Homecoming 2009: Fun for all the Family!

This year’s Homecoming caters for all ages – especially those who are not yet old enough to go to University, let alone be a graduate of the University of Leicester!

There are demonstrations and interactive events to inspire minds, young and old- pick your flavour and watch the cool chemists make ice cream with liquid nitrogen, or find out how to squeeze liquids and solids with the help of the engineering department.

Do bring your children – there are plenty of activities to keep them entertained throughout the day – bouncy castles, inflatable slides, teacups and trampolines – as well as a facepainter and roaming balloon modeller. Don’t worry about pocket money, as it’s all FREE!

We’re also giving children under 12 a free packed lunch – however, we do require you to be registered for the event so pop along to http://percygee.org/homecoming and let us know that you are coming!

Homecoming 2009: Last Orders at the Redfearn and Everything Must Go!

As you’ve probably heard, the legendary Redfearn bar, situated within the Percy Gee building, is to call last orders for the very last time. In the wake of new developments set to revitalize the current student union building, Homecoming will mark the very last chance for you to drink and socialise with your old university friends within in the Redfearn.

The alumni team (with the help of the Percy Gee people!) have been working hard to make sure this night goes off with a bang. The auction lots have now been finalised,  as we’ve been chipping at the walls and raiding the cellars to find some right good treats from times gone by. We’ve  also arranged some fantastic experiences that you can bid for – such as the last order’s bell, the redfearn sign  and offering the opportunity to bid for the chance to be the first person to pull a pint at the new venue in 2010.

The night doesn’t end with the auction, it is just the beginning- the SU chaps have planned all sorts of student activity to bring you back to your university days – The Thursday night Shampoo DJ will be there to provide the entertainment and we’re hoping we’ll all be in lively spirits to help raise money for the Percy Gee appeal. The rules are that “everything must go”, so if you see something you fancy, let the bar staff know and we’ll help make that piece of the Redfearn yours!

The evening, like the daytime activities are all FREE – but we need you to register so that we can make sure we’ve got enough room to cater for the mass of alumni that will be descending upon Leicester on the 27th. We’ve made it even easier to register this year – visit http://percygee.org/homecoming and follow the instructions from there!

Homecoming 2009: Keynote Speaker, Honorary Research Fellow Dr John Bond – How do you find fingerprints after they have been removed?

As part of the run up to Homecoming 2009 on the 27th of June, 2009 – the University of Leicester alumni blog team are highlighting areas of interest and events to look out for on the day.

Keynote Speaker : Dr John Bond, Honorary Research Fellow
University of Leicester Forensic Research Centre

The conventional methods associated with the enhancement of fingerprints have required some form of physical or chemical interaction with a sweat deposit left by a fingerprint in order to visualise it. If the sweat deposit is wiped or washed away, the conventional techniques will not work. Researchers at the University of Leicester have discovered a way of visualising a fingerprint which has been deposited onto metal after the deposit has been removed.

Based on his pioneering research, Dr John Bond’s talk will guide you through the process of how he managed to retrieve fingerprint details from the casing of used bullets to help the police solve previously unsolved cases and will be of particular interest to those who have an interest in forensics or enjoy watching crime drama such as C.S.I. or Waking the Dead.

Bond has been named as having one of Time Magazine’s 50 greatest inventions of 2008.

Interested in attending University of Leicester Homecoming 2009? There is lectures, activities and fun events for all ages – and they are all FREE! You can register by visiting our website and booking your place today.

Homecoming 2009: Engineering Department

As part of the run up to Homecoming 2009 on the 27th of June, 2009 – the University of Leicester alumni blog team are highlighting areas of interest and events to look out for on the day.

The University’s Engineering Department conducts cutting-edge internationally recognised research in control systems, materials, communications, power electronics, embedded systems, biomedical engineering and thermofluids. You can have the opportunity to sample the research first hand, for free, at Homecoming this year with a series of 10-15 minute demonstrations, running between 2-3pm on the 27th of June.

The demonstrations include:

• A water turbine that extracts energy from flowing water – Professor Aroussi;
• Autonomous Robots – Dr Tim Pearce
• High Voltage Arcs and Sparks – Professor John Fothergill
• Embedded Computing – Professor Michael Pont
• Flight Demonstration – Dr Emmanuel Prempain;
• Squeezing Liquids and Solids – Mr Graham Clark/Mr Simon Lawes

And if that isn’t enough, the Engineering department are hosting two of our mini lectures: Professor Sarah Hainsworth discussing engineering techniques used to analyse weapons in crime (10.45-11.30) whilst Dr Fernando Schlidnwein asks the question, “What makes your heart beat faster?” (3.00-3.45)

See also the exhibition on “50 years of the Engineering Building” in the foyer.

Interested in attending University of Leicester Homecoming 2009? There is lectures, activities and fun events for all ages – and they are all FREE! If you haven’t booked already, it is easy to use our online registration form!

Graduate Review: Now available to read online!

In addition to sending out nearly 70,000 copies of this year’s Graduate Review to all our alumni, we’ve uploaded our latest edition to our website so that you can now read it online.

View this document on Scribd

Register for Homecoming 2009 – Book Online!

We are excited to announce that registration for the much anticipated, completely FREE alumni event “Homecoming 2009″ is now open – and available online, for the very first time!

You may have received a copy of the Homecoming flyer and registration form with your Graduate Review this week – you can save time by visiting percygee.org/homecoming and let us know that you are planning to attend.

We’ll be updating the Homecoming website in the run up to the event on the 26th June, so keep coming back to find out more – or even better – subscribe to our e-newsletter to receive University of Leicester alumni news straight to your inbox (or favourite RSS reader!)

Festival of Postgraduate Research: June 25th, 2009

Students, Staff, Graduates and Employees are warmly invited to attend the fifth, annual, Festival of Postgraduate Research at the University of Leicester on Thursday 25th June 2009.

The University of Leicester is one of the UK’s leading research institutions, and its Festival of Postgraduate Research showcases the latest research emerging from its postgraduate community. The event offers organisations, interested parties and the general public an opportunity to meet the next generation of innovators and cutting-edge researchers.

The event will showcase fifty of the best research postgraduates at the University of Leicester drawn from disciplines across the University including the natural and physical sciences, law, business, social science, education and the arts. The researchers exhibiting at the Festival will present their research in an accessible way and focus on its real world implications.

Members of the public, organisations and companies use this exciting event as a networking opportunity to promote their own businesses or projects while meeting with cutting-edge researchers and university staff.

The Festival is free to attend and light refreshments will be included.

The Festival of Postgraduate Research 2009 will take place at Belvoir Suite, 2nd Floor, Charles Wilson Building

Doors open from 11:00 a.m., everyone welcome!

11:30 am – 1:00 pm Exhibition

2:00 – 3:30 pm Award Ceremony

If you would like any further information, then please the dedicated website or contact the Employer Liaison Manager at employerlink@le.ac.uk or on 0116 252 5117.

Homecoming – June 27th, 2009

Homecoming, our popular annual event for graduates, friends and supporters takes place this year on June 27th and is shaping up to be a great one. One of the key highlights of the day will be the Percy Gee Students’ Union Building, which is soon to undergo a major renovation.

This annual event gives you the perfect opportunity to reminisce, to reunite with friends and to relive your student days at the University of Leicester.

You will also have the opportunity to hear from leading Leicester academics, including Honorary Research Fellow Dr John Bond, whose research into metal corrosion has led to a technique with the potential to solve numerous past and future crimes. Also, look out for Professor Andy Gescher will illustrate the ways in which your diet can help to prevent cancer.

A major attraction during the day will be the opportunity to see the Percy Gee building (Student’s Union) for the last time before it is remodeled, with the opportunity of taking a “hard-hat” tour through the building. Plans of the project will be on display and project leaders will explain how the transformations will establish Leicester as the union of choice for aspiring students.

You will also be able to count yourself amongst the last people to drink in the legendary Redfearn bar, as Homecoming sees it call last orders for the very last time!

You will even be able to bid to take home a piece of the keystone of student social life when items and memorabilia will be auctioned and the proceeds put towards the Percy Gee Building Appeal. This is a unique opportunity and it is not to be missed!

This event is FREE to attend! The University has a range of campus eateries to cater for all tastes, whilst a free packed lunch will be supplied for the under 12s.

Stay tuned for more events during Homecoming, or if you want to more about the Alumni team – please check out our website.

London Reception at the Bank of England Museum Wednesday 28 January 2009

A special reception for alumni was hosted by Professor David Blanchflower – Member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee – in the stimulating surroundings of the Bank of England Museum in London.

A graduate and honorary graduate of the University of Leicester, Professor Blanchflower is a member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee. In the academic world, he is the Bruce V. Rauner Professor of Economics at Dartmouth College, with research responsibilities at the National Bureau of Economic Research, the Centre for Economic Studies at the University of Munich and the Institute for the Study of Labor at the University of Bonn. He has advised a number of international bodies including the ILO and the OECD.

During the reception, Professor Blanchflower addressed the guests, commenting on the role of the Monetary Policy Committee, and also spoke of the time he spent as a student at the University between 1970 and 1973. One of his key recollections was of attending a packed out Led Zepplin concert in the Queens Hall at the Students’ Union.

Graduates were able to take in the fascinating exhibition of the Bank’s rare collections, including the opportunity to lift an actual bar of gold!

Please visit the University of Leicester Alumni website for more details and to view photographs from this event.