'It's about supporting the brightest and the best'

New PhD studentship scheme will support outstanding research students by fully funding their postgraduate research at the School.

Director's Town Hall

On Monday 22 October, Professor Craig Calhoun will be holding an open ‘town hall’ meeting for all staff, where he will introduce a discussion on the future of LSE.

Pawel Opaska

In 2006 Pawel, who works in the Post Room, set off on a three year trip travelling around the world by bicycle, and has since published three books of his travel stories.

New LSE PhD Studentships support the brightest and the best research students

LSE has launched a new flagship studentship scheme that will support outstanding research students by fully funding their postgraduate research at the School.

The investment in these studentships doubles the number of full awards for postgraduate research students, with 59 awards available for 2013 entrance. From next year, most of LSE’s PhD students will be fully funded, either by the School or through external sources such as the Research Councils, notably the ESRC and other Trusts and Foundations.

The prestigious studentships will be awarded on the basis of outstanding academic achievement and research potential and are open to all nationalities and subject areas in the social sciences. The scheme includes fees and a maintenance award of £18,000 a year for four years. As a part of the doctoral training programme, studentship holders gain experience of class teaching or other departmental work.

LSE Director Professor Craig Calhoun said: 'LSE is known as a world class centre of research and our postgraduates play a valued role through the research they conduct. Students come from all areas of life, often bringing a great deal of experience with them. Our PhD programme can only be further strengthened with these generous scholarships which will enable us to support the most academically promising candidates in their four years of study at the School.' More
 

LSE is once again the top destination for 2012-13 Chevening Scholars, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office has reported.

Chevening Scholarships are the prestigious global scholarship programme of the UK government. The Scholarships are awarded to exceptional individuals with leadership potential who represent 116 countries worldwide. They enable recipients to study one-year master’s courses in a range of subjects at LSE and other UK universities, as well as short courses such as LSE’s Chevening Gurukul Leadership Programme.

The Scholarships are funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and partner organisations, and aim to support UK foreign policy priorities by creating lasting positive relationships with future leaders, influencers and decision makers around the world.

LSE academic given honorary award from the Higher School of Economics

Professor Richard Jackman (pictured), professor of economics at LSE, has been presented with a medal in recognition of his contribution to the development of the International College of Economics and Finance (ICEF) in Moscow.

The ICEF is an autonomous department of the Russian university in social sciences, the Higher School of Economics. LSE provides advice and support to the college on all aspects of its work, from research assessment to teaching quality assurance.

The award was presented by the rector of the Higher School of Economics (HSE), Professor Yaroslav Kuzminov, who honoured Professor Jackman’s long standing work and involvement in the ICEF project since it was established 15 years ago, in partnership with LSE. Professor Kuzminov said: ‘Richard Jackman is the first foreigner to receive this award, the Honorary Award of the HSE, and he fully deserves this honour’.

The award was presented at the ICEF graduation ceremony held at the Residence of the British Ambassador in Moscow on Tuesday 25 September, in the presence of the British ambassador to Russia and LSE Director Professor Craig Calhoun.
 

LSE Enterprise in Germany

Following the success of our existing projects in Germany, LSE Enterprise has opened a branch operation in Berlin.

Led by European Institute alumnus Christian Thiel (pictured), the company will offer customised executive education for the public and private sectors, cross-disciplinary consultancy and commercial research, and other initiatives applying LSE expertise to current issues.

Christian says: ‘LSE is held in very high esteem in Germany. We have a strong alumni base and LSE Enterprise has a good track record in delivering both executive education and consulting engagements for German client companies. We have established a strategic link to a major innovation and sustainability centre in Berlin exploring the complex interactions between mobility and changing societies.

'This is one of the many exciting opportunities that we will be developing further over the next few months and years. Above all we will be able to offer unbiased international perspectives, working with our academic colleagues to help address the growing challenges and requirements of society, government and the private sector. We invite all interested colleagues to contact Christian at c.thiel@lse.ac.uk to explore how we might work together to spread LSE’s expertise in Germany.'

Visit lse.ac.uk/enterprise/Germany for more information.
 

In the latest LSE Review of Books podcast, Professor Matthew Flinders of Sheffield University talks about his new book Defending Politics: why democracy matters in the 21st century, and argues that the problem with politics is not politicians themselves but the public’s understanding of the processes involved.

LSE’s Dr Armine Ishkanian speaks about her book Democracy Building and Civil Society in Post-Soviet Armenia and how civil society and democratisation projects need a firm grounding in a country’s grassroots in order to aid its transition to democracy.

George Lawson, professor of international relations at LSE and an expert in democratisation and revolutions, tells us about the role that the anti-apartheid movement had in sparking his early interest in international relations. We also catch up with LSE Bees to talk about the wonders of hive behaviour.

On Monday 22 October, LSE Director Professor Craig Calhoun (pictured) will be holding an open ‘town hall’ meeting for all staff.

At the meeting, Professor Calhoun will introduce a discussion on the future of the School. He will ask and answer questions about the nature of LSE as an institution, and how it should develop over the coming years.

This session is targeted primarily at administrative staff, but is also open to academics who are unable to attend the Wednesday 17 October Academic Board discussion on the same theme.

Those staff interested in attending are asked to confirm their attendance by registering via the link below. Registration will be on a first come, first served basis, and, unless the event fills up, registration will remain open until lunchtime on Friday 19 October.

Nominations for Honorary Doctorates are invited. The LSE Council may award an Honorary Doctorate to ‘persons who have made an outstanding contribution to the increased understanding, or appreciation of “the causes of things” and their practical application in the social sciences or related fields'.

Unlike Honorary Fellows, Honorary Doctorates do not need a direct connection with the School.

The deadline for nominations is Friday 16 November. Any Honorary Doctorates awarded would be conferred in December 2013.

During Michaelmas term, Equality and Diversity will be showing nine eclectic films whose central themes reflect the Equality Act's nine 'protected characteristics'. Films will include All About my Mother, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Boys Don't Cry. To attend the screenings, you must book a place. To book and for more information, click here.

Survey of copyright photocopying

LSE has been selected by the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) to take part in a survey about copyright photocopying. The survey will take place from Monday 22 October until Friday 30 November and will involve the following departments:

• Anthropology

• Economics

• European Institute

• Geography and Environment

• Government

• International Development

• International Relations

• Language Centre

• Law

• Social Policy

• Social Psychology

• Sociology

The CLA is a non-profit making company set up by authors and publishers to license the photocopying, and sometimes, scanning of their work. The survey is a means of identifying authors, artists and publishers whose works are copied so the licence fees can be distributed to them.

During the survey period, all staff (academic and administrative) in the selected departments are requested to provide the relevant data each time they make photocopies from books, journals or in the provision of course packs in line with instructions supplied by the Planning and Corporate Policy Division.

For more information, contact Jane Pugh at j.pugh@lse.ac.uk or call ext 6866.
 

Flying Start Inductions take place every month, as a way of welcoming new employees to LSE and introducing them to the School’s campus and day-to-day life.

As part of the induction, we organise a networking buffet lunch, in which a group of current staff, from different departments, are invited to share their experience of working at LSE with their new colleagues. This is an informal occasion for new starters to get to know people from around the School.

LSE Chill is an open performance night organised by LSE Arts, which takes place on the last Friday of every month during term time.

LSE Perspectives features photographs taken by LSE staff and students, with 12 new images published every month, and LSE Arts is currently looking for submissions for next month’s gallery.

If you have taken any artistic images on your travels, in your home town or even just here in London why not submit them for LSE Perspectives so that they can be shared with the LSE community.

Skip fit lessons

Security officer and former boxer Daniel Beckley is running skip fit lessons for all staff and students at LSE.

Build up your fitness, burn calories and increase your stamina, all within an hour.

Please note, the lesson that was due to take place on Tuesday 16 October has now been cancelled. The next lessons will take place from 1-2pm at the Badminton Court, Old Building, on Tuesday 23 October, Tuesday 6 November, Tuesday 13 November and Tuesday 27 November.

Just turn up on any of these dates with your own skipping rope. All lessons are free. More sessions will take place during Michaelmas term.

For more information, email Daniel at d.beckley@lse.ac.uk.
 

Musical instrument found

On Monday 1 October, a member of staff at LSE found a bag containing a musical instrument. It was picked up on Carey Street, by the motorbike bays.

More for less - take advantage of special offers for LSE staff

Ma’Jon Hairdressers has teamed up with Salon Evolution, the UK’s no.1 salon marketing company, to offer LSE staff an 80 per cent discount on the ultimate hair pampering experience.

For just £44.99, you get:

Visit A - the haircut visit

• Personal hair style consultation
• Deep cleansing shampoo and conditioning, and scalp massage
• Designer cut and finish

Visit B - the colour visit

• Choose one of the following colour services:
  1. T-section of highlights
  2. Full head of permanent colour
  3. Conditioning gloss colour
• Followed by shampoo and finish

Visit C - the luxurious hair visit

• Personal hair style consultation
• Personalised reconstructive treatment specific to hair type
• Deep cleansing shampoo and conditioning, and scalp massage
• Hair style to match your evening out or event

The salon is located on 24 Museum Street, London, WC1A 1JT. To register, call 0207 092 9188. If you have any questions, email John Orlandi at john@salonevolution.co.uk.

If you know of any deals that you think may be of interest to Staff News readers, please contact Margaret Newson, purchasing manager at m.newson@lse.ac.uk.

This week's picture features Senator John McCain of the US Senate's Armed Services Committee, and the Republican presidential candidate in 2008, who addressed an audience and participated in a Q&A session, on Wednesday 10 October in LSE's Shaw Library.

For more images like this, visit the Photography Unit.

If the UK left the crisis-hit European Union it would be a huge strategic error, concludes a new report on Europe.

The study, from LSE’s IDEAS centre for the study of international affairs, assesses Europe’s changing economic and political position in the world, particularly its relationships with China and the United States. It argues that the Eurozone crisis represents a strategic opportunity for Europe to rethink itself and become a more powerful united force.

A new mathematical method can help to predict a couple’s chances of becoming pregnant, according to how long they have been trying. The model may also shed light on how long they should wait before seeking medical help.

For example, the researchers have found that, if the woman is aged 35, after just six months of trying, her chance of getting pregnant in the next cycle is then less than 10 per cent.

The analysis, developed by Dr Peter Sozou of LSE and Professor Geraldine Hartshorne of the University of Warwick, uses the number of menstrual cycles over which the couple has been trying for a baby to determine a probability of conception within the next month.

On: Wednesday 17 October from 6.30-8pm in the New Theatre, East Building
Speakers: Bassma Kodmani (pictured), executive director of the Arab Reform Initiative, Nicholas Noe, expert on Lebanon, and Yara Nseir, Syrian civil society activist.

How did the opposition to Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria emerge? This panel will explore the evolution of the Syrian opposition and the impact of developments in Syria upon the wider region.

Other upcoming LSE events include....

Time to Start Thinking: America and the spectre of decline
On: Monday 15 October at 6.30pm in the Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building
Speaker: Edward Luce, Washington columnist and commentator for the Financial Times.

Imagining the Internet: policy challenges
On: Tuesday 16 October at 6.30pm in the Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building
Speakers: Professor Robin Mansell (pictured), professor of new media and the internet at LSE, Professor William H Dutton, professor of internet studies at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, and Professor Robert Wade, professor of political economy and development at LSE.

On: Monday 22 October

As part of Open Access Week 2012, LSE Library staff have partnered with Birkbeck, City, LSHTM and SOAS to organise an event featuring talks on the open access and open data agendas.

Speakers include:

• Stephen Curry, professor of structural biology, Imperial College London 'Open access after Finch and RCUK'
• Fred Friend, honorary director scholarly communication, UCL

Podcasts of public lectures and events

Achieving your Dreams
Speaker: Gurbaksh Chahal
Recorded: Tuesday 2 October, approx 69 minutes
Click here to listen

Interventions: a life in war and peace
Speaker: Kofi Annan
Recorded: Thursday 4 October, approx 51 minutes
Click here to listen

A lecture by Luis de Guindos, Spanish minister of economy and competitiveness
Speaker: Luis de Guindos
Recorded: Thursday 4 October, approx 57 minutes
Click here to listen

Training for staff

Courses scheduled for next week include:

• Confidentiality

• Introducing Summon - the new LSE Library search engine

• Writing for the Media

• Poster Presentations: an introduction for PhD students

• Literature Searching and Finding Journal Articles

• Equality and Diversity for Non Managers

For full listings and further details, including booking information, see www.lse.ac.uk/training.
 

Funding Focus: open calls for research project grants
Thursday 18 October, 1-2pm, room CON 2.04
This seminar will give an overview of the breadth of research project funding opportunities that are available year-round with open deadlines and in any area of the social sciences.

Participants will be given information about the differing calls, the aims of funders, and how to apply. For more information and to book your place, click here.

European Framework Programme Funding: opportunities for research in social sciences and humanities
Thursday 1 November, 10.30am-12.20pm, room OLD 3.21
This event will give an overview of the opportunities for research funding provided by the EU under the seventh Framework Programme. The session will also provide a more focussed view of the main opportunities, schemes and programmes where research funding is available for all areas of the social sciences and humanities under the final FP7 call before the first calls are issued in 2014 under Horizon 2020.

Below are some of the vacancies currently being advertised to internal candidates only, as well as those being advertised externally.

• Centre manager, LSE Cities
• Chair/reader of economics, Economics
• Chair (criminal law), Law
• Chair (international law), Law
• Data librarian, Library: academic services
• Departmental manager, Library Services
• Donations and finance manager, ODAR: operations
• Head of press and information, External Relations
• LSE Hellenic Observatory and Neapolis University post-doctoral fellowship, Hellenic Observatory
• Lecturer in development studies (economics), International Development
• Lecturer in economic geography, Geography and Environment
• Lecturer in environment, Geography and Environment
• Lecturer in urban geography, Geography and Environment
• Lecturers in sociology, Sociology
• Lectureship in finance, Finance
• Post-doctoral research officer (philosophy), CPNSS
• Professor of human geography, Geography and Environment
• Professor of sociology, Sociology
• Receptionist, Estates: security and porters
• Senior project manager, IT Services
• Senior student services adviser and assistant to the dean of undergraduate studies, Academic Registrar's Division
• Subwarden (Butlers Wharf), Residential and Catering Services Division

Romy Ajodah, who works in the Department of International Relations and also volunteers at the Celia Hammond Animal Trust (CHAT), is appealing to staff members who may be able to give a cat a loving home.

CHAT have hundreds of cats in desperate need a home. If you or someone you know might be able to help, email Romy at r.ajodah@lse.ac.uk or call CHAT directly on 020 7474 8811 to request a home visit.
 

Many thanks to everyone who sponsored LSE Enterprise's half marathon team (Mike Denison, Niccolo Durazzi, Jeannine McMahon, Simona Milio and Wiebke Wenzel), who ran in London's Royal Parks on Sunday (7 October).

The team all made it across the finishing line in one piece and so far have raised £1,240 for World Child Cancer.

The team's fundraising page will remain open for a few more weeks so if you would still like to sponsor it, visit www.justgiving.com/LSEEnterprise.
 

At the end of September, Bal Bimrah (pictured), who recently joined the Finance Division as an assistant cashier, did a skydive to raise money for educational projects in Kericho, Africa.

So far Bal has raised £488.50. There is still time to sponsor her if you wish to. To donate, visit mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/balharbimrah1.

Nicole wants to hear from you!

Do you have some news, an achievement, or an aspect of LSE life that you would like to share? If so, then I would love to hear from you, contact me at n.gallivan@lse.ac.uk or on ext 7582.

The next edition of Staff News is on Thursday 18 October. Articles for this should be emailed to me by Tuesday 16 October. Staff News is emailed every Thursday during term time and fortnightly during the holidays.