
Time management for your PhD (PhD only)
For a full listing of what is available and further details, including
booking information please see
www.lse.ac.uk/training |
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