LSE launches United States Centre

Has a colleague shown outstanding commitment to the School?

You only have a few more days left to nominate them in the inaugural Professional Services Staff Values in Practice awards.

Professor Carola Frege

Professor Frege has "been at LSE forever", first as a General Course student and then a Graduate student, and is now Chair of LSE's new Taskforce for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

 Research

 LSE in pictures

 Events

 Training and jobs

Up to £1/2 million of scholarships for refugees at LSE

LSE is significantly increasing its funding for scholarships for asylum seekers and refugees, in response to the on-going crisis across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The School will increase the funds available to nearly £500,000 per year for students classified as asylum seekers, or those awaiting the outcome of an asylum application, and who have been offered a place to study at the School.

LSE teacher named as one of the 50 most influential higher education professionals using social media

Meena Kotecha, teacher in the Departments of Statistics and Management, has been named in the JISC list of 50 most influential higher education professionals using social media.

Meena uses Facebook study groups to address mathematics and statistics anxiety in non-specialist university students, which can be one of the major barriers to engaging with these subjects.

These groups host additional material, videos and apps relating to their course material, and discussions on practical applications of mathematical and statistical concepts/theories. She also encourages students to engage in teamwork on Facebook and share their queries. Any of her students can set up a group, and this becomes an extension of the teaching room for students to interact in.
 

The United States Centre at LSE is a new hub for research, analysis and commentary about the United States. Led by Peter Trubowitz, Professor of International Relations at LSE and a leading expert on American grand strategy and US party politics and elections. The US Centre seeks to break down the boundaries between the international and domestic sides of American political life and view the United States against an international canvas.

Part of the Institute for Global Affairs, the US Centre will be formally launched in late October, and will draw on the expertise of the fifty-plus faculty across the School who write, teach and comment about the United States.

LSE named Top Employer for Working Families

LSE has again been named by Working Families as a Top Employer for Working Families, in addition to winning the 'Best for Dads' award earlier this year. The School was also a finalist for the ‘All stages of Motherhood’ award and was named as a 'Shared Parental Leave Pioneer'. In addition, the School has been shortlisted for two awards by Working Mums, the results of which will be published later this year. More
 

The UK government’s new Infrastructure Commission, unveiled at the Conservative Party Conference on Monday 5 October, was one of the key recommendations of the LSE Growth Commission, which reported in the autumn of 2013.

The new commission will be chaired by Lord Adonis and will explore how the UK can improve its construction of major road, rail, air, housing and energy projects.

Many thanks to all those who attended the Town Hall meeting on the School’s Socially Responsible Investment Review on Monday 5 October.

Over eighty members of the School community attended, with 58 students and Student's Union representatives attending to give a range of views and to engage with the panel on the School’s Socially Responsible Investment Review.

Did you know? LSE’s first prospectus was released in July 1895. What did the School aim to teach its first students? Find out on the LSE History blog.

Thank you Shanghai goes viral

Thank you Shanghai, a video produced by Ariel Margalith, alumni from the MSc Global Media and Communications (LSE and Fudan University), has gone viral in China, reaching over 60 million views.

Click here to view the video.

The 2015 Staff Survey will launch in November and we’re looking for key contacts across all departments, centres, institutes and divisions. We need help with testing the survey, promoting it to colleagues and feeding back results across the School. It’s a great opportunity to network within your area and be an important part of a school-wide project.

If you would be interested in joining the Staff Survey team please check with your manager and email Fran Hannan. Staff Survey Contacts would be needed to attend an initial briefing on week commencing 12 October.

Staff feedback provides a credible picture about the strengths and areas for development of the School and it is important that everyone has their say. The Staff Survey will be your opportunity to feedback in order to improve your working environment and the School.

We had a great response to the survey in 2012 and want to do really well again this year to make sure we hear from as many people as possible. To do so - all we need is you!

Do you know a colleague or team who has shown outstanding contribution or commitment to the School?

Nominate them in the inaugural Professional Services Staff Values in Practice (VIP) awards.

You can make a nomination by completing the form available from the website and submitting it before midnight on Sunday 11 October. Nominations will be judged by a group made up of a cross-section of staff. Staff who have been shortlisted will be invited to a celebratory afternoon event where the awards will be presented.
 

The European Court of Justice has declared the Safe Harbor program null and void with immediate effect. The Safe Harbor program allowed US-based cloud service providers to self-certify as meeting EU directives around keeping personal data secure.

The ruling doesn’t mean that personal data can’t be stored in US-based Cloud services, where it is appropriate to do so. But what it does mean is that you should carefully consider what sort of data you put into them. For example, it might be wise to encrypt any personal data before storing it in a US-based Cloud service such as Dropbox.

Corporate Cloud services LSE uses are not affected by the ruling. Office 365, for instance, which we use for email and SharePoint, is delivered from datacentres in Ireland and Amsterdam. It’s also worth noting that, before adoption by LSE, any Cloud service, whether hosted in the US or not, is assessed for good security measures before use, and to this end we have never relied on Safe Harbor as a means of indicating a service’s suitability.

The Information Commissioner’s Office has issued guidance on the ruling, which you can find here.

There is now a range of support tools to help professional services staff in planning their careers within the School. These include:

• Career Pathways - shows the requirements for some of the roles across the School and some suggested steps (or pathways) that might be available to you should you wish to develop your career in that direction.
• Online tools to help you manage your career - develop a career development plan and organise development activities such as Job Shadowing or having a Mentor.
• The Life Book - practical help and advice on how to approach changing jobs, including guidance on how to decide which jobs to go for, how to draft your application and CV and how to make the best of yourself at interview.
• New training courses on Career Development and Marketing Yourself and Developing your CV and Interview Skills.
• Divisions are encouraged to consider greater use of Apprenticeships where appropriate and guidance has been developed to help with this.
• Your Career Development Review (CDR) conversation - identify development requirements and discuss your career aspirations with your manager.

Throughout Michaelmas term IMT will be increasing the H: Space storage allowance for staff and research students from 1GB to 10GB.

This upgrade will take place out of office hours, meaning there will be no disruption to service. You will simply receive an email to notify you once your account has been successfully upgraded and your improved H: Space will be ready to use immediately.

Please note existing documents in your H: Space will not be affected and will continue to be available during and after the upgrade.

The closing date for Learning Technology and Innovation Grants is Monday 12 October.

If you have an idea for integrating innovative use of technology into your teaching and learning practices, visit our pages to find out more about the grants and what kind of projects you can apply for.

This summer LSE Garrick’s downstairs restaurant has undergone some exciting changes to its home cooked lunch with a new style of menu being introduced.

The aim of the new menu is to simplify the offering while also using improved ingredients with a street food influence to create some new delicious dishes. These include Cantonese Satay Chicken, Coley in a Fennel Butter Sauce, and a Butternut and Sweet Potato Burger.

On LSE’s Facebook page and Instagram feed we’re showcasing a selection of LSE students and staff and asking them about what makes them feel part of the LSE community.

LSE Perspectives

If you’re a budding photographer then we're looking for your best images to feature in our monthly online LSE Perspectives gallery.

The latest LSE Perspectives gallery is now available online. Each month LSE Arts selects photos submitted by students and staff, reflecting some of the fascinations, concerns, quirks and artistic sensibilities of our LSE community.

Want to send in your snaps? For more information, click here, or email Lseperspectives@lse.ac.uk.
 

Introducing Spectrum

Spectrum is LSE’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender + (LGBT+) Staff Network.

Would you like to get involved with Spectrum, hear more about what we do, or come along to one of our events? Our annual Michaelmas Term Welcome Reception will take place on Thursday 15 October in the Shaw Library and we’d love to see you there. All staff are welcome.

Keep in touch with Spectrum - for more information visit lse.ac.uk/spectrum, email us to join our mailing list at spectrum@lse.ac.uk and follow us on Twitter @LSESpectrum.
 

Looking for accommodation?

A two bedroom apartment with an additional study room is available to let throughout the Michaelmas term for staff and visitors to LSE. This is only suitable for a long term let at £107 per night.

LSE Students’ Union is holding elections for a Postgraduate Students’ Officer, Postgraduate Research Students’ Officer, Mature and Part-time Students’ Officer.

We want to encourage as many students to run for a position as possible, in order to keep the Union diverse and representative. So if you know any students who would be perfect for any of these roles, please encourage them to stand, or pass their name onto Engagement Co-ordinator, Laura Burley, at l.a.burley@lse.ac.uk.

The full list of positions is available at lsesu.com/elections. Nominations are open from Monday 12 until Monday 19 October at lsesu.com/elections.

A yummy risotto freshly prepared in LSE Garrick’s downstairs restaurant. Be sure to try out the new menu and let the team know what you think.

For more images like this, visit the Photography Unit or check out the School's Instagram page.

LSE has launched a major research project about the effect of the media on public understanding of the migration and refugee crisis.

The on-going crisis across Europe poses a challenge for the continent’s alliance of democratic states. In every country the media is filled with images of migrants fleeing war, suffering, or losing their lives during their journey. Yet Europe’s response has been mixed and the plans for dealing with this crisis are even more uncertain.

Forthcoming LSE events include....

Is Africa Rising: a personal perspective from Winnie Byanyima
On: Monday 12 October at 6.30pm in the Old Theatre, Old Building
Speaker: Winnie Byanyima (pictured)

The Future of the Euro and the Politics of Debt
On: Tuesday 13 October at 6.30pm in the Wolfson Theatre, New Academic Building
Speaker: Martin Sandbu

Confronting Gender Inequality: findings from the LSE Commission on Gender, Inequality and Power
On: Tuesday 13 October at 6.30pm in the Old Theatre, Old Building
Speakers: Shami Chakrabarti, Rebecca Omonira-Oyekanmi, and Polly Toynbee

Shobhana Bhartia in conversation with Suhel Seth
On: Tuesday 13 October at 6.30pm in the Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building
Speaker: Shobhana Bhartia (pictured)

The Silo Effect: why putting everything in its place isn't such a bright idea
On: Wednesday 14 October at 6.30pm in the Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building
Speaker: Gillian Tett

Cameron at 10 - the inside story of Cameron's premiership
On: Wednesday 14 October at 6.30pm in the Old Theatre, Old Building
Speakers: Dr Anthony Seldon and Peter Snowdon

Lunchtime Concert
On: Thursday 15 October at 1.05pm in the Shaw Library, 6th floor, Old Building
Performer: Barbican String Quartet

Before Theory Comes Theorizing or How to Make Social Science More Interesting
On: Thursday 15 October at 6.30pm in the Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building
Speaker: Professor Richard Swedberg

Reflections on the Politics of Gender and Sexuality in an Age of Extremism
On: Thursday 15 October at 6.30pm in the Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House
Speaker: Professor Amina Mama (pictured)

The Current Economic Developments in Greece and Cyprus: when and how crisis exits are feasible

On: Monday 12 October from 6.30-8pm in CLM 2.02, Clement House
Speakers: Dr Michalis Sarris, Former Minister of Finance of Cyprus and Former Department Director at the World Bank; and Dr Yiannis Kitromilides, Associate Member of the Cambridge Centre of Economic and Public Policy, University of Cambridge.

Why was Greece ‘bailed-out’ in 2010 and Cyprus ‘bailed-in’ in 2013? Why the Greek economy collapsed after 2010 and how significant are structural reforms? This lecture will examine the two alternative narratives of the Eurozone crisis and its effects on Greece and Cyprus. More
 

On: Saturday 17 October from 9.30am-4.30pm in Clement House.

This seminar will concentrate on legal issues surrounding children in minority religious communities, from a variety of perspectives.

On: Thursday 22 October from 6.30-8pm in the Wolfson Theatre, New Academic Building

This event will discuss how new diversities and (im)mobilities are lived in the contemporary urban space of the ‘world’ city. The discussion will be directed through a presentation of two key ethnographies, both of which are based in London, and engage with the accelerated diversification of the city through the lens of everyday life.

On: Thursday 22 October from 1-2pm in TW2.2.04, Tower 2

EMBRACE will be hosting this talk in celebration of Black History Month. Join Dr Vanessa Iwowo, LSE Fellow in Management, as she explores the issues faced by the average woman and highlights the deeper challenges of the black woman in particular.

Podcasts of public lectures and events

Cyberphobia: identity, trust, security and the internet
Speaker: Edward Lucas
Recorded: Monday 28 September, approx. 86 minutes

The Nature of Memory: perspectives from art, history and neuroscience
Speakers: Jessica Bland, Dr Sebastien Groes, Professor Adam Roberts, and Professor Barry C Smith
Recorded: Tuesday 29 September, approx. 89 minutes

The Future of Britain and Europe
Speaker: Professor Simon Hix
Recorded: Wednesday 30 September, approx. 85 minutes

Continuing Professional Development session: Resilience Building for LSE students

On: Wednesday 21 October from 1-2pm

At this interactive workshop, you will explore how students can be signposted to services, building their resilience and utilising our own services.

You will leave with a clear impression of how using different techniques can be applied with colleagues to generate options for students, a wider network of empathic colleagues from across LSE, and an appreciation of the importance of personal, student and organisational resilience.

The Research Division would like to invite centre managers, department managers, academics, research staff and professional staff interested in research funding or already with an award to attend the following events:

Research funding at LSE
Tuesday 20 October from 12-2pm
An introduction to LSE’s grant submission procedures and how to comply with the School’s financial regulations. Aimed at those who are new at applying for external funding within LSE, this brief session will highlight:

• the School’s Research Incentives Policy internal funding schemes including Research Infrastructure and Investment funds (RIIF)
• Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) centre-specific funding programmes
• applying and receiving grants for research projects from external bodies.

Introduction for new award holders
Tuesday 27 October from 12-1.30pm
Essential for those new to managing research awards, which includes the award holder, colleagues working on the award and support staff. We will summarise key elements of what the award holders’ role involves and the support that the Research Division offers. Aimed at all involved in research awards (academics, administrative, and departmental staff).

Below are some of the vacancies currently being advertised:

• Academic Partnership Support Officer, Academic Partnerships
• Administrative Assistant (Internal Only), CPNSS
• Assistant Learning Technologist (Two Vacancies), Information Management and Technology
• Assistant Professor, Accounting
• Assistant Professor Qualitative Research Methodology, Department of Methodology
• Assistant Professor Quantitative Research Methodology, Department of Methodology
• Assistant Professor in Behavioural Science, Social Policy
• Assistant Professor in Economics, Economics
• Assistant Professor in Environment, Geography and Environment
• Assistant Professor in Environment and Development, International Development
• Assistant Professor in Environmental Economics, Geography and Environment
• Assistant Professor in Gender, Development and Globalisation, Gender Institute
• Assistant Professor in Global Health Policy, Social Policy
• Assistant Professor in Health Economics and Policy, Social Policy
• Assistant Professor in International History (Conflict and Society), International History
• Assistant Professor in Philosophy, Philosophy
• Assistant Professorships in Sociology, Sociology
• Assistant/Associate Professor in International History (China & Modern World), International History
• Associate Professor in Global Health Policy, Social Policy
• Associate Professorial Research Fellow in Poverty and Inequality, International Inequalities Institute
• BJS Editorial, Events and Media Assistant (Internal Only), Sociology
• BSc Programme Manager, Accounting
• Business Partnerships Manager, LSE Advancement
• Communications and Events Officer, International Development
• Database Services Manager, Information Management and Technology
• Learning Technologist, Information Management and Technology
• MSc Programme Administrator, Sociology
• Professor/Associate Professor in Economics, Economics
• Programme Assistant (Internal Only), Summer School and Executive Programmes
• Research Officer, The Marshall Institute for Philanthropy and Social Entrepreneurship
• Senior Registry Administrator, ARD: Student Administration