Author: jemmalidgard (Page 3 of 5)

The history of Sighthill Campus

01/08/2022 / jemmalidgard / 0 Comments

A lot has changed since John Napier was born in the tower at Merchiston Castle in 1550, during turbulent times for Scotland.

Times are still a little turbulent… but what would Napier think of our modern-day university campuses?

As you may know, Edinburgh Napier has 3 campus locations – at Merchiston, Craiglockhart and Sighthill. Not long after being renamed Edinburgh Napier university in 2009 (previously Napier University), the University opened its brand new £60m Sighthill campus in 2011.

Sighthill Campus, photograph from Edinburgh Napier Image Bank

Situated in the west of Edinburgh, sights of Sighthill include Burton’s biscuit company, Edinburgh Beer Factory, Edinburgh College and of course our own Edinburgh Napier Sighthill Campus.

More than 5000 students choose to study at Sighthill campus, which houses the School of Health and Social Care (SHSC) and the School of Applied Sciences (SAS).

Applied sciences courses include Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Marine Biology and Conservation, as well as Sport Sciences, Social Sciences, Psychology, Policing and Careers Guidance. Facilities include Sport and exercise science labs, biotech labs and an environmental chamber to simulate high altitude conditions!

Health and Social care courses include Nursing, Midwifery, Allied Health professions and Social Work, as well as Health & Social Care Sciences. Step inside and you’ll find a 1000 sq metre Clinical skills centre with hospital wards, where students can treat ‘patients’ in a life-like setting.

https://www.napier.ac.uk/about-us/our-location/our-campuses/sighthill

Nursing, photograph from Edinburgh Napier Image Bank

The opening of the 2011 Sighthill campus, with its brand new 5 storey Learning Resource Centre library, meant the bringing together of staff from a number of small ‘school of health’ libraries at Livingston St John’s hospital, Canaan Lane campus which was on the grounds of the Astley Ainslie Hospital and Comely Bank campus which was situated within the Western General Hospital’s grounds.

However, Edinburgh Napier was present at Sighthill long before 2011!

Sighthill Campus was originally opened in 1968 as custom-built accommodation for Edinburgh College of Commerce. The Edinburgh Corporation established the college in 1966 and subjects taught here would have included management and business studies – which you will now find at Craiglockhart campus!

In 1974, Edinburgh College of Commerce was amalgamated with Napier College of Science & Technology – and Napier College of Commerce & Technology was born. In 1986, Napier College became Napier Polytechnic, and then Napier University in 1992.

Notably, in 1984, her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Duke of Edinburgh came to Sighthill campus to open the newly refurbished library! The library was given the apt name of ‘The Queens Library’.

Image of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to open Sighthill Library

Queen Elizabeth II opened Sighthill Library

Our present-day Sighthill LRC has a range of study environments fit for any royalty 👑 👑 👑!.

Across 5 floors, we have around 300 networked computers, spaces for laptops, study booths and collaborative desks for group work.

Our book collections are spread across the 3^rd and 4^th floors, with group study rooms, silent study areas and a relaxation space also available.

You can also borrow laptops from our LapSafe or ask for help at our Help Desk on LRC2.

Want to know more? Find out here.

Sources:

https://www.napier.ac.uk/about-us/our-history

https://www.napier.ac.uk/about-us/our-location/our-campuses/sighthill

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edinburgh_Napier_University

https://my.napier.ac.uk/library/about-the-library/sighthill

Seath, G. (2017). Beyond Logarithms & Bones: A short history of John Napier and his legacy.

The Napier Estate : past and present. (2007). Napier University.

By Judy Wheeler

Postgraduate study

18/07/2022 / jemmalidgard / 0 Comments

So, you’ve finished your undergraduate degree, passed your exams and graduated. Phew!

We give you our warmest congratulations and hope you’re now enjoying a well-earned rest. But as your thoughts turn to the future, can we interest you in some further study? Have you considered doing a postgraduate degree?

As a post-graduate, your employability is greatly boosted. In fact, according to the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, around 1 in 7 jobs now require a post-graduate degree. And following on from that is the fact that the job you get afterwards will probably be better paid. In 2018, the median postgraduate salary was £6,000 higher (£40,000) than the median graduate salary (£34,000).

Here at Edinburgh Napier, we have a wealth of help and resources to help you in your post-graduate research. See here for more details at Postgraduate Research (napier.ac.uk)

Edinburgh

As an Edinburgh Napier graduate, you’ll be eligible for 20% off your Masters fees. Our programmes are created in collaboration with industry and employers, and 96.2% of our post-graduate students are in work or education six months after graduation. We have a range of study options for our PGs – including online and distance learning programmes.

You can browse our courses here

We’re hosting a postgraduate virtual open day later in the year. Register below to get access to the platform for 30 days after the event.

We look forward to welcoming you back soon!

By Lesley McRobb

World Emoji Day: Sunday the 17th of July 2022

17/07/2022 / jemmalidgard / 0 Comments

Today is World Emoji Day! 😋😍🤣

But what exactly is an emoji and where did they come from?

Emojis are popular icons that demonstrate how we feel, our emotions, moods and expressions. For example, a smiley face represents that we are happy 😊. They are used to communicate in texts on our phones 📱, emails 📧 on our laptops or tablets 💻, and even on professional channels like Microsoft Teams! Most of the emojis are animated to exaggerate the sender’s emotions.

It originally derives from the Japanese word, ‘kanji’ meaning picture. The great thing about emojis is that no words are needed to describe how you feel- it is all pictorial!

In 1999 Japanese artist Shigetaka Kurita created the first 176 emoji while working for mobile internet service. You can see this work at the New York’s Museum of Modern Art

Exhibition of Emojis https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/emoji-shigetaka-kurita-standards-manual/index.html

In 2007 Google was the first to incorporate them into Gmail (email service). But it was not until 2010 that the emojis were released on both an iPhone and Android, and now each emoji has an unlimited resolution.

Emojis create a culture of inclusivity that helps some neurodiverse users to communicate more easily when online. They can use pictorial emojis as a communication method that helps their sensory processing. Emojis produce visibility and give users voices, through the power of pictorial expression, representation, and storytelling. Apple has even proposed new emojis that represent people with hearing aids and prosthetic limbs.

https://worldemojiday.com/

Emojis can even be used to show phrases not just expressions or emotions.

So, can you guess the title of these books through emojis? You can also find these on our Library Search.

1. 🕰️🍑 (Clue: Time is ticking for this book and film adaptation)

2. 🧛‍♀️ (Clue: This 1897 gothic novel is something to sink your teeth into…)

3. 👩🐉💉(Clue: Look behind you for this mythical, fire-breathing reptile)

4. 🐦🎵 (Clue: It may have wings and like to chirp, but this novel brings more awareness to the experience of war).

Leave your answers below, alongside your favourite emoji! 😁

By Jemma Lidgard

International Women in Engineering Day 23rd of June 2022

23/06/2022 / jemmalidgard / 0 Comments

International Women in Engineering Day is a campaign from the Women’s Engineering Society that began in 2014 to celebrate and highlight women in engineering around the world. Although women are still under-represented in their professions today, the campaign also encourages more women to work in the sector. You can find more information at https://www.inwed.org.uk/about/

Drawing

Over the years, women have made an important contribution to engineering particularly during the industrial revolution and to the war efforts by delivering many technical elements. Examples include munitions work and manufacturing respirators.

Here are some amazing women pioneers in engineering that have and are inspiring future generations of women to work in the engineering profession:

Victoria Drummond was the first British marine engineer and was awarded a war medal for her bravery at sea during World War Two. Drummond also worked on the Caledon Ship Works in Dundee. You can find a trail in Dundee on women that have contributed to engineering: https://www.dundeewomenstrail.org.uk/
Christina Koch is an engineer and NASA astronaut who contributed to scientific instruments on several space missions.
Kimberly Bryant is an electrical engineer and founded the Black Girls Code to change the face of technology and introduce girls of colour to computer science https://www.chartwellspeakers.com/speaker/kimberly-bryant/

Did you know that today it is also estimated that only 25% of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) are women? This shows that girls are often stereotyped from an early age in the classroom, as boys are more likely to pursue these subjects such as Chemistry, Physics, Engineering, and Computing. The sector needs to be more diverse, and Equate Scotland also works with women to be more inclusive: https://equatescotland.org.uk/

At Edinburgh Napier, 20% of our staff and students in the School of Engineering & the Built Environment are female. You can find more information about our engineering courses here:

BEX students in the Seven Hills complex for the ‘Student Stories’ series. 4th year Civil Engineering students who took part in international beX work experience during summer 2019. Louise Amy Rogers pictured.

23 questions were answered by women in Engineering at Edinburgh Napier and why more women should take the leap https://www.napier.ac.uk/about-us/our-schools/school-of-engineering-and-the-built-environment/international-women-in-engineering-day-2019

If you want to read more try this article.

Additional resources:

https://www.inwed.org.uk/resources-2022/

https://napier.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=alma9923485414102111&context=L&vid=44NAP_INST:44NAP_ALMA_VU1&lang=en&search_scope=MyInst_and_CI&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=Everything&query=any,contains,women%20in%20engineering&offset=0

World Ocean Day Wednesday 8th of June 2022

08/06/2022 / jemmalidgard / 1 Comment

World Ocean Day Wednesday 8th of June 2022

World Ocean Day was recognised by the United Nations in 2008. It advocates for protecting, restoring, and learning more about the blue planet. The ocean connects us all and we want to create a better and more sustainable future, as well as conserve marine ecosystems and life.

Did you know that the ocean covers over 70% of the planet? Also, 70% of the oxygen we breathe is produced by oceans?

It is home to most of the biodiversity and sadly due to pollution levels, coral reefs and marine life are diminishing. Therefore, as humans, we can take action to protect and understand our relationship with the ocean and its habitat.

Turtle

But how can we help?

You can support the campaign, whether this is online, a physical event, or sharing information around the world! Here is how you can help below:
Use educational materials found on the website.
Connect with your local aquarium, and schools, and amplify the event through blogging (like this one for example), signage, podcasts, and social media!
If you feel brave, you could deliver presentations (interactive alongside the ocean creatures), or if you live near the oceans, you could even host a guided walk.
Organise competitions around writing articles, books, or poems on saving our oceans.
Get creative and upcycle any materials found on the beaches that contribute to ocean pollution. · Sign the petition Conservation Action Focus – World Ocean Day – World Ocean Day
Spread the word and access promotional resources to engage communities on social media.

Protect World Ocean Day Beach Scene

The marine conservation society in Scotland has a responsibility to ban any damaged activity such as trawling and dredging. You can find more information https://www.mcsuk.org/about-us/where-we-work/our-focus-in-scotland/

There are also links on the library’s Box of Broadcasts to understand more about Oceans and the incredible creatures that live in them:

https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ondemand/index.php/prog/125AA041?bcast=127865111 https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ondemand/index.php/prog/118B147A?bcast=127040971

Search the library catalogue for books on Oceans.

Take action here

Mental Health Awareness Week 9th-15th May 2022

09/05/2022 / jemmalidgard / 1 Comment

Mental Health Awareness Week 2022

Mental Health Awareness week is an annual campaign to focus on achieving good mental health. It is part of the Mental Health Foundation that was established 21 years ago.

This year the campaign explores loneliness, the effect it has on our mental health and how we can reduce loneliness. Loneliness is a subjective feeling experienced when the need for social contact and relationships are not met. Although, loneliness doesn’t necessarily always mean it is the same as ‘being alone’.

Throughout the pandemic, many of us have faced isolation under the lockdown rules creating separation from friends and family.

Libraries and Mental Health

Libraries can play an important role in bringing people together, fostering connections and communities. The Shelf Help collection at Edinburgh Napier University Library has been created to help students cope with different aspects of life such as starting university, managing finances, and eating healthily on a student budget. There are a wide range of books in Shelf Help aimed to help students understand and manage their health and wellbeing. These include books on topics such as dealing with stress and anxiety, specific learning difficulties including dyslexia and dyspraxia, and sexuality and relationships. Within Shelf Help there is also a loneliness section where you can find links to books on Library Search which can be borrowed or browsed in the library including:

Navigating Loneliness by Cheryl Rickman

The Cure for Loneliness by Bill Howatt

There is also a link to the ‘The Lonely Hour’ podcast where Julia Bainbridge aims to de-stigmatize loneliness by discussing the importance of finding joy in solitude and connecting with yourself. https://libguides.napier.ac.uk/c.php?g=653422&p=4968443

During Mental Health Awareness Week there will be displays in each ENU Library promoting the Shelf Help collection where you will be able to find books related to loneliness and other mental health topics. Please feel free to borrow the books from the displays!

Picture of books on a library shelf

Here are other ways that can help to tackle loneliness:

· There are group study rooms available for collaborative study at resourcebooker.napier.ac.uk. Studying together can help gain fresh insights into sharing knowledge!

· Join a club, class or even a society! This provides a sense of belonging and awakens that creative spirit. Edinburgh Napier’s Student Association holds societies to meet new people with similar interests. Find more information about the different societies at https://www.napierstudents.com/teamnapiersocieties/atozsocieties/

· Self-care, such as exercise, meeting friends and family, sleep and eating nutritiously have physical and emotional benefits to improving your well-being. You can check out resources

on the library blog for further support and building resistance https://blogs.napier.ac.uk/library/virtual-relaxation-space/

Group Study

See the My Napier webpages for more information on Counselling and Wellbeing Support provided by the University.

Edinburgh Napier University support:

Counsellors and Mental Health Advisers

9am-5pm, Monday-Friday

0131 455 2459 counselling@napier.ac.uk

Emergency and Out of Hours Contacts

http://breathingspace.scot/

https://edinburghcrisiscentre.org.uk/

https://www.samaritans.org/?nation=scotland

https://ednightline.com/

See the My Napier webpages for a full list of useful emergency & out of hours contacts.

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week/event-map

By Jemma Lidgard and Sarah Jeffcott

Stress Awareness Month: Exams

04/04/2022 / jemmalidgard / 0 Comments

Stress awareness month raises awareness of the causes, dangers and learning how to cope with stress. We want to highlight that exams can also be a challenging part of your time at university, but there are ways to help ease the stress and think positively!

Studying

Relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, listening to music or perhaps drawing are ways of demonstrating creative revision and studying. Stretching is also a great way of relieving any tension and refocusing the brain!

You can find resources via the library Shelf-Help with books chosen to cope with exam stress and overcome uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

If you are a visual learner and trying to tackle complex topics, post-it notes are a colourful and creative way to organise your thoughts!

Post-it-notes

You could study with a friend or even talk to a family member! This can boost your mood, motivation, and confidence.

Try a new environment to study in; take your books and laptop to a coffee shop or head on down to the library! Libraries offer quiet, comfortable, safe spaces to support you with your studies and revision. For example, Edinburgh Napier University Libraries have study spaces and group study rooms equipped with plasma screens and a whiteboard to accommodate your study needs. You can book these at resourcebooker.napier.ac.uk

Each campus library has a relaxation zone for you to take time out and explore your creative side. If you are studying from home there is also a virtual relaxation space on our library blog!

Have plenty of breaks and refreshments in between your studies!

Relax and study at home

Remember that your best is good enough and think about how far you have come with your goals and achievements.

For additional support visit

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/your-stories/14-ways-to-beat-exam-stress/

https://www.stress.org.uk/national-stress-awareness-month/#:~:text=April%20marks%20the%20start%20of%20Stress%20Awareness%20Month!

New student? Next Steps

18/02/2022 / jemmalidgard / 0 Comments

If you are a new student at Edinburgh Napier University, you will need to matriculate first and complete the steps below to begin.

1. Matriculation

This is where you officially register as a student, and it will take you to your student erecords where you can update personal and financial information. https://evision.napier.ac.uk/si/sits.urd/run/siw_lgn

2. Photo Manager

You will need to upload a photograph of yourself for your student ID card, remember to have a device (either mobile or webcam available) however before doing this you need to check that your address is up to date in the personal information section of step one. Once you have done this, take your photograph and upload it via the link below (you can do this from your phone or a computer/laptop): https://studentcard.napier.ac.uk/access/login

Please note that ID cards usually arrive within 5 working days.

If you have any concerns or questions regarding your ID cards you can call iPoint on 0131 455 2929 or email idcards@napier.ac.uk

3. Edinburgh Napier App The Edinburgh Napier App (also My Account https://i.napier.ac.uk/campusm/home#menu ) is essential for your studies and gives you tiles to access all of your course essentials, and even printing credit!

My Account

4. Introduction to Computers and Library

This is a short introduction to the campus Computers and Libraries via Moodle where you can see how to access your emails, find books, log in and even print: https://moodle.napier.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=16910

5. Health and Safety

All students are asked to read covid-19 return to campus life Student Health and safety guidance and complete the student safe return to campus covid-19 checklist. You can find further information on the webpage below: https://staff.napier.ac.uk/services/governance-compliance/healthandsafety/Pages/HealthSafety.aspx?utm_source=staff.napier.ac.uk&utm_medium=redirect&utm_campaign=has

6. Consent Matters

This is an online course to understand consent and positive change in the university community. It is encouraged to tackle sexual violence and misconduct: https://moodlecommunity.napier.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=296

7. Academic Integrity

Another online tutorial to demonstrate completing assessments with honesty and integrity. You will learn about referencing and plagiarism: https://napier.cloud.panopto.eu/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=c9a8f8ba-2e4f-4246-b508-ad90009b5692

You can find all the steps and information in the link below:

https://my.napier.ac.uk/new-students/next-steps

The library wishes you all the best with your studies!

Chinese New Year

07/02/2022 / jemmalidgard / 1 Comment

For Chinese New Year, it is the year of the Tiger and one of the most important celebrations!

It celebrates the beginning of a new year also known as the Lunar Year from the 1st of February to the 15th of February. The holiday is called the Lunar Year because the dates follow the phases of the moon. Chinese New Year originates from around 3,500 years ago. Legend has it a monster named Nian (meaning Year), would attack villagers, livestock, and crops on the eve of new year. However, it would be afraid of loud noises, lights, crackled bamboo and red (often associated with danger), which were used to chase the monster away!

As the year ends and a new one begins, it is said to bring luck and prosperity by celebrating with feasts, decorations, firecrackers, fireworks, dragons, and red envelopes. It is quite an elaborate display spent with friends and family. Other traditions include cleaning the home to rid of any bad luck or spirit.

Confectionery

The last event of Chinese New Year is the lantern festival where people hang or carry glowing lanterns during an evening parade. A vivid and decorative dragon associated with luck is usually carried by dancers through the streets.

Lanterns

12 zodiac animals represent each year in the repeated zodiac cycle of 12 years, such as the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. As it is the year of the Tiger, this animal symbolises bravery and strength! People born in the years of the Tiger are 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 and 2022.

The Year of the Tiger

You can find past news on Chinese New Year at Edinburgh Napier, like the year of the Ox in 2021:

https://www.napier.ac.uk/alumni/alumni-news/latest-news/lny-2021

There is also the travel guide below to find more information about Chinese New Year and the Tiger zodiac:

https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/special-report/chinese-new-year/

Self-care books for 2022

20/01/2022 / jemmalidgard / 2 Comments

January is here again, but to brighten up a new year, you might be thinking about what you want to achieve for 2022, whether that is trying something new or even just a refresh! Self-help books can be a great way to encourage those positive thoughts and that extra motivation in your life.

Book and Tea

Here are some recommendations below:

Isn’t it about time? by Andrea Perry

If you are one for procrastinating tasks, this book provides ways to be more productive and learn to trust our instincts and abilities. Also available on our Library Search https://napier.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/44NAP_INST/n96pef/alma9923500069002111

The Comfort Book by Matt Haig

This memoir-style book shares life experiences and small motivations for the day.

Relax and Read

Good Vibes, Good Life: How Self-Love is the Key to Unlocking Your Greatness by Vex King

Vex King helps you to show a way of manifesting your goals and desires using different techniques and positive thinking. From the author’s personal experiences, the book practices methods of mindfulness to healthy lifestyle habits.

At Napier, we also have books in our Shelf Help that are chosen to help you overcome experiences, thoughts and feelings that are stressful or uncomfortable.

You can find more books and information in the link below:

https://libguides.napier.ac.uk/shelfhelp

Author: jemmalidgard (Page 3 of 5)

The history of Sighthill Campus

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Postgraduate study

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World Emoji Day: Sunday the 17th of July 2022

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International Women in Engineering Day 23rd of June 2022

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World Ocean Day Wednesday 8th of June 2022

World Ocean Day Wednesday 8th of June 2022

But how can we help?

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Mental Health Awareness Week 9th-15th May 2022

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Stress Awareness Month: Exams

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New student? Next Steps

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Chinese New Year

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Self-care books for 2022

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