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New documentary films reveals Artistic Research Practices Applied in the Creation of Immersive Hyperreal Soundscapes, by Dr Andrew Knight-Hill

Last summer Dr Andrew Knight-Hill (School of Design) led a HEIF funded research project to investigate the affordances in new multichannel audio technologies. In partnership with international loudspeaker manufacturer L Acoustics, Dr Knight-Hill assembled a team of world leading sound creatives including sound artist Brona Martin and Hollywood sound designer Paula Fairfield (Game of Thrones, LOST), to interrogate the possibilities available in these novel technologies through artistic research. 

“Engineers built them, but do they really understand how these tools can be used?” said Dr Knight-Hill, “often we think of knowledge in-terms of abstract facts, but there are many different ways of understanding the world. By applying creative methodologies to experiment, test possibilities and push their limits, we are able to access deeper understandings of these tools and reveal new possibilities for how they can be used.”

The applied practice methodology engaged world leading artists in the development of immersive sound works which were performed, alongside compositions by undergraduates students on the BA Sound Design programme of the University, to audiences in Highgate at the L Acoustics L-ISA lab.

Potential beneficiaries for this research project include: engineers and developers of multichannel audio systems, post-production sound professionals, student composers engaged in the project and composers and sound artists engaging in multichannel composition. 

A documentary crew was able to capture the unique events and interview the project participants. These films are now available online and provide an insight into the exciting new world of immersive hyperreal sound. Another proud moment for the University of Greenwich.

Congratulations to Dr Andrew Knight-Hill for stealing the spotlight!

Watch the films and get immersed in the project here:

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Mind the Gap – Social vs Physical distancing, a point of view from Professor Ed Galea

COVID-19 may have changed our lives forever. Why? It seems uniquely designed to create segregation, while attempting to nest us, confused? So am I.

Conflicting information on how to stay safe, protect yourself and others, is thrown at us every day; ‘stay home, go out, use a mask, don’t use it, outdoor exercise, no outdoor exercise’… At least, one thing we’re clear – keep your distance!

Luckily for us, Greenwich’s own Professor Ed Galea managed to give a different view on what is being said about social distancing and how to do it responsibly. The Professor writes a series of articles on LinkedIn that may just change our minds and behaviours when out and about.

Stay Home, Stay Safe, Save Lives!

Image credits: Prof Ed Galea
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Professor Tracey Reynolds is one of the ‘Phenomenal Women’ honoured in pioneer exhibition

The month of March celebrates women, firstly marking Women’s International Day then followed by Mother’s Day and this year The Phenomenal Women exhibition raises the bar by highlighting the role of Black Women in Education.

Perceived as the first photographic exhibition honouring Britain’s black female professors, The Phenomenal Women exhibition features a collection of portraits captured by the prestigious photographer Bill Knight, OBE and curated by Dr Nicola Rollock, reader in equity and education at Goldsmiths, University of London. The black and white images of 40 professors in Academia range from different subject area; law, medicine, creative writing and sociology.

University of Greenwich’s Research Professor Tracey Reynolds is among the group of black women honourees who are setting the path and an example of excellence in Education. The news featured on the BBC website.

Portraits of UK black female professors – in pictures
Professor Tracey Reynolds

The show is free to attend and will be at London’s City Hall from 18 March until the end of the month.

Congratulations to Professor Tracey Reynolds for the recognition of Excellence and getting the Spotlight!

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UOG Sociology student is a panellist at conference hosted by the University of York

From Margins to Centre?: An Undergraduate Conference on Marginalised Histories! was a one day conference attended by Gabriel B. Couto Ribas, a Sociology a BSc Hons Sociology and Psychology at the University of Greenwich, which took place 28th February 2020 at the University of York. The conference had a particular focus on LGBT+ history, women’s history, BME history and history of disability. Aimed specifically at undergraduate students to involve them in the discipline.

Olivia Wyatt, Clare Burgess, Dr Louise Owusu-Kwarteng and Gabriel B. Couto Ribas

Gabriel was an invited panellist and presented the paper ‘Drag and Me’ – Autobiographical reflections on the impact of drag artistry in my life- a very personal approach, shared in the recently published autobiography ‘Livin’ Our Best Lives: Autobiographical Reflections of life in Current Times’ soon available online.

The keynote speech was given by Catherine Hall, Emerita Professor of History at UCL , with panels chaired by Jonathan Saha and Sue Lemos.

Congratulations to Gabriel and the Applied Sociology Group!

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University of Greenwich Lecturer Emily Critchley invites us to an evening of poetry

Calling out all poetry lovers! Megan Fernandes, Emily Critchley, Polly Atkin and Will Harris will be reading poems on an evening hosted by Natasha Hakimi Zapata The event will take place on 13th March from 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm at Burley Fisher Bookshop in East London, 400 Kingsland Rd, Dalston, London E8 4AA

Will Harris, Emily Critchley, Natasha Hakimi Zapata, Megan Fernandes, Polly Atkin

Meet the poets

Will Harris is a writer of mixed Anglo-Indonesian heritage, born and based in London. He has worked in schools, led workshops at the Southbank Centre and teaches for The Poetry School. He is an Assistant Editor at The Rialto and a fellow of The Complete Works III. Published in the Bloodaxe anthology Ten: Poets of the New Generation, he was featured in ES Magazine as part of the “new guard” of London poets. His poem ‘SAY’ was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best Single Poem 2018, and he won a Poetry Fellowship from the Arts Foundation in 2019. His debut pamphlet of poems, All this is implied, published by HappenStance in 2017, was joint winner of the London Review Bookshop Pamphlet of the Year and shortlisted for the Callum Macdonald Memorial Award by the National Library of Scotland. Mixed-Race Superman, an essay, was published by Peninsula Press in 2018 and in an expanded edition by Melville House in the US in 2019. His first full poetry collection, RENDANG, is forthcoming from Granta in the UK in February 2020 and from Wesleyan University Press in the US later in the year.

Emily Critchley‘s poetry collections have been published by Boiler House, Barque, Intercapillary, Corrupt, Holdfire, Torque, Oystercatcher, Dusie, Bad and Arehouse presses. A 2011 selected writing, Love / All That / & OK (US), was published by Penned in the Margins; her most recent collection, Ten Thousand Things, was published by Boiler House Press in 2017. She is also editor of Out of Everywhere 2: Linguistically Innovative Poetry by Women in North America & the UK (Reality Street, 2016)(US) and a Senior Lecturer in English and Creative Writing at the University of Greenwich, London. She has publications forthcoming from Shearsman and Crater presses.

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Mark O’Thomas interviews Vicky Featherstone, the Royal Court Theatre Artistic Director

In an interview with Vicky Featherstone, the first female Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre, Professor Mark O’Thomas, Pro Vice-Chancellor at the University of Greenwich discussed, among other things, the Royal Court’s relationship to social class, race, disadvantaged communities and, in particular, focuses on Featherstone’s artistic programme since taking charge at the Court in 2013.

The conversation between Mark O’Thomas and Vicky Featherstone is featured in the book chapter Community and Ownership: Uncovering New Voices at the Royal Court Theatre and highlights the importance of theatre in the context of current times.

The publication Redefining Theatre Communities: International Perspectives on Community-Conscious Theatre-Making, edited by Marco Galea, and Szabolcs Musca is available to purchase, as hard copy or kindle edition from Amazon

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Alphabet poem: for kids! is the new book by Emily Critchley, Senior Lecturer at University of Greenwich

Congratulations to Dr Emily Critchley, who will launch a new book in Pickled Pepper Books, North London, this Wednesday 26th February.

The alphabet poem: for kids! is a collaborative, illustrated poetry book for both children and adults by Emily Critchley, Michael Kindellan and Alison Honey Woods.

This is a unique opportunity to listen to readings from Emily Critchley, Michael Kindellan & Jerome Martin, and have your copy signed.

All invited!

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University of Greenwich PhD Student wins Curran Fellowships award

The University of Greenwich is proud to announce that PhD student Beth Gaskell has been awarded the Curran Fellowships. The grants were founded by pioneer researcher Eileen Curran to support primary source and archival research into the periodical press of 19th-century Britain and its empire. The 2020 Curran Fellowships include: Beth Gaskell, The History of Early Regimental Journals 

This grant will enable Beth to pursue her work on C19 military periodicals after her PhD, which is nearly completed.

More detail of the Curran Fellowships can be found at

http://rs4vp.org/awards/curran-fellowship/  

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Creatively Engaging with BAMER communities in Greenwich

Written by Professor Tracey Reynolds, Research Lead of Applied Sociology Research Group  and Rohima  Begum Miah (Sociology Graduate and GWES intern)

The Applied Sociology Research Group is new to University, established in September 2016. This multi-disciplinary group consolidates and brings together social science research across schools/departments located in various Faculties. The research groups’ key thematic priorities are: 

  • Enhancing citizenship and participation for marginalised groups
  • Social inclusion, health and wellbeing
  • Community engagement

Since the group’s inception we have placed particular emphasis on creative, participatory and applied social research for community engagement partnerships with voluntary and community organisations to identify and respond to the needs of the local community using research for social activism. Oftentimes this involves developing research projects in  collaboration with voluntary organisations and social justice agencies. We have organised various activities, events with the aim of promoting and supporting research and engagement activities with marginalised groups in local community settings. For list of recent activities please project website Applied Sociology https://www.gre.ac.uk/ach/research/centres/asrc

Our most recent example, was an event organised in celebration of Black History Month 2019. Entitled ‘United By/Divided By Race, Ethnicity and Gender: Inter-generational legacies  explored’  this event involved collaboration with Caribbean Social forum, a local community organisation for BAME/Caribbean elders and National Maritime Museum, based in Greenwich (26th October 2019). The University’s campus Bathway Theatre in Woolwich, situated in the heart of Woolwich, with an ethnically diverse community, provided the ideal place in which to hold this event. 

The event sought to commemorate the history, achievements and legacies of Black people in the UK, across ethnic, gender  and generation divides. It was important for us to also celebrate the contribution  of Black people to UK society and raise public awareness and knowledge of Black history and culture. In addition to being a day of celebration, we also wanted it to be a learning too and the activities that took place on the day very much spoke to our ethos of the importance of participatory learning!

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ISEC Team from the University of Greenwich attracts H2020 ENSURESEC Project

The Internet of Things and Security (ISEC) research group has attracted a new H2020 project, called ENSURESEC, which has a total budget of 9 Million Euro (UoG share: 489K Euro). The P.I. is Muhammad Taimoor Khan and the team also includes Ivana Tomic, George Loukas and Georgia Sakellari. It will be a sociotechnical solution for safeguarding the Digital Single Market’s e-commerce operations against cyber and physical threats.

It combines an automatic, rigorous, distributed and open-source toolkit for protecting the e-commerce infrastructure, with monitoring of the impact of threats in physical space and a campaign for training SMEs and citizens aimed at creating awareness and trust. It addresses the whole gamut of modern e-commerce, from standard physical products purchased online and delivered via post, to entirely virtual products or services delivered online.

A huge congratulations to the team on the achievement!