As part of the University of Southampton’s Reunion Experience 2014, we're welcoming back alumni to a special engineering showcase on Saturday 12 July from 10am to 1pm.

Alumni from the years 1954, 1964, 1974, 1984, 1994 and 2004 are warmly invited back to celebrate the anniversary of their graduation. There will be the opportunity to tour our world-class facilities, find out more about our current research, share memories and catch-up with old friends. Refreshments will be available.

Register for the Reunion Experience 2014.

Cutting-edge facilities

Facilities from Electronics and Computer Science and from the Faculty of Engineering and the Environment will be on display: our interdisciplinary Cleanroom Complex; the wind tunnel; the rapid prototyping facility; Erica the rhino; the μ-Vis and X-Ray Imaging Centre; and the anechoic and reverberation chambers.

The Tony Davies High Voltage Laboratory will also be open for tours on the day, but these must be pre-booked separately.

Pioneering researchers

Professor William Powrie, Dean of Engineering and the Environment will be attending on the day, while Professor Dame Wendy Hall, Dean of Physical Sciences and Engineering will be taking part in the evening dinner, organised by the University's Alumni Office.

There will also be a rare opportunity to hear from two pioneering researchers: Professor Sir David Payne and Dr Reuben Wilcock.

Professor Sir David Payne is one of the UK's most eminent scientists and one of the world's most cited academics. His discoveries in the 1970s and 1980s directly underpin today's Internet infrastructure, and his work continues to help ensure its long-term stability.

Dr Reuben Wilcock is an award-winning academic and engaging speaker, whose most recent enterprise MyJoulo, won the British Gas Connecting Homes Startup Competition 2013.

Venue: Highfield Campus, University of Southampton

Contact for more information: Alumni Office +44 (0)23 8059 2747 ARevents@southampton.ac.uk

Refreshments will be available.

Professor Dame Wendy Hall is one of the judges for a new £10M prize which has been launched to solve one of the greatest scientific problems facing the world today.

The innovation charity NESTA, in collaboration with the Technology Strategy Board, the BBC and other partners, has launched the Longitude Prize 2014 to find solutions to one of six key global challenges: dementia, antibiotics, flight, water, paralysis and food.

The competition idea is based on the 1714 Longitude Prize, which was won by John Harrison, whose innovative clocks enabled sailors to pinpoint their position at sea for the first time.

Professor Dame Wendy Hall, Dean of the Faculty of Physical Sciences and Engineering, is a member of the Longitude Committee, which features experts from across the scientific world and who will judge all entries and decide the winner.

Dame Wendy recently appeared in the special 50th anniversary edition of the BBC science series Horizon to launch the prize and presented the argument for how smart devices and new technology can help people with dementia. “This is a great opportunity for us to tackle some of the biggest issues facing society today," she commented. "I believe technology offers us a great opportunity to help people with dementia to live independently for longer in their own homes.â€?

It is estimated that 135 million people worldwide will have dementia by 2050, which will mean a greater personal and financial cost to society. With no existing cure, there is a need to find ways to support a person’s dignity, physical and emotional wellbeing. The challenge is to develop intelligent, affordable integrated technologies that revolutionise care for people with dementia, enabling them to live independent lives.

The six themes are being put to a public vote to determine which one will be adopted as the winning prize challenge. Voting is open until 25 June, through the Horizon website and by text.

The winning challenge will be announced on 25 June, and will become the focus of the £10M prize fund. The Longitude Committee will then finalise the criteria for how the prize will be awarded, and from September anyone will be able to submit their ideas to the competition judges. The Longitude Prize will run for five years, or until the prize is won.

Longitude Prize

Three University of Southampton research projects have been shortlisted for a national award, which recognises their public engagement work.

The projects are all nominated for awards in the Engage Competition 2014 run by the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE). The projects, which were chosen from over 230 entries, include ECS' Erica the Rhino.

Led by a team in Electronics and Computer Science including Dr Kirk Martinez and Dr Reena Pau, Erica the Rhino was created in 2013 as part of Marwell Wildlife’s Go! Rhinos campaign, which aimed to highlight the conservation threat facing rhinos. Erica was one of a series of rhinos created by local artists that appeared around Southampton throughout the summer. Using small low-power computers, she was unique in her interactivity: among other digital functions, she tweeted, changed colour and could learn about her environment with both short and long term memory. The technology formed the basis for regular workshops held in the Marlands shopping centre throughout the school holidays.

Other University of Southampton projects which have also been shortlisted are:

• The Marine Engineering Connections project, led by Dr Steve Dorney, turned routine 40-minute sea crossings across the Solent into exciting engineering journeys. During the summer of 2013, marine engineers from the University and industrial partners were trained in the skills of science-busking, to showcase their engineering expertise on a popular ferry-route in the peak tourist season. Holiday passengers traveling to and from the Isle of Wight on board WightLink’s flagship ferry, the St.Clair, were able to meet the engineers and explore the impact of marine and maritime engineering in a fun, engaging and educational manner.

• Celestial Sirens, led by Dr Laurie Stras, is an amateur female-voice choir, which recreates the musical world of sixteenth-century convents. With a membership drawn from across the South – from Dorchester to Eastbourne – the choir has been active since 2002 and has participated in two award-winning recordings. The choir also participated in a tour of the UK and Ireland in a dramatisation of Sarah Dunant’s novel, Sacred Hearts, which starred Niamh Cusack and Deborah Findlay.

Professor Judith Petts, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of Southampton, says: “We are delighted to have three finalists in the NCCPE competition. We believe that it is really important for researchers to engage with the public in a host of innovative and effective ways, and these projects exemplify why it matters.

“From inspiring young people with new advances in knowledge, to encouraging members of the public to contribute to research, it is clear that public engagement at the University is thriving.â€?

Winners will be announced at the national Engage Competition Awards ceremony on Wednesday 11 June at the Natural History Museum. The competition forms part of Universities Week, a week-long celebration of public engagement with research, which is taking place across the UK from 9 to 15 June. As part of the week, some of the finalists will be showcasing their work at a free event at the Natural History Museum on Wednesday 11 June from 6-10pm.

Nicola Dandridge, Chief Executive, Universities UK, says: “The NCCPE competition has provided an excellent vehicle for universities’ engagement with the public to be recognised during Universities Week, which this year aims to inspire the public about world-leading research taking place in higher education. The standard and sheer volume of entries received is a reflection of the increasing trend for UK researchers and the public to work together. Public engagement is important to the success of the higher education sector and as part of that the NCCPE plays a pivotal role in supporting universities to engage with the public.â€?

The University of Southampton officially launches its new Web Science Institute on Thursday 12 June to investigate how the World Wide Web is changing the world and the world is changing the Web. The World Wide Web is the largest human information system in history, integrated into the everyday lives of billions of people across the planet, shaping how we do business, conduct our social lives and organise politically. The University of Southampton has played a significant role in the development of the Web over the last 25 years, including the foundation of the innovative discipline of Web Science 10 years ago.

The event, at the prestigious Royal Society in London, will mark the formal launch of the Web Science Institute and opens with an exhibition showcasing its interdisciplinary Web Science research. This will include the Web Observatory and the unique SOCIAM project, which aims to create a greater understanding of ‘social machines’ including the World Wide Web. Institute Directors Professor Dame Wendy Hall, Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt and Professor Susan Halford, together with Professor Sir Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web, will join other leading figures from Web and internet science, including the University’s newly appointed Visiting Professor Liam Maxwell, Government Chief Technology Officer, in a panel-led discussion on future developments. Keynote presentations will also be delivered by JP Rangaswami, Chief Scientist at Salesforce.com and Richard Susskind OBE, author, speaker and IT Adviser to the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales. Professor Dame Wendy Hall says: “As we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Web and think about the role Web Science can play in helping to shape the future Web we want, it is a perfect time to be launching the Web Science Institute. We are looking forward to showcasing current Web Science work and discussing what it means to look at the world through a Web Science lens.â€? Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt says: “The Web empowers individuals and communities. It is based on open standards and open participation. And now open data on the Web will drive even greater innovation. The Web Science Institute will help us understand these exciting opportunities.â€? The Institute brings together world-leading multidisciplinary expertise from across the University to tackle the most pressing global challenges facing the World Wide Web and wider society today. It will focus the analytical power of researchers from disciplines as diverse as sociology and computer science, economics and psychology, law and humanities to understand and explain the Web by: • focusing on interdisciplinary collaborations and partnerships; • demonstrating clear ambition, adaptability and innovation; • leveraging the visionary leadership and outstanding staff and student expertise across the University; • providing a platform for significant investment by Government and external partners; • showcasing unique and creative education programmes that set new standards internationally.

The University of Southampton has appointed Liam Maxwell, the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for HM Government, as a Visiting Professor.

He will be a Visiting Professor in Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton. Liam will also be taking part in a panel-led discussion at the launch of the University’s Web Science Institute on Thursday 12 June at the Royal Society.

Liam says: “I’m delighted to be taking up this Visiting Professor role at the University of Southampton. It's one of the country's top institutions for computer science, turning out the web scientists of tomorrow. Having such a direct connection to the innovation and creativity of the web sciences function can only help us identify better ways of delivering a digital government based on user needs. This role will complement my work as Chief Technology Officer for HM Government.â€?

Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt, Head of the University’s Web and Internet Science Group, says: “As CTO to the UK Government, Liam Maxwell occupies one of the most significant positions in UK IT and computing. He is leading a transformation of how systems are procured within the Public Sector and the nature of such systems. He is a supporter of Open Standards, Open Source and Open Data.

“He is an enthusiastic advocate of Web Science and of Electronics and Computer Science and is supportive of both our curriculum and students. He was voted number one influential leader in Computer Weekly’s “UKtech50â€? and it is fantastic to have him associated with the University.â€?

Liam Maxwell’s team within the Government Digital Service (GDS) is responsible for equipping government with the right technology to deliver great digital services

He supports the adoption of open standards and leads the spend control process for IT which is part of the Cabinet Office’s Efficiency and Reform Group programme to save multiple billions across government.

ECS alumna Shirin Dehghan visited ECS today (Monday 23 June – National Women in Engineering Day).

Shirin graduated from the University of Southampton in 1992 with an MEng degree in Electronics, and began her career by working for MAC (Multiple Access Communications) with Professor Ray Steele at Chilworth Science Park. Shirin developed radio propagation products and became the manager of the consultancy division of the business, leading projects involving major operators and manufacturers.

She then became research engineer at Vodafone Group and was responsible for the development of WCDMA simulation and business modelling. She was part of Vodafone UK's UMTS auction team, where she acted as technical expert on systems and technology issues, providing technical liaison to the UK board. In 2002 she founded her own business Arieso, with the vision of enabling self-optimizing networks. Under her management and guidance the company achieved great success and was sold last year to US mobile technology group JDSU.

Shirin is the author of several technical publications and has been a speaker in numerous technical conferences. She has also won a string of awards for her contribution to business and enterprise.

Today's visit to ECS was hosted by Professor Michael Butler and the Athena Swan group, and the audience included a school-group, visiting ECS for an outreach event led by Dr Reena Pau, who were able to hear Shirin’s inspiring talk – ‘Women Lead Technology Businesses’.

As part of the University of Southampton’s Reunion Experience 2014, we're welcoming back alumni to a special engineering showcase on Saurday 12 July from 10am to 1pm.

Alumni from the years 1954, 1964, 1974, 1984, 1994 and 2004 are warmly invited back to celebrate the anniversary of their graduation. There will be the opportunity to tour our world-class facilities, find out more about our current research, share memories and catch-up with old friends. Refreshments will be available.

Register for the Reunion Experience 2014

Cutting-edge facilities

Facilities from across the two engineering faculties will be on display: our interdisciplinary Cleanroom Complex; the wind tunnel; Erica the rhino; the μ-Vis and X-Ray Imaging Centre; and the anechoic and reverberation chambers.

The Tony Davies High Voltage Laboratory will also be open for tours on the day, but these must be pre-booked separately.

Pioneering researchers

Professor Dame Wendy Hall, Dean of Physical Sciences and Engineering will be taking part in the evening dinner, organised by the University's Alumni Office.

There will also be a rare opportunity to hear from two pioneering researchers: Dr Reuben Wilcock and Professor Sir David Payne.

Dr Reuben Wilcock of the ARM-ECS Research Center is an award-winning academic and engaging speaker. His most recent enterprise MyJoulo, won the British Gas Connecting Homes Startup Competition 2013.

Professor Sir David Payne is one of the UK's most eminent scientists. His discoveries in the 1970s and 1980s directly underpin today's Internet infrastructure, and his work continues to help ensure its long-term stability.

Venue:

• Highfield Campus, University of Southampton

Contact for more information:

• Name: Alumni Office
• Phone: +44 (0)23 8059 2747
• E-mail: ARevents@southampton.ac.uk

Professor Dame Wendy Hall, Dean of Physical Sciences and Engineering at the University of Southampton, has been named as the most influential woman in UK IT by a national computing website.

Computer Weekly recognised Dame Wendy as being number one in the top 25 women who have had a major impact on UK IT.

The winners were announced at a special event in London this afternoon and were selected by a judging panel of employers and IT leaders from across industry, as well as readers of the digital magazine that is the leading provider news, analysis, opinion, information and services for the UK IT community.

Dame Wendy joined 24 other women who Computer Weekly acknowledges represent role models that will be important to the future diversity and success of the UK’s high-tech economy.

“I'm delighted and flattered to have been named as the most influential woman in UK IT, alongside such distinguished names. I applaud Computer Weekly for their efforts to highlight the vital role of women in IT in the UK, which is far more significant than is often realised,â€? said Dame Wendy.

“Such publicity will encourage others to consider careers in an industry that is one of the most exciting and important to be in today,â€? she added.

Dame Wendy has held many leadership roles in addition to her academic research in computer science, in the development of the World Wide Web and, more recently, in establishing and developing the new discipline of Web Science.

With Tim Berners-Lee and Nigel Shadbolt, Dame Wendy co-founded the Web Science Research Initiative in 2006. She is currently a Director of the Web Science Trust, which has a global mission to support the development of research, education and thought leadership in Web Science. Dame Wendy is also a Director of the University’s recently launched Web Science Institute, which brings together world-leading multidisciplinary expertise to tackle the most pressing global challenges facing the World Wide Web and wider society today.

She was President of the British Computer Society; the first non-North American to lead the Association of Computing Machinery, the world's largest organisation for computer professionals; a member of the Prime Ministers Council for Science and Technology; Senior Vice-President of the Royal Academy of Engineering; and a member of the Research Council of the European Research Council.

Dame Wendy became a Dame Commander of the British Empire in the 2009 UK New Year’s Honours list and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in June 2009.

The fourth annual, and biggest ever, UKESF (UK Electronics Skills Foundation), summer school is being hosted by the University of Southampton this week (7 to 11 July).

The UKESF Summer Schools provide prospective electrical and electronic engineering (EEE) students first-hand electronics experience. Students have been recruited as part of the EDT Headstart programme, which runs science and engineering university taster courses at universities across the UK.

The five-day course will consist of practical lab work and lectures from academics from UKESF university partners (Cardiff, Edinburgh, Imperial, Manchester, Nottingham, and York) as well as academics from the University of Southampton. There will also be field trips to course sponsors Thales and the Science and Technology Facilities Council; offering students the opportunity to gain practical insights into the lives of working electronic engineers across a range of disciplines including aerospace, defence, security, transport, particle physics and space technology.

The course will be supported by UKESF scholarship students currently studying at the University of Southampton, and will feature presentations from previous UKESF scholarship students who will talk about their experience of working in the industry.

“These courses are a fantastic way for school students to learn about electronics and to encourage them into degrees valued by an industry that has a range of rewarding careers to offer,â€? said Professor Bashir Al-Hashimi, Associate Dean for Research at the University of Southampton’s Faculty of Physical Sciences and Engineering. “Since UKESF started, over 30 of our students have been part of the scholarship scheme, undertaking valuable work experience that has informed their career decisions,â€? he adds.

The event is being sponsored by a number of world-leading companies that create or rely on electronic systems including, ARM, Broadcom Foundation, CSR, Dialog Semiconductor, Imagination Technologies, Jaguar Land Rover, and Thales.

Researchers from the University of Southampton have helped to develop a new web application for gathering evidence during natural disasters, which will enable more effective emergency response.

Accurate information can be life-saving in extreme situations, such as earthquakes and tsunamis. However, finding out the accuracy of that information from the vast amount of contradictory material that is posted on social media channels is becoming increasingly difficult. While such channels are useful for identifying and sharing content, they are not the right tools for verification, which requires searching for evidence rather than liking or retweeting.

Verily (www.veri.ly) has been designed by researchers from the University of Southampton, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology in the UAE and Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI) to rapidly crowdsource the verification of information during disasters.

To test whether the platform would be effective, researchers designed the Verily Challenge to prove the feasibility of timely verification.

Various questions were posted to www.veri.ly/crisis/1 and users were invited to submit evidence justifying their answer. A user could not simply submit a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ for an answer. Instead, they had to verify their position by providing evidence either in the form of an image or video or as text.

For example, a photo of a street was posted with the question: Is this street in Rome. The photo was taken from a personal archive and was actually in the Italian town of Caltagirone in Sicily. The question was answered correctly within four hours by a user who submitted another picture of the same street.

A variety of other techniques and platforms were used to collect evidence: - Foto Forensics helped ascertain the location of a skyscraper. - Google Earth confirmed a Greek lake photo. - Personal memory or extreme searching skill helped determine the location of this window display. - The location of a concrete robot with a heart was identified through a creative Google query.

The success of the challenge confirmed the feasibility of rapid evidence collection. The next step is to deploy Verily for evidence collection during a humanitarian disaster.

Victor Naroditskiy, a research fellow in Electronics and Computer Science at the University, who helped to create Verily, says: “The lack of verifiability of content posted on social media is the main reason preventing humanitarian and news organisations from making a wider use of it.

“The rationale for Verily is that the collective effort of people searching for the truth will be fruitful. Examples of the tremendous power of collective effort can be seen in projects like Wikipedia, and closer to home in experiments like the DARPA Red Balloon Challenge. In this 2009 challenge, 10 red weather balloons moored at secret locations throughout the US were discovered within nine hours through a mass mobilisation over social media channels.â€?

Verily was invented by Carlos Castillo (QCRI), Patrick Meier (QCRI), Victor Naroditskiy (Southampton) and Iyad Rahwan (Masdar). The technical development of the platform was by Masters students Luis Arenal Mijares, Alex Greenland and Dimitrios Papamiliosin from the Web Technology MSc programme at the University of Southampton led by Enrico Costanza and Victor Naroditskiy. Justine Mackinnon (QCRI) together with the Southampton team organised the public trial of the platform.

Victor and Enrico research crowdsourcing in the context of ORCHID, a multidisciplinary EPSRC-funded project developing the science and technologies for human-agent collectives, with disaster response as a key application area.

You can follow Verily on Twitter @VeriDotLy