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Edinburgh Napier University

Category: Celebrations (Page 3 of 7)

Scottish Women in Science image of woman scientist

Scottish Women in Science

11/02/2025 / / 0 Comments

Scottish Women in Science  

To celebrate International Women and Girls in Science Day, let’s celebrate some amazing Scottish female Scientists.

Scotland has a rich history of scientific achievements and Scottish women have played a pivotal role in shaping these accomplishments. From groundbreaking discoveries to innovative research, these remarkable women have defied societal norms and overcome countless obstacles to leave an indelible mark on the field of science.

Historical Scottish Women Pioneers in Science

Even in times when opportunities for women were severely limited, Scottish women managed to push the boundaries and excel in various scientific disciplines. One such pioneer was Mary Somerville, who became a renowned mathematician and astronomer in the 19th century. Her work in celestial mechanics and her influential book “The Mechanism of the Heavens” significantly contributed to our understanding of the universe.

Another trailblazer was Elizabeth Blackwell, who became the first woman to graduate from medical school in the United States in 1849. Born in Aberdeen, Scotland, Blackwell faced immense challenges and discrimination in her pursuit of a medical career. Her determination and resilience not only opened doors for women in medicine but also paved the way for future generations of female physicians.

In the field of medicine, Dr. Elsie Inglis revolutionized healthcare by establishing the Scottish Women’s Hospitals during World War I. Her tireless efforts saved countless lives and challenged the prevailing gender norms of the time.

Modern Scottish Women Making Strides in the Scientific World

Professor Linda Bauld is a public health expert, Bauld has been instrumental in shaping Scotland’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Her research on public health behaviour and interventions has had a significant impact on policy both in Scotland and internationally.

In the realm of environmental science, Professor Sheila Rowan has made groundbreaking discoveries in gravitational wave detection. Her research has opened up new possibilities for studying the universe, earning her international acclaim and recognition.

The primatologist and neuroethologist Professor Dame Anne Glover is a world-leading expert on animal behaviour and cognition. She has served as Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government and has received many honours and awards.

Scientists of Edinburgh Napier University

Edinburgh Napier University is home to many talented women scientists who are making significant contributions in various fields.

  • Prof Yvonne Kuipers, Professor of Midwifery, has over 20 years of experience in women’s reproductive health. She has conducted research on a variety of topics, including home birth, traumatic childbirth experiences, and midwifery-led care.
  • Dr. Fiona Lees, Professor of Occupational Therapy, is an expert in disability studies. She has conducted research on a variety of topics, including wheelchair use, falls prevention, and social care.
  • Prof Emma Hart is a professor of computational intelligence here at Edinburgh Napier. She is known for her work in artificial immune systems (AIS), evolutionary computation and optimisation.
  • Dr. Clare Taylor is a Senior Lecturer in Medical Microbiology and is a passionate advocate of equality and inclusion

These are just a few examples of the many accomplished women scientists working at Edinburgh Napier University. Their research is making a real difference in the world, and they are inspiring the next generation of female scientists. In addition to these individual researchers, Edinburgh Napier University is committed to supporting women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) more broadly.

The university has several initiatives in place to encourage girls and young women to pursue careers in science. Such as the EQUATE Scotland program, which provides mentoring and support to women in the built environment, engineering, technology, and science sectors.

Celebrating the Achievements of Scottish Women in Science

Scottish women have played a vital role in shaping the scientific world. Defying societal expectations and making groundbreaking discoveries. From the pioneers of the past to the trailblazers of today, their contributions have paved the way for future generations of scientists. It is crucial to celebrate and recognize their achievements, while also working towards creating a more inclusive and equitable scientific community. By supporting and empowering Scottish women in science, we can ensure that their remarkable legacy continues to inspire and drive scientific progress for years to come.

Join us in celebrating the achievements of Scottish women in science by sharing their stories and advocating for gender equality in STEM fields. Together, we can break down barriers and create a more inclusive scientific community.

By Juliet Kinsey

Read more on Women in Science here.

 

January

January’s Origin Story

03/01/2025 / / 0 Comments

January’s origin story

January, it’s cold, it’s dark and the festivities are another year away. But there is a lot more to January than the bleakness. We are going to dive into January’s origin story.

January and Janus’ origin

He has two heads, loiters in doorways and carries a big stick and a set of keys. Meet Janus – Roman deity, guardian of passageways and gates, and founder of the Roman calendar.  As we leave the old year and enter the new, it is Janus who ushers us in. He looks both ways, back into the past and forwards into the future, marking the passage of time and life’s cyclical nature.

Janus has been represented throughout western art and iconography over the centuries. John Bellany was a world-renowned artist from Port Seton, just a few miles from Edinburgh. In 1982 he created this image which was purchased by the Tate Gallery.

‘Janus‘, John Bellany, 1982 | Tate

Janus is a deity without equal, his dual nature unique in the Roman pantheon of gods. In today’s world, his significance is symbolic and highlights the duality of human nature. In a metaphorical sense, Janus helps us transition from old to new, between war and peace, good times and bad, public life and private.

It’s fitting, then, that the beginning of January is often a time of reflection, when we spend some quiet moments summing up the year that’s passed. Maybe it’s been the best year ever and you want to celebrate. Maybe it’s been so-so and you’re happy to carry on and consolidate the plans you made over the last 12 months. Perhaps it’s been a challenging year, and you just want to draw a line under it and move on to a better, brighter future.

Wherever you stand right now, whichever direction you’re facing, we wish you a happy, healthy January and the very best of what 2025 has to offer.

By Lesley McRob

Photo by Aaron Burden Unsplash 

Read about the origins of leap year

Clocks go back

Clocks go back

28/10/2024 / / 0 Comments

Clocks go back

 

I dread this weekend all year: the weekend the clocks go back to Greenwich Mean Time. In case you’ve forgotten, time will move back by one hour at 2am on Sunday 27th October. In this way, we “rob” an hour of daylight from the morning and add it to the end of the day. The concept has been around since the late 1700s, but it was only introduced in the First World War as a way of saving the nation’s energy.

It’s been with us ever since and yes – it’s nice to get an extra hour on Sunday, but that’s little consolation for the now rapid descent into winter.

If, like me, you already struggle with the long hours and weeks of darkness, it’s worth noting the wealth of research that suggests that changing the clocks can have a serious effect on our health. It can knock out the alignment of your body’s natural rhythms and leave you more accident-prone, more vulnerable to lower cognitive performance, mood disruption and other debilitating effects.

Perhaps the biggest problem is a potential disruption to your sleep pattern. Well-managed sleep hygiene is crucial to general good health and well-being, and The Sleep Charity has published a guide to minimising the disruption:

How To Minimise Sleep Disruption When Clocks Go Forward – The Sleep Charity

Along with your physical health, it’s important that you take special care of your mental wellbeing in winter.  Look out for signs of SAD – seasonal affective disorder.

Overview – Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

And don’t forget that we have a well-resourced Wellbeing Collection which we hope will help you transition to the shorter days and the darker nights.

Sleep well!

Learn to sleep well kit

Winter blues

By Lesley McRobb

 

Photo source Alex Krivec

Take some time out with our virtual relaxation space

Black History Month 2024

Black History Month 2024

03/10/2024 / / 0 Comments

Black History Month 2024

We are celebrating Black History Month. And we don’t want to miss the opportunity to celebrate. Black History Month has been celebrated in the UK since 1987, marking the 150th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the Caribbean. Since 1987, the celebration has gotten bigger. Black History Month UK focuses on a key theme each year. This year is ‘Reclaiming Narratives‘.  

To reflect and honour the stories and voices throughout time:

‘In today’s world, stories are powerful tools that shape how we understand our past, present, and future. For too long, the history of Black communities has been told through lenses that often misrepresent, oversimplify, or entirely overlook the rich and diverse experiences of those who lived it. But 2024 is set to be a transformative year. Black History Month UK has unveiled its compelling theme; Reclaiming Narratives’. (Black History Month.Org UK)

The Library and Black History Month

The library is committed throughout the year. We want to ensure Black history is represented and celebrated all year round. We are working hard to grow our collections so they become more inclusive and diverse.  Over on our libguides, you will find our Building Inclusive Reading Lists.

The purpose of the libguide ‘is to provide practical support to academic staff and students who wish to build inclusive module or personal reading lists by adding a diversity of sources in terms of authorship, origin, accessibility, and theme’.

Here, you can find Decolonising the Curriculum and Anti-Racism as well as Minorities and Indigenous Peoples Inclusions. Resources include books, ebooks, journals and much more.  On the blog, we have our virtual bookshelves. 

Suggesting and Recommending

At the library, we are ‘committed to developing collections that represent as far as possible the diversity of backgrounds, identities, and interests of the University’s students and staff. We urge you to help us to diversify and build inclusion into our collections by recommending.’

On the reading list homepage, you can find a recommend-a-book button. Or you can email us at library@napier.ac.uk.

 

To explore the theme further looking at more resources like interviews, books and other features. Or look at events, please look at Black History Month. Org Uk

Open Access

Edinburgh International Book Festival 2024

07/08/2024 / / 0 Comments

Edinburgh International Book Festival

The Edinburgh International Book Festival is coming.

As the yearly Edinburgh Fringe Festival starts the emerge throughout the city centre of Edinburgh, the Edinburgh International Book Festival follows not long after. We as library staff, of course, were not going to pass on an opportunity to promote any events involving books, so do read on if you would like to find out more about what this yearly festival celebrating reading, writing and creativity truly has to offer!

General Information:  About the Book Festival

Running from the 10th until the 25th of August. The Edinburgh International Book Festival hosts a range of famous and well-known authors, artists, performers, and thinkers from across the globe. It provides visitors with the opportunity to engage. Authors will usually sign copies of their books for visitors attending their event. There is also a variety of family-friendly, online, and late-night events to suit a range of different audiences. The festival itself is held at the Edinburgh Futures Institute. Which is situated near a wide variety of restaurants, so you are essentially spoiled for choice regarding food and drink! There are also many green spaces such as the Meadows and Holyrood Park close by should you prefer to take a picnic – weather-dependent.

What’s on – Edinburgh International Book 2024…

With just over 550 authors showing face at this year’s International Book Festival in Edinburgh, including well-known writers such as Margaret Atwood, Matt Haig, Ian Rankin and Val McDermid. There is an extensive range of events that visitors can attend. So meet the famous faces behind their favourite novels and literary works. Author events are also sometimes available to attend online. A full programme of these events with dates and times and a link to book them can be found on their Events List webpage.

Unsure of where to take the kids next these summer holidays? A large number of events held at the Edinburgh International Book Festival are family-friendly. Some of the most popular events include the Gruffalo Trail, Meet Pikachu, Rhymetime with Joy Tots, Are you Sitting Comfortably and several Bookbug sessions too. Want to know the best part about all these family-friendly events as well? They are completely free of charge to attend! The events are often held in the EFI Children’s tent, Courtyard Meeting Point or Venue C. Further information about these family-friendly events can be found on their What’s on? webpage under the ‘Events for families’ tab.  

And for our night owls – the Edinburgh International Book Festival also hosts various late-night events, including a pub quiz and even a Ceilidh! These events often run up to 22:30pm and even 23:00pm at the very latest – you can find out more about these late-night functions on their What’s on? webpage under the ‘Late Night Events’ tab.  

Accessibility and Inclusion…

Edinburgh International Book Festival is committed to promoting and practising accessibility and inclusivity. They provide a platform for the voices of individuals which are often overlooked. Making it one of their primary objectives to eliminate barriers to access for those who do not view themselves as a typical book-festival audience attendee or stereotype. In alignment with these values, they also work closely with the local community including educational institutions, public libraries, hospitals, the prison sector and various community hubs to promote a love of and engagement with reading throughout demographics of all ages and backgrounds.

 

As some events are held virtually, this also means that they are accessible for those who cannot attend in person. All live-streamed events and some in-person functions also offer a ‘Pay What You Can’ .

Library Recommendations…

Books by some of your favourite authors from the Edinburgh International Book Festival can be found in our three campus libraries.  See below links to a couple of titles.

 

By Rachel Downie

Have a look at what to do in Edinburgh over the Summer. 

Photo by Jessica Ruscello Unsplash 

Olympic rings in front of Eiffel Tower

Paris Summer Olympics 2024

25/07/2024 / / 0 Comments

Paris Summer Olympics 2024

Hot on the heels of Euro 2024 comes the Summer Olympics in Paris. These run from Friday 26th July 2024 to Sunday 11th August 2024.  Followed by the Paralympic Games (again in Paris) from Wednesday 28th August 2024 to Sunday 8th September 2024.

The 2024 Summer Olympics, also known as Jeux olympiques d’été de 2024, are officially the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad and formally branded as Paris 2024.

The motto of the Olympic Games consists of three Latin words: Citius – Altius – Fortius – meaning Faster – Higher – Stronger.

For the first time ever, the opening ceremony will be held in a stadium –  where the Parade of Athletes will take place on the River Seine with boats for each national delegation.

The closing ceremony will be held at Stade de France on Sunday 11th August 2024.

Paris is one of three cities to have hosted the Summer Games three times (in 1900, 1924 and 2024), the other two being London and Los Angeles. The next Olympic Games will be held in Los Angeles in 2028.

The Olympic Rings.

The Olympic Rings represent the five inhabited continents of Africa, America, Asia Europe and Oceania. The interlinked rings demonstrate the inclusiveness of the Games and how athletes from all over the world gather to compete. Antarctica is the only continent participating in the Games due to having such limited habitation.

The Olympic Torch Relay.

The Olympic Torch represents a symbol of unity and peace, spreading the spirit of the Games as it travels throughout France. From Marseille to Paris, the Olympic Torch Relay takes place over three months and also passes through French Overseas Territories.

Emblem for Paris 2024.

The emblem for the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics is inspired by Art Deco and is a representation of Marianne, the national personification of France, with a flame formed in negative space by her hair. The emblem also resembles a gold medal. And symbolises the power and magic of the Games, and that the Games are for everyone. The use of a female figure honours the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris – the first Games which allowed women to compete. For the first time, the 2024 Summer Paralympics will share the same emblem as the Olympic Games, with no variation, indicating a shared ambition between both events.

Mascots

The Phryges are the mascots of the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. A pair of anthropomorphic Phrygian caps, they are a historic French symbol of freedom and liberty. The two mascots share a motto of “Alone we go faster, but together we go further”.

Medals & Medal Events.

The Olympic and Paralympic medals feature embedded hexagon-shaped tokens of scrap iron which had been taken from the original construction of the Eiffel Tower with the Games logo engraved into it. The reverse of the medals features Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, inside the Panathenaic Stadium where the first modern Olympic  Games were held in 1896. The Parthenon and the Eiffel Tower can also be seen in the background on both sides of the medal.

Events.

There is a huge variety of sports featured at the Olympic Games. This year, Breaking (Break Dancing) will feature as an optional sport for the very first time. There will also be events in Skateboarding, Sport Climbing and Surfing which featured in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 for the first time. The events will be held across 35 venues, including French Overseas Territories.

Women and the Olympics.

Paris 1900 was the first Games which allowed women to participate in the competition. Paris 2024 will make history again by ensuring that there is an equal representation of male and female athletes. Achieving numerical gender parity. The journey to increase women’s participation has taken over a century. Tokyo 2020 gave women more opportunities than ever before to compete and introduced several new sports. Tokyo 2020 also implemented a rule allowing male and female athletes to jointly carry their flag during the Opening Ceremony for the first time ever. All of this paves the way for women in sports and will help Paris 2024 achieve its goal of full gender parity.

Enjoy!

Whatever you’re doing this summer, have fun watching the Olympics. It is a real test of skill, stamina and sheer determination for the athletes. Watch the best of the best, world records being broken, personal bests being achieved. And, you never know, you might just find yourself wanting to try a new activity!

Missed our post about the EUROs, have no fear.

By Sharon McMichael

Photo by Luca Dugaro Unsplash 

Graduations at the Usher hall on the 5th of July 2023 coincided with King Charles III visit to Holyrood and included a Red Arrow display team fly over the city including the Usherhall while the graduation Ceremony was in progress.

Class of 2024

03/07/2024 / / 0 Comments

Class of 2024.

Well done and many hearty congratulations to the class of 2024. Today is the start of our Summer graduations at the Usher Hall on Lothian Road. Starting off with the School of Applied Sciences. And finishing with the School of Computing, Engineering and Built Environment and School of Health and Social Care. We congratulate you and wish you all the best for future endeavours.

Graduations 2024

Graduations are a special time of year for everyone at Edinburgh Napier University. And there is certainly a buzz of excitement at the University. Our graduations are being held at the Usher Hall. The Usher Hall came about at the end of the 19th Century, with Whisky brewer Andrew Usher gifting £100 000 to the City of Edinburgh. According to the Bank of England, that’s roughly over 11 million pounds. The dream was that the Usher Hall would ‘become and remain a centre and attraction to musical artistes and performers and to the citizens of Edinburgh and others…’ (UsherHall.co.uk).  Unfortunately, Andrew Usher died before he saw his dreams come to reality, Usher Hall was opened in March 1914. Since then Usher Hall has been a pinnacle in the city centre and the home of our graduations.

The auditorium will open one hour before the start of the ceremony. All guests and graduands (graduating students) must be seated at least 20 minutes before the beginning of the ceremony.  Then the Academic Procession and the Chancellor’s Procession enter the auditorium. The Chancellor of the University will declare the ceremony open and deliver his opening address. And the graduating ceremony begins. MyNapier Graduations has more information. 

Well done Class of 2024

We just want to say congratulations one more time. The library is truly proud of all the work achieved and accomplished. We are wishing the very best for the future. And don’t forget, you can join the Alumni Network.  

Which will give you endless library visits and you can always follow the blog.

 

 

football stadium

Euros 2024

13/06/2024 / / 0 Comments

Euros 2024

Are you ready for a summer of sport? What with Euro 2024, Tour de France, Wimbledon, Formula One, Cricket World Cup, The Open Golf Championship, Summer Olympics and Paralympics, it seems there’s something for everyone.

Euro 2024 is upon us so read on to find out more about the competition.

The UEFA European Football Championship, informally known as the Euros, was first held in France in 1960 and has been held every four years since (except for the 2020 tournament which was held in 2021 due to COVID-19).

This year, UEFA’s Euro 2024 is being hosted by Germany and takes place from Friday 14th June until Sunday 14th July 2024. Ten cities across the country will host matches and have dedicated fan zones. This will be the first time Germany has hosted the Euros since its reunification in 1990.

Germany/West Germany have featured at every Euro since 1972 and have won the competition three times, twice as West Germany in 1972 and 1980, and then as the reunited Germany at Euro ’96. Spain has also won three times. Italy are currently the defending champions, having won the Euros twice, first in 1968 and then at Euro 2020.

The tournament features 24 teams in the Group Stage, all of whom will be playing for a place in the next round, hoping to progress to the quarterfinals, semifinals and ultimately to the final itself. The top two teams in each group, along with the four best third-place teams, will go forward to the Knockout Stage.

Euros groups

The teams have been divided into six groups:

A: Germany, Scotland, Hungary, Switzerland

B: Spain, Croatia, Italy, Albania

C: Slovenia, Denmark, Serbia, England

D: Poland, Netherlands, Austria, France

E: Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine

F: Turkey, Georgia, Portugal, Czech Republic

As the host nation, Germany opens the tournament in a match against Scotland in Munich on Friday 14th June. The final match will be played at Berlin’s Olympiastadion on the 14th July.

You can keep up to date with all the Euro action by downloading the official UEFA Euro 2024 app – www.uefa.com/euro2024/app.

Euro 2024 Mascot

Albärt is the official Mascot for Euro 2024. It is a teddy bear and was selected as the mascot after a vote by UEFA.com users and schoolchildren throughout Europe. Albärt was revealed to German fans in June 2023 when Germany played a friendly match against Colombia in Gelsenkirchen.

EURO 2024 match ball

The official match ball of Euro 2024, FUSSBALLLIEBE, was designed to embrace the vibrancy of the countries participating in the tournament and the energy of the game. Meaning “love of football” in German, FUSSBALLLIEBE features adidas Connected Ball Technology which is being used for the first time at a UEFA Euro competition. This will help VAR officials to track every touch of the ball and make accurate decisions faster, so handball and penalty incidents can be resolved more quickly.

 

The Trophy

French Football Federation‘s secretary-general Henri Delaunay first suggested the idea of a pan-European football tournament in 1927. However, the tournament didn’t begin until 1958, three years after Delaunay’s death. The trophy awarded to the champions of the tournament is named after Henri Delaunay in his honour.

Let’s Play!

Of course, Scotland loves football. Nothing brings out Scotland’s national pride more than qualifying for a football tournament! Supporters from all over Europe will descend on Germany but, regardless of which team you are supporting, enjoy the football, the fun and all the drama that comes with the Euros!

Let the games begin and may the best team win!

by Sharon McMichael

Find out more:

www.uefa.com/euro2024

We have a post to cover all our sports science databases.

Photo by Vienne Reyes 

Degree Show Publishing Showcase

ENU Degree Show 2024

30/05/2024 / / 0 Comments

ENU Degree Show 2024

Degree Show Publishing Showcase

This week has seen our annual ENU Degree Show. a week-long celebration of our students’ talent as they present their final projects to friends, family, industry and the public.  Immersed in a world of authentic art in our Merchiston campus.

See our final year Design, Photography, and Advertising students come together and make their own unique mark through their craft.

Virtual  ENU Degree Show 2024

Find out more about the Degree Show on the Edinburgh Napier Webpages. You can visit the online Degree Show showcasing all the amazing talent over the courses. As well as meet the people behind the degree show. Read their stories and explore the work online to discover the next generation of creative talent.

ENU Degree Show 2024: Publishing Showcase Awards

The Publish Showcase award ceremony will be held this evening at Merchiston Campus library at 4.30pm. We invite everyone from our book and magazine community – publishers, authors, booksellers, and particularly our Alumni – to join us as we celebrate the past and future of MSc Publishing. Reconnect with old friends, discover new talent, and help us say “thank you” to some of our former publishing colleagues.

Well done to everyone who partook.  The work is incredible.

Interested in Publishing. Read previous posts about the Edward Clark Collection. One of our Hertiage Collections at the library which details the history of publishing in Scotland.

Degree show

 

Image of Library books everywhere

World Book Day 2024

07/03/2024 / / 0 Comments

World Book Day 2024

World Book Day 2024 – 7th March

When was the last time you got lost in a good book? Not a textbook. Not some dry academic thesis you have to crib for an exam. I mean a rollicking great thriller, or a classic Victorian spinechiller, or an autobiography of that sporting hero you’ve always admired. When was the last time you tucked yourself up in bed with Stephen King, Jane Austen or Terry Pratchett?

World Book Day promotes the idea of reading for pleasure. There is a wealth of evidence that shows that reading for pleasure – just the pure, unalloyed enjoyment of it – is important for personal development and helps in educational success. It stimulates the imagination, brings comfort, expands your horizons, helps to build social connections and promotes better health and well-being. All that from a book!

World Book Day is specifically aimed at children. But we want to remind you that reading for pleasure is like riding a bike – once learned, you never forget how to do it. So, if it’s been a while since you picked up a book just for the sake of it, why not do so today and re-discover that childlike state of wonder that only books create. As far as I’m concerned, the best thing about reading for pleasure is that I get lost in my own personal world and nobody else gets a look in.

World Book Day is celebrated on the first Thursday of March. But feel free to pick up a book on any day of the week, any month of the year. And if you happen to be in any of our libraries when you do so, why not pull up a chair, sit back and settle into your story.

Check out our relaxation space to settle into your story and find out more about World Book Day in Scotland.

By Lesley McRobb

A lover of books, read all our previous posts. 

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