Urban Age 10 Global Debates

To celebrate ten years of the Urban Age programme, these debates will discuss five core themes that have been the focus of research and debate at the Urban Age since 2005.

Act of Remembrance

Come and remember all who have lost their lives in war and particularly alumni of LSE. Join us on Wednesday 11 November at 10.50am in the Shaw Library, Old Building.

Catherine Bennett

Not many people know that Catherine, who manages the Department of Media and Communications, once played in a football final at Wembley Arena.

 Research

 LSE in pictures

 Events

 Training and jobs

LSE has been awarded £565,000 by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) for a three-year programme to investigate the links between poverty and inequalities.

The partnership was announced by LSE alumna Ms Julia Unwin CBE, Chief Executive of the JRF, at an LSE public lecture on Monday 2 November.

The donation establishes a new early career fellowship within the LSE International Inequalities Institute (III) as well as a programme of research on the connections between inequality, diversity and poverty which will be led by LSE’s Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion (CASE).

Two LSE academics awarded Philip Leverhulme Prize to fund future research

Dr Laura Valentini (pictured) of the Department of Government and Dr Dominik Hangartner of the Department of Methodology, have been awarded Philip Leverhulme Prizes.

The £100,000 prize, awarded to ‘outstanding researchers whose work has already attracted international recognition’, is to be spent on activities to promote the winners’ future research. Founded in 2001, the prize is awarded to up to 30 scholars each year, across a range of academic disciplines.

Professor Chant becomes a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences

Sylvia Chant, Professor of Development Geography at LSE, has been made a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences following a process of peer review for the excellence and impact of her work.

The Academy, which exists to promote social science in the United Kingdom for the public benefit, described Professor Chant as ‘a world-leading figure in international social science, helping to stake out the field of gender and development’. More
 

Dr Spinnewijn wins 2015 Wiley Prize in Economics

Dr Johannes Spinnewijn, Department of Economics, has been named winner of the 2015 Wiley Prize in Economics.

The prize, which is made in partnership with the British Academy, was awarded for Dr Spinnewijn's academic excellence in the field of economics, in particular his research in current and topical public policy.

Dr Spinnewijn said: "I was very pleased to hear the news. I am honoured to be the young person in such a distinguished group." More
 

LSE BrexitVote is a multi-disciplinary, evidence-based blog which aims to inform the debate surrounding the referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union with accessible commentary and research.

Did you know? Renowned statistician Arthur Bowley cycled to LSE from Leatherhead to teach his weekly Wednesday afternoon class.

2015 marks the centenary of his first appointment as Professor of Statistics - although he had taught at LSE since it opened in 1895. Find out more about Arthur Bowley, renowned statistician and keen cyclist, in LSE’s first statistician.

The School recently launched a new online Equality and Diversity module which all staff must complete.

The module has been specifically designed for LSE using a working group of School staff. It covers:

• the main principles of equality and diversity and legislation
• how equality and diversity impacts on us all
• the key School resources available and relevant policies

Having completed the module Robin Mansell, Deputy Director and Provost, said: "It is nicely designed and I feel we all have things that we can learn. I hope that all staff in the School complete it."

The module will take no more than 30 minutes to complete and it is expected that all senior staff will have completed it by the end of Michaelmas term and all staff by the end of Lent term 2106.

On first accessing the module please register as a new user using your LSE email address. This is because we are putting extra security in place, given the sensitivity of the issues addressed. For more information and to access to the module, click here.

Act of Remembrance

Come and remember all who have lost their lives in war and particularly alumni of LSE. Join us on Wednesday 11 November at 10.50am in the Shaw Library, Old Building.
 

Tyres getting flat? Need to top up on campus?

Well now you can!

Check out LSE’s new bike type pumps located outside the Library on the John Watkins Plaza for all your cycling needs.
 

Submissions for the 2015 Creative Competition are now open.

LSE staff and students are invited to submit a painting, drawing, photograph, poem, music, sculpture - whatever creative way you want to express how you understand climate change.

Prizes will be awarded to the winner and runner up of the three categories - Undergraduate, Postgraduate, and Staff - at the exhibition event on Monday 16 November. Visit the free exhibition where your creative works will be displayed, sustainable food will be served, plus performances from poets Inua Ellams and Rachel Long.

1. Locate the template Normal.dotx (Office 2007-2013), Normal.dotm (Office 2011-2016) or Normal.dot (Office 2003). On LSE computers, it is in H:\LSEsetup\templates. On a private computer, open Windows Explorer or Finder and type Normal.xxxx (using the appropriate file extension in place of the xxxx) into the search box. Then press Enter on the keyboard.

2. Open the template by right-clicking on it and selecting Open. (Double clicking on a template creates a new document based on the template rather than opening the template itself. The file name must end with .dotx, .dot or .dotm).

3. From the Home tab, right click on the Normal icon in the Styles cluster and select Modify.

4. Change the font settings as required.

5. Click OK to close the dialog box.

6. Save and close the template.

LSE Perspectives

The November edition of LSE Perspectives is now available online.

Each month the Arts team selects 12 striking photos taken by staff and students to feature in the gallery; photos range from scenes of London to trips within the UK and globally.

Have you got some impressive snaps that you’d like to share? Email them to perspectives@lse.ac.uk. For more information, click here.

Did you know that many LSE roofs are covered in solar panels?

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

Research Briefing

Stay on top of the School’s latest research funding, research ethics and policy, knowledge exchange and impact related news. Find out about upcoming funding opportunities, recent awards and research findings.

Subscribe to the monthly newsletter, Research Briefing, designed for LSE academics, researchers and professional services staff. To view past issues of the Research Briefing, click here.
 

People are more likely to have a lower weight if they regularly engage in high impact walking compared to doing another vigorous activity like going to the gym, according to new LSE research. The results are particularly pronounced in women, people over 50, and those on low incomes.

Dr Grace Lordan, a specialist in health economics who led the research, examined reported physical activity levels from the annual Health Survey for England (HSE) from 1999 to 2012. In particular, she focused on activities which increased heart rate and caused perspiring.

Politicians and policy-makers must take a new approach to class if the unacceptable rise in inequalities that have characterised the opening decades of the 21st century are to be addressed.

This is one of the calls made in a new book by academics from LSE, The University of Manchester and University of York. Social Class in the 21st Century charts the rise of a new class system in Britain and examines why existing thinking about class, which tends to focus on the divide between middle and working classes, is outdated.

The book draws on data from the Great British Class Survey of 2013 conducted by LSE and The University of Manchester for the BBC. One of the largest studies of its kind, the survey elicited 325,000 from the British public and charted the emergence of a new class system.

Anti-smoking messages can backfire and make it harder for people to quit

New evidence shows that public health policies targeted at smokers may actually have the opposite effect for some people trying to quit.

A review led by LSE Research Fellow Dr Sara Evans-Lacko indicates that stigmatising smoking can, in some cases, make it harder for people to quit because they become angry, defensive and the negative messages lead to a drop in self-esteem.

LSE Choir and Orchestra Christmas Concert

Buy your tickets now for this year’s Christmas Concert in St Clement Danes church on Tuesday 8 December.

The choir will perform music from Handel’s Messiah and a selection of Christmas carols. The LSE Orchestra will perform Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture, Nielsen’s Flute Concerto and Dvorak’s Czech Suite.

Tickets are £7 and can be purchased via the LSE online store.
 

Towards a Feminist Foreign Policy
On: Monday 9 November at 6.30pm in the Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building
Speakers: Zainab Salbi (pictured) and Margot Wallström

What is the Future of Visual Arts Philanthropy in the UK?
On: Monday 9 November at 6.30pm in the Wolfson Theatre, New Academic Building
Speakers: James Lingwood and Alex Sainsbury

Nigeria's 2015 General Elections: giving democracy a chance
On: Tuesday 10 November at 6.30pm in the Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building
Speaker: Professor Attahiru Jega

Sociology and the Digital Revolution - the Transformation of Everything
On: Tuesday 10 November at 6.30pm in the Old Theatre, Old Building
Speaker: Professor Lord Giddens (pictured)

Margaret Thatcher - Everything She Wants
On: Wednesday 11 November at 6.30pm in the Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building
Speaker: Charles Moore

Lunchtime Concert
On: Thursday 12 November at 1.05pm in the Shaw Library, 6th floor, Old Building
Performers: Michael Petrov (cello) and Alexander Ullman (piano)

On: Sunday 8 November from 7-9pm at the Bridewell Theatre, off Fleet Street.

Steve Bond from IMT will be performing in the improvised murder-mystery CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation, with all proceeds in support of Central London Samaritans.

CSI is a hilarious show in which you the audience can decide who was murdered, interrogate the suspects, and even identify the culprit.

Have you visited the LSE Library’s Foundations Exhibition yet? Why not come along to one of our lunchtime gallery talks? You are guaranteed to find out something new, even if you have already had a look around.

Foundations: LSE and the Science of Society is a fascinating exhibition that tells the story of the early days of LSE. It also showcases some of the achievements of its staff and students throughout its 120 year history, both at the school and as pioneers of social changes.

Eleanor Payne, Education Officer, and Gillian Murphy, Assistant Archivist, will highlight some gems from the exhibition in a talk no longer than half an hour - perfect for a visit in your lunch hour. Talks are taking place from 1-1.30pm on:

• Tuesday 10 November
• Tuesday 24 November
• Wednesday 2 December

On: Tuesday 10 November from 6.30-8pm in room 9.04, Tower 2
Panellists: Diarmuid Torney (pictured), Olivia Gippner, and Fergus Green

In this policy forum, Dr Diarmuid Torney, author of European Climate Leadership in Question: Policies toward China and India (MIT Press, 2015), presents the findings of his systematic assessment of Europe’s relations with China and India on climate change.

On: Thursday 12 November

Come and find out more about the TeenTech initiative to turn young people into powerful ambassadors for science and technology, presented by Maggie Philbin from Tomorrow’s World.

Growing Older Without Feeling Old - LSEHSC Formal Seminar

On: Monday 16 November from 12.30-1.30 in NAB 1.04, New Academic Building
Speaker: Professor Rudi Westendrorp, Professor of Old-Age Medicine at the University of Copenhagen.

At this seminar, organised by LSE Health and Social Care, Professor Rudi Westendrorp will discuss his latest book Growing Older Without Feeling Old.

The book explores key issues arising from our increasing lifespans, and helps to answer some of the burning questions of our time, such as what do longer life spans mean for the way we organise our societies? And how can people best prepare themselves for living considerably longer?

This event is free and open to all but registration is required.
 

On: 19, 23, 25, 26 November and 3 December in the Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building

LSE Cities and Deutsche Bank’s Alfred Herrhausen Society, in association with Guardian Cities, is holding a series of public Global Debates to celebrate ten years of the Urban Age programme. The debates will discuss five core themes that have been the focus of research and debate at the Urban Age since 2005.

• Confronting Climate Change: can cities be the solution?
  On: Thursday 19 November from 6.30-8pm
  Tickets will be available here from 12noon on Monday 9 November
• Steering Urban Growth: can planning and architecture manage?
  On: Monday 23 November from 6.30-8pm
  Tickets will be available here from 12noon on Thursday 12 November
• The Politics of Equity: who owns the city?
  On: Wednesday 25 November from 6.30-8pm
  Tickets will be available here from 12noon on Friday 13 November
• Designing Urban Infrastructure: investing for now or tomorrow?
  On: Thursday 26 November from 6.30-8pm
  Tickets will be available here from 12noon on Monday 16 November
• Narratives of Inclusion: can cities help us live together?
  On: Thursday 3 December from 6.30-8pm
  Tickets will be available here from 12noon on Monday 23 November

Speakers include leading environmental and urban experts, mayors and policy-makers, architects, writers, sociologists and urban thinkers who will offer a global perspective on the social and spatial dynamics of 21st century urbanisation.

50 Years of Worrall: Science, Structure and Rock ‘n’ Roll

This conference, on 18 March 2016, will celebrate the 50 years of philosopher of science, structural realist and rock guitar extraordinaire Professor John Worrall at LSE.

The conference will include cutting-edge work on the philosophy of science, structure, and of course rock-n-roll, with rumours afoot of a possible appearance by The Critique of Pure Rhythm in which Professor Worrall shreds the electric guitar. This is not an event to be missed.

Podcasts of public lectures and events

Europe 2.0: The new challenges of the European Union
Speaker: Xavier Bettel
Recorded: Tuesday 27 October, approx. 55 minutes

Anthropology and Development: challenges for the 21st century
Speakers: Professor Katy Gardner, Professor David Lewis, and Professor David Mosse
Recorded: Wednesday 28 October, approx. 80 minutes

Shaken but not Stirred? The Banking System Seven Years after the Crisis
Speaker: Dr Andreas Dombret
Recorded: Thursday 29 October, approx. 32 minutes

Writing for blogs
A mix of presentations, discussions and hands-on activities to share good practice for writing for the web.

Search for and use digital media effectively
It is not difficult to find digital media online but finding quality, free material to use in your teaching, while respecting copyright law, is trickier. Join this workshop to learn more about digital media, their use in teaching, and how and where to find them.

Workshops from the Teaching and Learning Centre

Quality assurance and teaching enhancement
Wednesday 11 November from 12.30-2pm
This workshop explores quality assurance frameworks in the UK and at LSE, and the relationship between quality assurance and teaching enhancement in our own teaching practice. We will also examine a variety of methods for gathering feedback on our teaching.

Innovative teaching and learning practice from the LSE 100 laboratory
Thursday 12 November from 1-2.30pm
Paul Kelly, Pro-Director for Teaching and Learning, describes LSE100 as a laboratory for innovative teaching and learning practice across the School. In this new series of workshops the leadership team and teaching fellows on LSE100 will discuss the pros and cons of different approaches to teaching, learning and assessment on the course.

Annual Visit from UK Research Office (Brussels) - EC Grants
Thursday 3 December from 11am-4pm
This workshop will focus on the purpose, nature and structure of EU collaborative grant proposals as well as how to get successful grants from EU bodies. LSE's UK Research Office (UKRO) advisor in Brussels, Maribel Glogowski, will present the session. A welcome break and sandwich lunch will be served. Please note, even if you are only able to attend part of the day or one talk, we strongly recommend that you book your place.

Below are some of the vacancies currently being advertised:

• Administrative and Projects Assistant, GLPD: Governance, Legal and Policy Division
• Assistant Professor, Accounting
• Assistant Professor in Economic History, Economic History
• Assistant Professor in Economics, Economics
• 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 Law (English Law of Property and Trusts), Law
• Assistant Professor in Law (Financial Regulation), Law
• Associate Professor in Global Health Policy, Social Policy
• Coordinating Business Chinese Teacher Post, Confucius Institute
• Executive Assistant to the Director, Summer School and Executive Programmes
• Head of Research, LSE Advancement
• Junior Project Manager, Information Management and Technology
• LSE Fellow (Post-Doctoral) Fellowship in Political Science (two posts), Government
• Professor/Associate Professor in Economics, Economics
• Project Administrative Officer, International History
• Research Officer, Middle East Centre
• Research Officer, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion
• Surveys Manager (internal secondment), Academic Registrar's Division
• Undergraduate Programmes Administrator and Main Office Manager, International History