Alumna Lesley Dalziel speaks of her strong belief in hard work to

THE MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI OF UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND
Alumna Lesley Dalziel
speaks of her strong
belief in hard work
to succeed / 12–13
Meet the new
Principal — Professor
Craig Mahoney / 15
ISSUE 5 AUTUMN 13
UWS Alumni play pivotal roles in XX 2014
Glasgow Commonwealth Games / 10–11
Alumni Craig and Tracey Macdonald on life,
loves and careers / 6–7
Drug culture and drug policy in Scotland / 8–9
PLUS
WIN ONE OF 2 APPLE IPAD MINIS AND
TICKETS TO SEE DEACON BLUE IN CONCERT / 2
UNIVERSITY NEWS / 4
INNOVATION AND RESEARCH
OFFICE NEWS / 5
POSTGRADUATE STUDY OPPORTUNITIES
/ BACK COVER
CONTENTS
INSPIRING ALUMNI
CONTENTS
FOREWORD
A warm welcome to the fifth edition of ‘West’,
the magazine to inspire alumni of University of
the West of Scotland.
I am happy to report another successful year
with a number of significant milestones achieved.
The alumni database has now reached around 25,000
records, establishing a worldwide alumni community.
Membership of the Alumni Group on LinkedIn has
also grown from around 400 members last year to
over 600 members.
This year has also seen major changes in senior
management at the University, with the appointment
of a new Principal and Vice Chancellor, Professor Craig
Mahoney in August. Read his first ‘West’ interview
on page 15. The University has also appointed a new
Chancellor, Rt Hon Dame Elish Angiolini, who was
installed in September, see page 4.
The University continues to seek support for its
activities from alumni. If you would like to “give back”
to the University, whether you can help with providing
careers advice, mentoring or work placements to our
current students, or provide job opportunities to our
graduates, then please contact me. Alternatively,
I would be delighted to hear from you, if you would
like to make a financial donation to University activity
as part of our Alumni Relations and Development
work. I look forward to another fruitful year, and wish
you all a very successful and prosperous year ahead.
MAIN ARTICLES
Lesley Dalziel
Jim Prime
12–13
20–21
Treading A Successful Path
Totally Into Music
Alumna Lesley Dalziel, Group Finance
Director for Axle Group Holdings, on her
successful career.
Commercial Music Lecturer Jim Prime
talks about his dual life as a UWS Lecturer
and a keyboard player of Scottish rockers
Deacon Blue. (See competition below)
Loves, Laughs and Lab Coats
Husband and wife Craig and Tracey
Macdonald talk of their lives, loves
and careers. Pages 6–7
The XX 2014 Glasgow
Commonwealth Games
Three of the University’s alumni will be
playing key roles in Glasgow 2014.
Pages 10–11
Food For Thought
TO CHANGE
Gillian McKnight talks of her exciting job
in the food industry and the importance
of work placement as part of her
University degree. Pages 18–19
Ashley Lennon speaks to David Munro about his career
from Graduate to Business Consultant to Debut Novelist. Photography Tim Morozzo
Global Citizens
Some examples of our recent international
exchange activity. Page 14
FEATURED ARTICLES
Crawford Wilson
Marketing Manager
Alumni and Development
Meet the New Principal
Professor Craig Mahoney
Page 15
T: +44 (0)141 848 3336
F: +44 (0)141 848 3333
E:[email protected]
Drug Culture and
Drug Policy in Scotland
UWS Senior Lecturer
Dr Iain McPhee
Pages 8-9
ISSUE 5
AUTUMN 13
PUBLISHED BY
ARTICLES & FEATURES
Alumni and Development
University of the West
of Scotland
Paisley Campus
Paisley, Scotland
PA1 2BE, UK
Articles and Features
Olga Wojtas
Stacey Hunter
Ashley Lennon
Dr Iain McPhee
Gary Marshall
PHOTOGRAPHY
Tim Morozzo
Helen Cassidy
DESIGN
Freight Design, Glasgow
fsc logo
University of the West of Scotland is a registered Scottish charity.
Charity number SC002520. This publication is available electronically
and in alternative formats, if required.
2 / CONTENTS / UWS Alumni Magazine
Alumni Profiles
Pages 3, 17, 22
Never Too Late
University News
Page 4
Innovation and Research
Office News
Page 5
Face Time
Have Smartphones taken over
the world?
Page 23
Postgraduate Study
Opportunities BACK COVER
UPDATE YOUR DETAILS AND WIN 1 OF 2 APPLE IPAD
MINIS OR TICKETS TO SEE DEACON BLUE IN CONCERT
Have we got your latest details in our database? If you have moved house,
changed jobs, got married or completed a new qualification, we would like you
to let us know. Please use the Contact Details Sheet enclosed with this copy of
the magazine, and return it in the Free Post envelope supplied.
All completed forms returned to the University by 5pm on Monday 3rd
March, 2014, will be entered into our Free Prize Draw to win 1 of 2 Apple
iPad Minis or tickets to see Deacon Blue in concert in Glasgow. See page 21
for details. See www.uws.ac.uk/alumnicompetitionterms for full terms
and conditions. Best of luck to you all!
For a man who says he’s only read a
handful of novels in his life and has never
undertaken a creative writing course, David
Munro is certainly making an impact on
the literary world. For the former graduate
has just published his first novel, ‘The Time
Jigsaw’, and signed a two-book deal with a
London publisher.
Though David hasn’t had any formal
creative writing tuition, he’s a marketing
professional through and through and
says that these skills, gained in part whilst
studying for his BA Business Administration
at the University of Paisley (now UWS),
have been invaluable when it comes to
promoting the book.
A business consultant by profession,
specialising in advising firms on their
marketing strategies, David’s client list was
hit by the recession and, with more time
on his hands, he started to write. “I’m not
someone who has always wanted to write,”
David says, “but I’ve always been interested
in time travel and whilst watching an episode
of ‘Doctor Who’ one evening, I got an idea
for a short story about a man who faints
and wakes up in a different time zone. What
started as a short story quickly grew into a
novel, because I was so gripped by the story
that I wanted to keep writing just to find out
what happened.”
And David believes that readers will be
similarly gripped by the tale, which sees
hero James Carsell-Brown move from
Nice, in France, to Scotland as well as
through the centuries, and has a mystery
at its heart, surrounding the body of a
young woman washed up on a beach.
“It’s a romantic mystery, as well as, a
time travel novel,” David says. “There’s
something in it for everyone!”
‘The Time Jigsaw’ was inspired by a
coach house close to David’s leafy home
in Ardoch, a small hamlet near Dumbarton,
where he lives in a Victorian property with
views of the sea. “It’s the perfect home
for a writer,” he says, “and there’s an air of
mystery around the place too. The nearby
property inspired me to imagine what life
must have been like for a Victorian coachman
and that’s at the heart of the novel.”
Now, as well as enjoying success with
his debut novel, published by London-based
Austin Macauley, David is now editing his
second book and is also busy jotting down
ideas for novel number three. He says, “I
mull over my ideas for a while, but when I
start to write I do chapter outlines and work
at it methodically. My years in business,
writing reports and so on, really help me to
structure my books.”
He also had fun using his marketing
know-how to give a sixties high street a
makeover in his book. “In one chapter,”
he explains, “my hero time travels back to
1967 and uses his knowledge of modern
marketing to rebrand a small Highland
village. That’s the great fun with writing
fiction — you can bring in all your own life
experiences and basically do whatever you
want, as long as the story remains focused!”
Despite David’s recent publishing
success, he says that one of the proudest
days of his life was when he graduated from
the University of Paisley in 1994. “I was
the first in my family to go to university and
graduating was an incredibly proud day for
both me and my family. I came to university
as a mature student, having already worked
for quite a few years, and was delighted to
get my degree and to make my whole family
proud. The day I got the first copy of ‘The
Time Jigsaw’ through from the publisher,
and held it in my hands, also ranks high in
my proudest moments — and I can’t wait to
do it again with novel number two!”
To find out more about ‘The Time Jigsaw’,
visit www.timejigsaw.wordpress.com
UWS Alumni Magazine / INSPIRING ALUMNI / 3
UNIVERSITY NEWS
INNOVATION AND RESEARCH OFFICE NEWS
University Installs
Dame Elish Angiolini
As New Chancellor
The Rt Hon Dame Elish Angiolini DBE
QC was installed as the University’s new
Chancellor at a ceremony in Paisley on
12 September. The ceremony, which took
place at Thomas Coats Memorial Baptist
Church was attended by University
staff, students and representatives from
Scottish universities and colleges together
with guests from business and industry.
Chancellor Dame Elish will represent
the University at the highest level and hold
formal powers to confer degrees, diplomas
and academic distinctions.
The ceremony also saw Dame Elish
being presented with the award of an
Honorary Degree of the University (DUniv)
for her significant, ongoing contribution to
the Scottish legal system and public life.
Dame Elish, who is Principal of St Hugh’s
College, University of Oxford, has extensive
experience of public administrative, criminal
and civil law, as well as Public Inquiries and
Fatal Accident Inquiries.
She is the former Lord Advocate of
Scotland — and prior to this was Solicitor
General for Scotland. She was the first
woman and the first solicitor to hold either
position. As Solicitor General for Scotland
(2001–06) and then as Lord Advocate (2006–
11), she was instrumental in reforming the
justice system in Scotland, making it more
responsive to the victims of crime.
Dame Elish; renowned for her
championing of equality and dignity in the
justice system, has supervised some of the
most significant prosecutions in Scotland,
and acted as the Scottish Government’s legal
Lanarkshire
Born Businessman
Officially Opens New
Mechatronics Laboratory
Businessman Les Hutchison officially
opened the new laboratory at the
University’s Hamilton Campus in
May. The £78,000 industry standard
mechatronics equipment was gifted in
2012 by Les, a graduate of the former
Bell College, now UWS.
Les, now retired, was Vice Chair and
a Director of Canadian energy services
company, ShawCor Ltd. He was also
appointed a Globalscot in 2002 by the
then First Minister to assist Scotland and
its people.
He graduated from Bell College in 1974,
with an HNC Electrical Engineering and
also completed a Higher Supplementary
(HS) in Control Systems and Mathematics
in 1975. After further study he became an
Incorporated Engineer.
In addition to the new lab, which
is based in the University’s Centre
for Engineering Excellence Building,
his donation of over £100,000 also
includes the establishment of the annual
advisor during a period of major change.
She was awarded the DBE for services
to the administration of justice in the Queen’s
Birthday Honours in 2011. In the same year,
she was granted a Special Achievement
Award by the International Association of
Prosecutors. This five-year appointment will
see Dame Elish acting as an ambassador
for UWS. Dame Elish said: “The University
plays a key role in the economic, social and
cultural development of Scotland, and I am
delighted to represent UWS to promote the
University’s values and vision.”
Professor Craig Mahoney, Principal
and Vice-Chancellor, said: “The post of
Chancellor is a hugely important one and
Dame Elish, who is a great supporter of
Higher Education, will be a great ambassador
for University of the West of Scotland.”
Careers and
Employability
Sign Post
Les Hutchison and wife Virginia, far right.
‘Hutchison’ Prize for the best student on
the University’s Mechatronics degree,
which is delivered at the Hamilton
Campus. The winning student will
receive a prize of £5,000 to assist in their
career development.
Les commented: “It is very rewarding
to see the course come to life and witness
the enthusiasm of the staff and students
toward the new equipment. I wish all
participating students and staff my best
wishes for the future.”
Professor Paul Martin, Depute Principal
of the University, said: “Les has had a
hugely successful career and is a great
role model to all of our students. This new
facility will provide our students with access
to the latest mechatronics equipment.”
4 / UNIVERSITY NEWS / UWS Alumni Magazine
The Careers and Employability
Service (CES) is running a high
profile poster campaign to raise
awareness of the range of activities
that successful graduates have
engaged in while at UWS.
The Higher Education Career
Service Unit’s (HECSU) Futuretrack
report, which tracks transitions
into employment and further study
highlights how both extra-curricular
and work experience have become an
increasingly important way for graduates
to distinguish themselves within their
graduating cohort. Through their stories
the CES hopes that current students
will feel encouraged to seek out similar
opportunities for themselves. Every
poster features a snapshot from each
graduate, which can be read at
www.uws.ac.uk/studentsuccess
If you would like to feature on a
poster and share your story, please
contact [email protected]
Beyond the Classroom
— CHAMPIONING
WOMEN IN SCIENCE
UWS LAUNCHES
GRADUATE SCHOOL
Professor John Struthers
Pictured: Catherine Hunter (Barrhead Academy), Rachael Bishop (Loudoun Academy) and Kerry McMahon
(Barrhead Academy) worked closely with members of IBEHR’s Centre for Musculoskeletal Science participating in
experiments and conducting research which directly contributed to PhD research projects.
As part of the University of the West of
Scotland’s Equality and Diversity Agenda
we have committed to achieving Athena
SWAN accreditation by 2014. Athena SWAN
promotes opportunities for women in
Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths and
Medicine (STEMM) and encourages career
progression. It is being broadly adopted by
the Higher Education sector across the UK.
The University is embarking on a
wide programme of initiatives to provide
opportunities for employment and promotion
for women in STEMM areas. To assist with
career advancement UWS has introduced a
specific Mentoring Programme targeted at
women in these disciplines. Athena SWAN
Champions will promote awareness of the
Athena SWAN principles and charter and act
as a conduit between staff and the UWS
Athena SWAN Self-Assessment Team —
driving the agenda. Focus group sessions
have already been run across four campuses
to gather information from women in
relevant subject areas to identify barriers to
progression that they have encountered or
believe may hinder their career development.
It will also look to identify what additional
support or interventions may be helpful to
address any barriers.
As part of on-going actions to support
and encourage engagement and progression
of young female scientists, UWS’s Institute
of Biomedical & Environmental Health
Research (IBEHR) accepted three school
pupils from Barrhead High School and
Loudoun Academy into its recently launched
Work Placement Scheme.
Newly appointed lecturer Dr Anne Crilly
explains: ‘’I believe that to encourage young
people to follow careers in science, it is
important that they have the opportunity to
spend time in a research environment. This
experience not only allows the individual to
engage with working scientists, but gives an
insight into what this particular career path
has to offer.’’
The students collectively agreed that “the
experience reinforced [their] plans to pursue
a career in science with a view to working in
research in the future” and that “the nature
of the placement allowed us to expand our
knowledge of science outside the classroom
and allowed us to experience what we have
learned about in school first-hand.”
Reflecting on the Work Placement
Scheme the Director of IBEHR John
Lockhart said: “All three students performed
well, presenting at research group meetings
in the Centre for Musculoskeletal Science,
actively engaging in on-going research
projects and successfully completed all
assignments and were each awarded the
IBEHR Certificate of Distinction”
To find out more about Athena SWAN
visit: www.uws.ac.uk/athenaswan
University of the West of Scotland is
delighted to announce the launch of
the Graduate School, a newly created
community for PhD, MRes and MPhil
Research Students led by Professor
John Struthers.
The Graduate School is a virtual
centre at the heart of UWS’s dynamic
and rapidly growing research community
and has been developed to support
the University’s 450 research students
from their first day at the University
to graduation through a programme
of events, research activities and
training sessions in partnership with
researchers, supervisors and Research
Institutes to help produce well-rounded
early career researchers.
Professor Struthers said: “The
creation of the Graduate School is a
timely development for the University
due to the large increase in the
number of doctoral students in recent
years. A key objective of the Graduate
School will be to raise the profile of
the doctoral student population within
the University and externally. This will
involve enhancing training opportunities
for research students, encouraging
engagement with doctoral students in
other universities and working closely
with organisations such as the Council
for Graduate Education and Vitae”.
The Innovation and Research
Office will work closely with the
Graduate School students and academic
supervisory teams through this
transitional period actively encouraging
high-quality innovation, academic
leadership and an enhanced student
experience promoting the next
generation of academics.
UWS Alumni Magazine / IRO NEWS / 5
INSPIRING ALUMNI
INSPIRING ALUMNI
Love, Laughs and
LAB COATS
Ashley Lennon interviews Alumni Craig and Tracey Macdonald
on their lives, loves and careers together. Photography Tim Morozzo
C
raig and Tracey Macdonald are
an incredible pair. Though, at
first glance, they seem like a
regular West of Scotland married
couple, under the surface lies
an incredible focus and determination,
which they’ve used to work their way up
from factory jobs to successful careers as
a Chemist and Ecologist, all whilst raising
three children.
Childhood sweethearts who married
young and had their first child at 21, it was
returning to study as mature students at
the University of Paisley (now UWS), that
brought them the opportunities and success
that they now enjoy.
Craig and Tracey, now 37, met on their
first day at secondary school in Erskine.
“Craig was my best friend throughout high
school,” says Tracey. “Towards the end of our
time at school we got together, and more
than 20 years later, here we still are.”
Though Tracey wanted to go to university
after school, personal circumstances meant
that she had to work instead and she took
a job in the toll booth at the Erskine Bridge,
near Glasgow, whilst Craig studied for an
HNC Electrical and Electronic Engineering at
Reid Kerr College, in Paisley, then for an HND
Biomedical Sciences, at James Watt College
in Greenock.
By the time they were 21, they were
married and had welcomed their eldest son
Kyle, (now 16), into the world. They were
also working twelve-hour shifts at Compaq
in Erskine, assembling PCs, whilst juggling
caring for Kyle. Craig says, “Tracey used
to work a Sunday, Monday, Tuesday at
Compaq and I used to work a Wednesday,
Thursday, Friday, so that we could take turns
looking after Kyle. We also worked alternate
Saturdays and overtime as money was tight,
which meant that we only had two days a
month to spend together as a family. Looking
6 / INSPIRING ALUMNI / UWS Alumni Magazine
back it’s amazing that we got through that
period intact.”
At the age of four, Kyle was diagnosed
with autism and ADHD (Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder) and caring for him
inspired Craig to work with other children
with additional needs. He joined Castlehead
High School, Paisley as a Special Needs
Tutor, and when Kyle’s two younger brothers
— Craig, now 11, and Lewis, now 9 — were
born, Tracey looked after the children full-time
at home.
Craig said, “I loved working with kids
with additional support needs. After a spell
at two Renfrewshire high schools in the
Support for Learning Department, I decided
to train as a teacher and applied to the
University of Paisley.”
His initial desire was to study Educational
Psychology and, after he signed up for a
Psychology degree, Tracey decided to join
him. “When Craig told me that studying for
a degree could be flexible — not necessarily
nine ‘til five Monday to Friday — I decided to
find out more,” she says. “So I went along to
an Open Day, and when I learned there was
support for childcare available, I signed up
straight away!”
“I’d always wanted to go to university
and suddenly here we were, both 29, with
three young children, committing to four
years of study. It sounds daunting, but with
the childcare in place, we knew that we
could make it work.”
Tracey signed up for a Biology degree,
whilst Craig added Biology to his Psychology
studies and together they embarked on
what they describe as the best four years of
their life. Every morning the couple would
cycle from Johnstone to Paisley, each with
one of their younger sons on the child seat
of their bikes. Their elder son, Kyle, was by
this time attending a special needs school in
Johnstone, and, after dropping their younger
boys at nursery, Craig and Tracey went
straight into lectures and labs.
There, they embraced every opportunity
for learning. “My time at university was
without a doubt the best of my life,” says
Tracey. “The facilities were terrific, we made
friends for life and, as mature students, we
were able to really relate to the lecturers,
who treated us with tremendous respect.”
Between third and fourth years they
spent a week at a Marine Biology Centre in
Millport, near Largs, as part of their course,
and loved it. Tracey and Craig are both keen
fishers and relished the opportunity to go
trawling in a seaboat, to scour the shore and
to examine their catch in marine labs.
Whilst studying, Craig and Tracey
volunteered at the RSPB (Royal Society
for the Protection of Birds) Reserve at
Lochwinnoch, in a bid to add more practical
skills to their CV, and were also leaders with
the Scouts and Beavers. In the summer
between second and third year, they studied
for the European Computer Driving Licence
as well, via distance learning, in a bid to
improve their employment prospects. “I
don’t think I slept for four years!” Craig says,
“but it was great fun and we made the most
of every single opportunity.”
In 2009, both graduated from UWS with
BSc Honours Environmental Biology, Craig
having rediscovered a passion for sciences
whilst studying. But they were hungry
for more learning, and keen to study for a
postgraduate Diploma in Waste Management
with Environmental Management. “The
stumbling block was finance,” Tracey says.
“Then we discovered that there were four
funded places available on the course at that
stage and decided to apply.” It’s a testament
to Craig and Tracey’s focus and abilities that
they ended up securing two of the four
funded places, meaning that their fees for
the course were waived.
After a year of further study, both
gained a postgraduate Diploma in
Waste Management with Environmental
Management and started to look for work.
Within weeks, Tracey had secured a sixmonth contract as a Laboratory Manager,
where she gained valuable experience.
Following this, she was hired by Augean
Plc in Paisley as a Site Chemist. As the only
Laboratory Chemist on site, Tracey’s role is
to analyse the waste that arrives at the plant
to determine which chemicals it contains and
how it can be disposed of safely.
“It’s such a diverse role,” she says, “we
take in spillages from petrol forecourts,
contaminated sea water from submarines,
and all sorts of chemicals. It’s like being
a detective sometimes; trying to work
out what each new delivery contains and
advising on the best way to dispose of
it without harming the environment. I’m
directly using the skills that I gained in my
degree every day.”
Meantime, after gaining a distinction in
his postgraduate Diploma, Craig was hired
by VG Energy in Galston, near Kilmarnock,
which installs wind turbines and solar
systems, initially as a Planning Consultant,
then as an Ecologist. For someone with a
lifelong interest in wildlife, the role is perfect.
He explains, “As an Ecologist, I carry out
studies to determine the impact to wildlife
and animal life from placing wind turbines
and solar systems.”
“It’s such a varied role: one evening I can
be carrying out a bat survey and the next
morning be up early to monitor breeding
birds in wetlands. Fortunately, my degree
was very diverse, so I’m equipped to deal
with whatever the job throws at me. And
it’s the perfect role for me really: I’ve been
a keen bird watcher, since the age of eight,
and finally I’m doing it for a living.”
“It’s been a struggle at times,” Tracey
says, “but it’s been worth it. Going back
to UWS, as mature students, changed our
lives, and opened up so many opportunities
for ourselves and our family. When we think
back to the early days, working shifts in a
factory and barely seeing each other, we
know we made the right decision to go
to university.”
Going back to
UWS, as mature
students, changed
our lives, and
opened up so
many opportunities
for ourselves and
our family.
UWS Alumni Magazine / INSPIRING ALUMNI / 7
FEATURE ARTICLE
FEATURE ARTICLE
DRUG CULTURE AND DRUG
POLICY IN SCOTLAND
Senior Lecturer Dr Iain McPhee investigates the widening gap
between drug policy and research evidence. Words Dr Iain McPhee
A
ddressing the issue of why
people use drugs would seem
to be the central question on
which drug policy in Scotland
should be based. Like the
question of motive in a criminal investigation,
it ought to be the key which unlocks
evidence allowing us to assess strategies
to reduce the harm drugs can cause to
individuals and communities. Instead, it
appears to be one of the most superficially
considered aspects of drug policy, directed
by largely unquestioned assumptions.
One widely held assumption is that
drug use is a medical problem identified or
diagnosed by harmful patterns of compulsive
drug-seeking. The primary hallmark or
symptom is a ‘loss of control’ over decisionmaking concerning the use of drugs. This
creates an expectation that some drugs are
inevitably pleasurable, while withdrawal and
craving have overwhelmingly the opposite
effect. This powerful discourse describing the
effects of craving, which, once established,
leads inevitably to a loss of control,
stigmatises drug users as the foolish prey
of dealers, victims of biological destiny or
deviant criminals.
It is common to believe that drug taking
is so risky, that anyone using them cannot
be normal. It is believed that only certain
plants and chemicals are ‘drugs’, while other
substances are not. If drugs were the cause
of addiction, then everyone exposed to
them should inevitably develop problems.
This does not happen. It is a politically
embarrassing fact, and one commonly
ignored by many anti-drug campaigners,
that drug problems disproportionately affect
deprived neighbourhoods more than the
most affluent.
Anti-drug campaigners often claim that
poverty is caused by drugs, drug dealers,
or drug crime, rather than inequality and an
uneven distribution of wealth. The evidence
is unequivocal, the more unequal a society
8 / FEATURE ARTICLE / UWS Alumni Magazine
in terms of income, education, and social
mobility; the more drug problems are
evident. My research has revealed that
Scotland imprisons a larger percentage of
drugs users for drug dealing than England,
Wales or Northern Ireland.
Historically, anti-alcohol crusaders
or Temperance Groups campaigned
government to ban alcohol, which they
believed caused much of the poverty that
characterised the living conditions of the
poor. Both in Great Britain and in the USA,
Temperance Groups believed that banning
alcohol would reduce poverty. Their greatest
achievement was alcohol prohibition in the
USA from 1920 until 1933. After the repeal
of prohibition, the same ‘demon rum’ alcohol
myths were later used to demonise drugs
and drugs users.
This temperance thinking underpins
our popular beliefs about the nature of drug
problems, and in particular addiction.
Despite decades of research that
demonstrates that the most common
patterns of use are controlled and
intermittent, the myth that drugs are always
dangerous, and that addiction or death is
inevitable persists. A great deal of alcohol
and drugs research concentrates on problem
users, recruiting easy to reach service users
or ex-addicts, who are not typical of all drug
users. It is from these non-typical groups
that much of the addiction literature is based.
My book ‘The Intentionally Unseen’,
published in February 2013, reveals that
drugs users are like anyone else, some good,
and some bad, many of them responsible
risk assessors, who use drugs relatively
safely, hidden from view.
Facts about drugs are muddled by
conflicting political interests, ideological
posturing and disinformation. As a result
the public are confused and prejudiced.
Drug users are most often described as
weak, hedonistic, unreliable, depraved,
and dangerous. Decades of scientific
evidence demonstrates this to be untrue
and without foundation, and yet such
beliefs underpin drug policy and treatment
interventions in Scotland. After 25 years
working with problem drug users, my
research demonstrates that a life of crime
and addiction is not inevitable after the use
of illegal drugs. Drug problems show a clear
and distinct socio-economic difference.
As a result, drug prohibition which has a
laudable aim of preventing drug problems
disproportionately affects the poor. The
evidence indicates that the greatest risk to
drug users remains a drug conviction, not
drug addiction.
There is much public support for
government policy which makes smoking
in restaurants, planes and public transport
offences punishable by law; yet we do
not criminalise the smoker for being in
possession of a cigarette.
Drinkers are punished for the
consequences of their acts, like drink driving
and public disorder. Yet we do not make it
a crime to be in possession of alcohol, or
to transport a month’s supply of alcohol in
a car to our homes. Yet, that is exactly the
structure of drug prohibition, which does
not penalise the harmful consequences of
drug use, but the mere possession of the
product. When we see the penalties for
gun possession, revealing state secrets, or
engaging in terrorism, we begin to see the
category of criminal that we place drug users
with in prison.
Our drug policy diverts focus and
attention away from inefficient social
policies that label users as deviant ‘addict
criminals’. We have created expensive drug
enforcement agencies that seize large
quantities of drugs and hugely inflate ‘street
prices’ to appear successful, and yet fail
to prevent drug problems or reduce drug
related deaths.
Recently police in Scotland warned
people attending music festivals that they
should avoid using any drug as some were
implicated in drug deaths. All drug deaths are
tragic, and yet many could easily be avoided
with some credible information. Research
demonstrates that advice on safe use saves
lives. It is bizarre that we use drug deaths
as a ‘warning’ of what will happen if people
use drugs. Deaths from drugs are widely
reported, and as a result people believe they
occur regularly, they do not. More people die
in the UK from crossing the road than from
all illegal drugs combined.
In my opinion as a Social Scientist, our
society must understand why we are so
hostile to some drugs and not others. I
have in previous research, I have published,
taken a resolutely historical approach to
this question, establishing that temperance
propaganda, rather than scientific evidence
drives Scotland’s draconian drug laws. This
remains the focus of my continuing research.
Dr Iain McPhee
Dr Iain McPhee is a Senior Lecturer at
UWS and teaches on the postgraduate
MSc. programme in Alcohol and Drugs
Studies (ADS). This programme began
in 1979, and quickly became recognised
for its excellence in research and
teaching in the field of substance
use and related problems. The ADS
critical stance in teaching and research
is designed to counter unfounded
theory and specious argument and
set the record straight explaining
what is known about substance use
and problems and separate this from
speculation and opinion.
The research interests of Dr McPhee
focus on hidden drug use, the negative
effects of drug policy and prevention
and he has conducted numerous
studies on the negative impact of drug
prohibition. Iain is an expert witness
in criminal cases, and publishes
extensively on pedagogical issues
related to blended learning and the
use of technology in Higher Education.
Iain and his ADS colleagues Ken
Barrie and Dougie Marks are currently
engaged in research investigating the
relationship between poverty and drug
problems in the UK for the Joseph
Rowntree Foundation. He has recently
published two books, one on Scottish
social policy after devolution with Dr.
Murray Leith, and one on exploring
hidden drug use in Scotland. ‘Scottish
Devolution and Social Policy: Evidence
from the first decade’, is available from
Cambridge Scholars Press, and ‘The
intentionally unseen: illicit and illegal
drugs use in Scotland: exploring drug
talk in the 21st Century’, is available
from Lambert Academic Publishing.
UWS Alumni Magazine / FEATURE ARTICLE / 9
INSPIRING ALUMNI
INSPIRING ALUMNI
Image from left to right: Neil Devenny, Julie Griffin and Denis McIlroy
THE XX
COMMONWEALTH GAMES
With less than one year to go, three UWS Alumni hold pivotal roles
delivering Glasgow 2014.
Words Stacey Hunter | Photography Tim Morozzo
U
WS alumnus Denis McIlroy
is responsible for the delivery
of the business applications
required to deliver a successful
Games. General Manager of
Business Technology Services, Denis is based
at the Games Headquarters in Glasgow’s
Merchant City, where he oversees the
complex logistics of 21st century Scotland’s
first sporting mega-event.
“As an organisation we require almost
fifty different business applications. Given
that we have an absolute deadline for the
Games we have to ensure these applications
are delivered right first time, which is a
massive challenge. Also, as we are growing
at approximately ten people a week and
staff will eventually number around 1,300,
we need to ensure these applications are
intuitive and easy to use.”
Software engineering had always
interested Denis, who was born in Govan
and raised in Crookston, a suburb of
Glasgow. Aged just nine, he received
one of the earliest home computers; the
revolutionary ZX Spectrum 48K, which
allowed him to learn about programming and
computer coding at a young age.
He went on to attend Lourdes Secondary
in Cardonald, where he was amongst
the first cohort to study the then newly
established Higher Computing. He continued
on to the University of Paisley (now
UWS), where he gained his BSc Software
Engineering in 1998.
“My favourite course at the University
was Artificial Neural Networks; designing
computer programmes that use historic data
to predict trends.” says Denis, “I really liked
the hands-on programming we did.”
Denis’ hands-on approach has served him
well securing him positions at SAIC (Science
10 / INSPIRING ALUMNI / UWS Alumni Magazine
Applications International Corporation),
Strathclyde Police and the Scottish Police
Services Authority where, along with fellow
alumnus Neil Devenny, he helped to create a
single, secure national IT infrastructure.
Now, he says “We have to meet the
expectations of what London 2012 delivered
during the Olympics, take the learning from
that and make what we do a bit better,
there’s no wiggle room!”. With 15,000
volunteers arriving next year, Denis is quick
to praise their commitment, which he
describes as “extraordinary”. Using an online
application system staff are taken through
their interview, training and scheduling,
“Right through to checking them in when
they show up for a shift”, confirms Denis.
A proud Glaswegian, Denis is most
looking forward to “Seeing Glasgow
in such a positive light worldwide.” He
describes a vibrant social scene at Glasgow
2014 headquarters and enjoys cycling
to work from the home he shares with
his partner in Hamilton. “My partner has
children, so I can’t see myself working
on the XXI Commonwealth Games or
the 2016 Olympics” (in Australia and Rio
respectively). “So another job in Glasgow
would suit me rather well after a very wellearned rest!”, he laughs.
General Manager of City Operations,
Neil Devenny, is striving to ensure the XX
Commonwealth Games delivers an athlete
centred and sport focused Games. As
General Manager of City Operations, Neil
facilitates the integration of the Organising
Committee work-streams (Transport,
Security, Venues and Environment and
Sustainability) into the operational world of
the Local Authority.
A true ‘Paisley Buddy’, Neil was born and
bred in Paisley, attending both Camphill and
Gleniffer secondary schools. He secured a
place at University of Paisley (now UWS)
in 1991, to pursue a BA Business and
Management. Neil went on to work with
Barclays Stockbrokers acquiring professional
qualifications in project management along
the way.
“I left to join the Scottish Police Services,
where we realised the vision of having
an amalgamated single IT infrastructure,
accessible to all police officers and staff.”
He says that the learning he gained at UWS
informs his career to this day, with a particular
emphasis on interrogating business concepts.
“My lecturer Dr Galloway used the famous
Kipling poem to encourage us to ask about
the ‘What, the Why and the When?’ and the
‘How, the Where and the Who?’ It holds true,
because in project management you are
always looking to understand; it’s a systematic
approach to planning and delivering.”
With shooting events taking place in
Carnoustie; diving events in Edinburgh and
Strathclyde Country Park hosting the triathlon,
Neil ensures that local authorities are fully
aware of what they need to do to prepare for
the smooth running of the Games.
“If Usain Bolt gets a good night’s sleep
in the Athletes’ Village and the transport
system works seamlessly to get him to the
stadium and he goes on to win a gold medal,
then 1,000 of our people made that happen
and did a terrific job. Ultimately, we all hope
that our new venues are where athletes will
break world records.”
Neil credits the Games with having
a positive effect on the hobbies he
shares with his three sons who have
attended events like the recent Junior
World Championship Cycling, the Netball
Championships and Gymnastics.
His career aspirations post-Games are
focused on the public sector, developing
what he has learned in terms of integration,
building teams and team spirit.
“I left banking because you work for the
shareholders; when you work for the public
sector, you get to give something back.”
Coordinator for the Queen’s Baton Relay,
Julie Griffin put’s her BA Events Management
to great use at Glasgow 2014. UWS alumna
Julie became a pre-Games volunteer in 2012,
getting local people involved in Glasgow’s
Commonwealth Games.
Born in London, 25 year-old Julie
has lived in Glasgow most of her life
and attended Holy Cross High School in
Hamilton, Lanarkshire. After two years
backpacking around the world she began
her UWS BA Events Management in 2011,
and volunteered to work for the Glasgow
2014 Games. Julie recognised that income
from tourism and events was a growing
sector in the economy and, she says, “I
wanted to study at UWS, because it was
one of the few universities to offer Events
Management in Scotland.”
The course is a highly specialised
business degree, which provides both the
knowledge and practical tools to strategically
plan and manage mega-events. “My event
management modules can now actively be
put into practice as a coordinator for the
Queen’s Baton Relay”.The Baton, containing
a message from Her Majesty The Queen
begins its 190,000 kilometre journey around
71 nations and territories, and will be used
at the Opening Ceremony, where the Queen
will officially declare the Games open.”
Julie describes learning from her
colleagues, who have experience to share
from previous Games all over the world.
“It’s a very multi-cultural and diverse
workplace, and I enjoy being able to learn
from experts in their roles. It’s amazing
to see how it all comes together from
strategic planning and operational planning
to going live.”
What attracted her was the excitement
generated by Glasgow winning the bid
to host the Games in 2007. “I remember
being at George Square when Glasgow
won the bid and thinking — I want to be
involved in this”. Julie describes her Glasgow
2014 workplace as a “social place with a
great working culture.” There are regular
masterclasses on at lunchtime providing
opportunities to learn about the rules of
the seventeen different sports that will be
showcased at the Games. Like Denis, she
also plays lawn bowling “We won one game
and lost one last night”, she says “and there
are also running clubs, and a rowing regatta.”
The Games-related infrastructure being
built articulates how the sporting legacy has
already begun in Glasgow. Julie refers to
both the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome and the
Emirates Arena, and describes a growing
excitement about the lasting impact the
Games will have.
“The Games has a lifespan of course”
she smiles, “I’d love to continue a career
in sport and encourage a positive culture in
Scotland and the UK. I love seeing the legacy
of the Games starting to get integrated into
Scottish life. My aspirations are to stay in
sport and build on this great opportunity.”
UWS is proud to have been a supporter
of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games
from an early stage, encouraging students
and staff alike to take up the opportunity to
volunteer for this once-in-a-lifetime event.
With a year to go to the start of the
2014 Commonwealth Games, UWS has
received a grant worth £167,977 from the
Big Lottery Fund to support the University’s
Digital Commonwealth Project. The Digital
Commonwealth Project aims to encourage
as many people as possible, including
schools in every local authority in Scotland,
being co-ordinated by UWS’s School of
Creative and Cultural Industries to cover the
key events of the Commonwealth Games
using social media.
Get involved at:
www.digitalcommonwealth.co.uk
Contact:
[email protected]
XX Commonwealth Games Mascot, Clyde the Thistle.
UWS Alumni Magazine / INSPIRING ALUMNI / 11
INSPIRING ALUMNI
INSPIRING ALUMNI
Treading a
SUCCESSFUL PATH
Alumna Lesley Dalziel talks about her belief in hard work
and the value of a University qualification. Words Olga Wojtas | Photography Tim Morozzo
L
esley Dalziel, Group Finance
Director at Axle Group
Holdings Ltd, in Glasgow,
makes a startling admission
about her workplace: “They
call me Mrs Thatcher.”
It is difficult to imagine anyone less like
the former Prime Minister.
But she continues: “I make the rules,
and they’re the rules, and that’s it. The
reason we’re successful is because of our
strict controls and procedures.”
Axle Group of companies incorporates
National Tyres and Autocare centres.
With 250 outlets across the UK, 1,500
staff and a £200 million turnover, Axle
is undoubtedly successful. And that is
due in no small part to Lesley, who has
worked there since 2004, in charge of
the Group’s finances. She is personally
responsible for sixty staff and reports
directly to Axle’s owners.
Lesley greatly believes in mutual
respect in the workplace, and has earned
respect throughout the company for her
hard work. “My role is very diverse. I deal
with company strategy, but at 10 o’clock
every working day, I have a meeting with
the Cash and Banking Team to check the
bank balance. That’s why retailers fail,
because they’re not on top of cash flow.”
Axle takes in around £500,000 a day, and
Lesley remembers the first ‘Million Pound
Monday’, now a regular occurrence.
Hard work was bred into Lesley. She
has lived in Elderslie in Renfrewshire for
the past eleven years, but until then lived
in Paisley. She was born into a working-
12 / INSPIRING ALUMNI / UWS Alumni Magazine
class family: her father was a Civil Engineer
in the local firm Eadie Brothers, and her
mother was a School Meals Auxiliary.
“When I was born, my dad won
the Pools, sufficient to buy the family a
bungalow in quite a salubrious area.
“My parents had a very hard-working
ethic. They struggled, despite where we
lived. We were brought up with a work
ethic, and respect for people in positions of
authority. We totally appreciated the value
of things, and you never bought anything
until you had enough money to pay for it.
When we got our pocket money, half went
into savings stamps, and the other half we
could spend.”
At school, she claims she “didn’t raise
her head above the parapet,” but she
excelled at French and German, usually
getting 99 per cent. There was little or no
careers advice, and she left school at 16 to
work for the Scottish airline Loganair as an
Office Junior.
“I did all the things kids turn their
nose up at now, sorted the mail, made the
coffee, filled the vending machines, did the
photocopying. Then they created a Junior
Clerkess position for me, but when I moved
on to purchase ledger accounting, I felt I
didn’t fully understand what I was doing, so
I went to night school at Reid Kerr College,
in Paisley.”
She completed an HNC Accounting
and in 1991, went to work for the NHS as
a Costing and Pricing Accountant. “It was
a new Greater Glasgow project, and I was
allocated Yorkhill, The Royal Hospital for Sick
Children. I had to audit every Department
and do a standard cost for every single
activity they did. You can imagine how
unpopular that was!”
Yorkhill, the hospital for sick children,
including those who are terminally ill, had a
huge impact on her. “When you saw these
wards, you’d think ‘And I’m feeling a wee
bit sorry for myself today, why?’ It was a
fantastic place, the hospital was always
cheery, making an effort because of the
children’s illnesses. The people working
there were inspirational and gave me a
different perspective on my working life.”
Seeing her potential, the NHS
sponsored her to become a Certified
Accountant through the Chartered Institute
of Public Finance and Accountancy, the
public sector equivalent of the Association
of Chartered Certified Accountants. Her
marriage sadly over, she combined a
demanding two-year fast-track course with
a full-time job and family life.
She found a fresh challenge working
for the then private Jubilee Hospital in
Clydebank (which meant repaying the cost
of her CIPFA training). She was rapidly
promoted to acting Finance Director.
She was so successful in the job that
she was head-hunted by the global health
insurance company, Cigna, becoming
European Financial Manager and then
Financial Controller. At Cigna, Lesley
decided to study for a Master of Business
Administration (MBA) at the then University
of Paisley in 2002 (now UWS).
“I recognised that being a qualified
accountant wasn’t enough, given the
strategic role I had in the company,
and that I needed a well-recognised
management qualification.”
Her American bosses, who set great
store by the qualification, offered to fund
her. But she refused, remembering her NHS
experience, and wanting to leave herself
free in her future career choice decisions.
“I chose the University because of the
flexibility of the course. It was online with
weekend workshops, and that was a real
pull. It was two and a half years with no
breaks, which was good, because there was
a momentum once you started the course.”
She found the course reinforced her
working practices, giving an academic
rationale for doing things in particular
ways. Never having gone through a degree
course, she found academic report writing
a steep learning curve, but enjoyed it and
has found it invaluable in her current role.
“It was a very diverse study group, with
people from different career backgrounds
— community nursing, the police, the
electronics industry, the theatre. I really
enjoyed the chat and the shared learning,”
she says.
While writing her dissertation, she
left Cigna and took some time out to
decide what to do next. A friend pointed
out the job of Group Financial Services
Director at Axle Group Holdings and told
her she would be perfect. Just as she
graduated from the University in 2005,
she took up the Glasgow-based post.
Two years later, she was promoted to
Group Finance Director.
“We invest heavily in staff and have
very low turnover in a high-turnover
industry. We’ve got four training centres
around the country. We have around twenty
apprenticeships a year, going through all
the recognised qualifications in a three or
four year scheme. They usually all stay with
the company and go on to become Branch
Managers. This year, we’ve just started a
two-year Tyre Fitter Apprenticeship, with
fifteen places,” she says.
The company is looking to grow and
open at least another fifty branches over
the next few years. “Because we’re ownermanaged, any cash we make is ploughed
straight back into the business.”
Young staff also have the opportunity
to undertake qualifications in management
and accountancy. “People don’t appreciate
how academic some of the things they
actually do are, and this lets them see
that. I’ve created a career path for them to
follow, so if they want to, they can work
hard and progress. People encouraged me,
and I want to encourage the younger ones,
because they think they can’t achieve, but
they can,” says Lesley.
“It’s about application and dedication.
I would strongly say to everybody that
anything’s possible, if you apply yourself
and you want it enough. Some people think
they just deserve it, but you have to work
for success. Hard work pays off in the end,
in my opinion.”
Lesley is unimpressed by the culture of
‘presenteeism,’ with employees coming in
early and leaving work late at night. She is
interested in quality of work, not quantity,
she says. “I totally and utterly value my
home life. My husband is very, very
supportive. We’ve been together twenty
years now, and he’s probably pushed me
through my career more than I would have
pushed myself.”
For relaxation, she enjoys going
on holiday to different destinations,
and spending time with her three
grandchildren. She also loves keeping fit at
Zumba dance classes.
This summer, there was another UWS
family celebration when her daughter
Kirsty, 23, graduated with a BA (Hons)
Human Resource Management. Lesley
says Kirsty was brought up with the
expectation that she would go to university.
“Once you have an academic qualification,
you’ve always got it. To me as a prospective
employer, it’s also about life experience
and maturing as a person to have the best
prospects for a successful future career.”
Lesley is the perfect role model for her
daughter for that!
I would strongly
say to everybody that
anything’s possible if
you apply yourself and
you want it enough.
UWS Alumni Magazine / INSPIRING ALUMNI / 13
GLOBAL CITIZENS
UNIVERSITY PROFILE
Meet the New PRINCIPAL
Olga Wojtas interviews Professor Craig Mahoney. Photography Tim Morozzo
What are your priorities?
My first priority is to understand the
University. I’ve not come in with any
assumptions. Engaging with all our
stakeholders is fundamental to learning
about the University and being part of a
modern university sector.
Global Citizens…‘THE
TRIP OF A LIFETIME’
In early September, ten UWS civil and
mechanical engineering students took part
in a 10-day ‘trip of a lifetime’ visit to UWS
partner institution Changchun Institute of
Technology (CIT) in Jilin province, northeast
China. Giving a glimpse into the Chinese
education system, experience in some of
the sector’s finest engineering facilities, and
insight into Chinese life and culture, the trip
was an experience the students say they
‘will never forget’ and one that will have a
real impact on their future careers.
Part of the University’s growing range
of exchange opportunities to give students
a global outlook to their studies, the CIT
visit was part-funded under the Scottish
Government’s Saltire Mobility programme.
Third year mechanical engineering
student Neil Charlton was one of the group
and here’s an excerpt from his travelogue:
“During the trip we hooked up with the
CIT students we’d met in August at UWS
when the CIT students spent 4 weeks at
the University on an ‘English for Engineers’
summer school. It was good to catch up
and share our experiences. Throughout, the
hospitality of our CIT hosts was fantastic —
from the enthusiastic welcome committee
who collected us from the airport, to our
guides and lecturers.
Our itinerary featured a programme of
engineering sessions and tours of the CIT
facilities — including a huge machine shop,
rapid prototyping lab, automation simulation
rigs and an indoor football pitch for robots.
The robots were programmed to chase a
red-coloured football. Unfortunately, they
also liked fellow student Greg’s red UWS
tee-shirt, so the match was called off due to
impending spectator injury!
The factory tour at one of China’s
largest car manufacturing companies, First
Automotive Works (FAW), started in the onsite museum and was followed with a tour
of the vehicle assembly and test facilities.
Changchun’s population is roughly 8 million,
and it is the car manufacturing capital of
China. This status was underlined by the
fact that almost a third of the city’s area is
devoted to FAW facilities alone! Construction
site visits during the trip also kept our civil
engineering classmates happy.
On the cultural side, our hosts at CIT
really pulled out the stops: calligraphy and
art demonstrations; a sublime Chinese
green tea tasting ceremony; martial arts
demos; and a talent show were organised
for us. The talent show did come with a
certain cost attached though; we were
expected to perform in return. I suspect
after our group’s rendition of ‘Flower of
Scotland’, our audience may have felt the
cost a little too high!
Our visit was rounded off with a stay in
Beijing. Tours of Tiananmen Square and the
Forbidden Palace gave an amazing glimpse
into this diverse and ancient culture. The Great
Wall, though, was our highlight and I was able
to tick-off one of the Seven Wonders of the
World. Walking up the mountain to the Wall is
considered a rite of passage for Chinese men;
we took the cable-car.
After a couple of hours taking in the
scenery we descended, ready to head to
another Beijing marvel — the 2008 Olympic
Games venue; in particular, the ‘Bird’s Nest’
stadium. Our admiration for this engineering
marvel was considerable.
Our end-of-visit meal of traditional
Peking Duck was excellent and eating with
14 / GLOBAL CITIZENS / UWS Alumni Magazine
chopsticks had become a lot easier. But the
trip was drawing to a close and everyone
knew it. The first round of goodbyes started
at the restaurant, with the hugs and “I’ll miss
yous’” continuing in the hotel lobby. Our poor
CIT host Sally had ten emotional students
and one slightly more restrained lecturer to
say goodbye to. We were very sad to leave
her behind, and also very sad to say goodbye
to China.
It really had been the trip of a lifetime:
the people had all been fantastic; the food,
sights, sounds and even the traditional
Chinese white wine, all experiences none of
which we will ever forget.”
NEW
PERSPECTIVES
Nine UWS School of Education students
and recent graduates visited Yad Vashem,
the Centre for Holocaust Studies in
Jerusalem, in June to participate in the
annual international education workshop.
A powerful programme included personal
insights from Holocaust survivors and
sessions designed specifically for primary
teaching of Holocaust Studies.
The UWS group agreed that the trip
was ‘a life changing experience’ and that
their pupils would benefit greatly from
what they, as teachers, had learned at
Yad Vashem. Over the coming session
Yad Vashem colleagues will provide input
to the UWS School of Education’s online
MEd in Enhanced Educational Practice.
What ambitions do you have for UWS?
Big ones! I’m keen that we raise the
University’s profile in everything we do. I
strongly believe that success is built on clear
vision, support and empowerment, and
growth. I’m keen to diversify our sources
of income through partnerships, research,
enterprise and consultancy,
and internationalisation.
What are you looking forward to most?
I will have the luxury and privilege of being
able to work with the Scottish Funding
Council, Ministers for Higher Education, and
other Principals of other universities. The
door-opening potential of my position will let
me help UWS achieve its objectives.
When did you officially start?
Thursday 1st August. But I had a few visits
to the University after my appointment
on 7th March.
What was your reaction when you
were offered the post?
It was very emotional. I was told I was the
unanimous choice.
What were your first impressions?
It’s a stunningly beautiful part of the
country. But there are deprived areas in
the West of Scotland, which have needs
and opportunities for change. It’s been
unbelievably rewarding meeting people,
who without exception, have been incredibly
positive, and extremely encouraging of
taking the University forward, and full of
fantastic ideas.
Tell us a bit about your background.
I grew up on my grandmother’s farm in
Tasmania, Australia. When I was 13, we
moved to a town of 10,000 people —
Ulverstone, on the north-west coast of
Tasmania, where my parents owned a small
grocery store. My parents both had to leave
school at 11 for financial reasons, and were
very keen for me and my elder brother to
gain a good education. I studied Chemistry
and Maths at the University of Tasmania,
and became a teacher for three years. I
then came to the UK to play professional
squash. But after injuring my knee and
having to have an operation, I did a Masters
degree in Sports Science at the University of
Birmingham. I was then offered a PhD place,
which was incredibly flattering, and started
my career in Higher Education.
What attracted you to apply for the post?
A delightful match between the experiences
I’ve had and what the University is trying to
achieve. I’ve worked in the UK for over 26
years, mostly in teaching-led universities with
a wider access mission, something I’ve been
very focused on. I also saw the opportunity
of UWS doing more of things I felt my
experiences could help them achieve. It’s
not just about widening access, but ensuring
that students succeed and are able to get a
good job.
What job did you have before this?
I was appointed Chief Executive of the
Higher Education Academy in 2010, having
previously been Deputy Vice-Chancellor at
Northumbria University.
How important are alumni in helping
to shape the University’s strategy and
achieve corporate objectives?
Alumni are crucially important. I hope we
can build a much closer relationship with our
alumni, to get them to be spokespersons
for the University. Alumni networks are
enormously powerful in raising aspirations
and making people aware of how Higher
Education can change lives. But if any alumni
become millionaires and want to support
University activity, I won’t say no!
What family do you have?
I have a partner, Thelma, and four children
— two at university and two in between!
Ciara (20) is studying Journalism at Leeds
Metropolitan University and Jordan (18) is
studying Electronics at college. Kadin (6) is in
Primary 2 and Ella (3) is at nursery.
How do you relax?
I don’t know whether I do! I love travelling.
I love playing sport. I love music, particularly
The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, Joe Cocker,
Bryan Adams and the Dixie Chicks.
Also eating out and socialising — I’m
quite gregarious.
UWS Alumni Magazine / UNIVERSITY PROFILE / 15
UNIVERSITY PROFILE
ALUMNI PROFILES
LIFE-CHANGING
PROFILE
Where Are They Now?
Ashley Lennon discovers how three Alumni
have developed their careers, since graduation.
Ben Parry, PhD Researcher, School of Creative and Cultural Industries
Reclaiming Mumbai’s Slum History. Words Olga Wojtas | Photography Tim Morozzo
UWS has been
very supportive of the
fieldwork and helped
in building a strong
network in Mumbai.
The acclaimed Danny Boyle film ‘Slumdog
Millionaire’ is set in the notorious Mumbai
slum of Dharavi. Perhaps its most iconic
image is the massive Dharavi pipeline,
which supplies water to south Mumbai
and has been home to hundreds of families
for many years.
The fate of these families led UWS
PhD Researcher Ben Parry to question
the ethics of his research and transform
the project he was working on.
Ben, aged 37, is already a noted Visual
Artist and Curator, Co-Director of the visual
and performing arts organisation Jump
Ship Rat. Born near Liverpool, he came
to Scotland to study Environmental Art
at Glasgow School of Art, then followed
this with a Masters in Urban Planning at
University of Liverpool.
He is a champion of public art, works
of art which are not confined in galleries,
but are in public places, often in the streets.
While collaborating with artist Peter
McCaughey, who is creative adviser
to the Glasgow Housing Association,
Ben spotted an advertisement for a funded
PhD studentship in the University’s School
of Creative and Cultural Industries. He was
keen to investigate ‘informal urbanism’
— the way deprived areas develop
through local people’s initiatives, which
have nothing to do with official rules and
regulations. His practice-based PhD,
‘Cultural Hijack: Rethinking Intervention’
investigates at the role of art intervention
and art activism in social change.
“Halfway through my PhD, an
opportunity arose to do a residency with
URBZ, an urban research unit in India,
which includes architects, anthropologists
and designers, and conducts research into
informal urbanism in Mumbai,” Ben says.
“UWS has been very supportive
of the fieldwork and helped in building
a strong network in Mumbai. I’ve been
lucky to have brilliant supervisors who have
gone beyond what could be expected.”
He found himself living in the Dharavi
slum, where URBZ is based. But he adds:
“Our notion of living in a slum can be very
misleading. They are a conglomerate of old
villages, neighbourhoods and transit camps.
But most buildings are brick and concrete,
with tiled floors and kitchens, and off the
chaos of the main streets, everywhere is
very clean.”
“It’s a hyper-productive place, very
dynamic and frenetic.”
He spent four months there in 2012,
another month this year, and is returning
in November, just as he finishes writing
his PhD.
He went to look at how street vendors
were creating public space in an area where
this was not officially designated, but his
focus changed radically while he was there.
He found Dharavi had become a magnet
for researchers from developed countries,
but that their research was not being made
available to the local community.
Last year, around 2,000 people were
evicted from their homes on the pipeline,
16 / UNIVERSITY PROFILE / UWS Alumni Magazine
the majority of them ragpickers, the
lowest tier of society, who make a living
by recycling rubbish. Many were members
of the Acorn Foundation, a charity
concerned with their welfare, which
aims to win recognition for their work in
protecting the environment.
“This was one of the most marginal
communities in Dharavi, which disappeared
without trace, suddenly and brutally. It
had no recorded history of its own, while
at the same time becoming one of the
most documented and researched sites on
informal urbanism in the world today,”
says Ben.
Questioning his own role as a
researcher, an outsider and a westerner,
he launched a new project, ‘Dharavi:
Reversing the Gaze’. Through this, six
women aged between 16 and 50, who
lived on the pipeline and work in recycling,
are tracing the displacement and how this
has affected their lives and ability to earn
a living. Helped by Ben, Acorn Foundation,
are creating a record of where homes and
businesses used to be, and recording who
used to live there. The women are also
able to interview foreign researchers as a
way of understanding the outside gaze and
the intentions and methods of research.
Ben hopes they will share their findings
through, for example, story-telling and film.
“It’s reclaiming history,” he says.
Michael Sunday
Mari-Claire Riley
Stuart Forsyth
MSc Waste and Clean
Technologies with Distinction
Class of 2013
MSc Waste Management with
Environmental Management
(Commendation) Class of 2010
HND Journalism Studies,
Class of 1999
“I’m from Nigeria and after graduating from
university there with a First Class (Hons)
degree in Industrial Chemistry, I wanted to
undertake a postgraduate course, in the UK,
to give me further knowledge and skills in my
area of specialisation.
After searching the internet, the high
standard of education in Scotland caught my
attention and UWS was an easy choice for
me, as my proposed programme — MSc in
Waste and Clean Technologies — was fully
accredited by the relevant professional bodies.
I enrolled, and I am very happy to say that
my student experience expectations on the
course were exceeded!
It was my first time leaving my home
country, and from the moment I arrived in
Scotland, I found it to be welcoming and
friendly. The taxi driver, who took me from the
airport to the university, was very friendly, and
I knew then that I’d be okay in this country!
I’d rate the quality of education in
Scotland, and at UWS, very highly. Lectures
were informative and interesting, and the
external speakers really helped to bring the
industry to the classroom. In my class, I had
students from Poland, Spain and China, and
I made some strong friendships, which I still
treasure and I keep in touch with them. In the
future, I’d like to study for a PhD and, based
on my experiences at UWS, I have every
reason to choose Scotland again”.
“Without my qualification, I wouldn’t have
got my first job in the waste industry. It
wasn’t just the course learning that was so
valuable — once you qualify, students obtain
automatic enrolment into the Chartered
Institute of Waste Management, and it opens
doors to some great contacts in the industry.
Following my undergraduate degree, I
chose the MSc as a stepping stone to get
into climate change. It’s a growth area, and
one that increasingly touches all aspects
of our lives. I was lucky to get my first job
with SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection
Agency), before I finished my Masters.
Now I’m a Climate Change Officer with
Falkirk Council, where my role is to help the
council to be as sustainable as possible.
That can involve anything from spearheading
energy-saving campaigns for schools, to
helping decide which council vehicles to
purchase from an environmental perspective.
I also advise on making council buildings
more energy efficient.
When I’m not working, my two young
children keep me busy, but I don’t think I’m
finished with studying yet. I’d like to move
into lecturing in future, so who knows? I may
well return to UWS to study for a PhD!”
“I wanted to be a journalist since I was 14,
and chose a course that would teach me the
nuts and bolts of how to be a reporter. On
the HND I studied news writing, page design
and interviewing techniques, as well as the
dreaded shorthand — necessary, but the
bane of every journalism student’s life!
We also got the chance to sit
professional exams run by the National
Council for the Training of Journalists, which
are highly valued in the industry.
Not long after graduating, I got a Trainee
Reporter’s job on a local newspaper, ‘The
Cumbernauld News’, where I did court
reporting, sports, news and interviews.
From there, I moved to an evening paper and
its sister titles in Essex, before returning to
Scotland to work for ‘The Daily Record’ and
‘The Herald’.
Then in 2004, I decided to move into
PR, helping businesses and organisations to
improve their media profile, and worked for a
couple of Scotland’s biggest public relations
agencies, before gaining an in-house role
with the University of Glasgow in 2008, as
Senior Communications Officer.
PR isn’t all about spin. It’s a serious
business; managing reputations and coming
up with new ideas all the time. Currently, I
liaise with media from all across the world,
so I’m as likely to be talking to a TV station in
Singapore as in Scotland!”
UWS Alumni Magazine / ALUMNI PROFILES / 17
INSPIRING ALUMNI
INSPIRING ALUMNI
Food FOR THOUGHT
Assistant Brand Manager, Gillian McKnight, of Baxters Food Group talks
about her exciting job and the importance of work placement as part of her
University degree. Words Stacey Hunter | Photography Tim Morozzo
G
illian McKnight credits her yearlong University work placement
for giving her the crucial edge
she needed to secure a top job
in the competitive food brand
management sector.
As Assistant Brand Manager at Baxters
Food Group, Gillian works for an international
food company that is also a Scottish family
business spanning four generations, and
has been established since 1868. Gillian
plays a critical part of a team, where she is
involved in developing and implementing
brand marketing activity, such as new product
development (NPD), packaging design, PR,
advertising and events, and she is delighted to
be there saying, “It is a pleasure to work for
such a well-established Scottish brand with a
reputation for creating great-tasting products,
including soups, preserves, condiments,
chutneys, pickles and beetroot. I love the
variety that my marketing job provides.”
Gillian is involved in the development of
Baxters soup and meal plans. She is also
involved in the new product development
process, which entails tasting recipes for
flavour and consistency, and selecting
new products that will complement the
existing portfolio. She works closely with
the Category Management Team to identify
key trends in the UK food market and helps
build a supporting case for new products,
to convince retailers to list Baxters products
over competitors. “I work closely with
our in-house Designer to develop new
packaging designs, and marketing literature.
It’s important to ensure that all packaging
designs are in line with the brand and portray
the right image for the product.”
“It’s a proud moment seeing a new
product on the shelf in store and a great
feeling knowing that all your hard work has
paid off.”
Born in Glasgow, Gillian moved to Ayr,
and has lived there since she was three. She
attended Belmont Academy in Ayr
and says: “I had always wanted to study
marketing since getting a taste for it in
Business Management in sixth year at
school. I applied to the University of Paisley
(now UWS), in 2005, for a place on the
International Marketing degree programme.”
18 / INSPIRING ALUMNI / UWS Alumni Magazine
Gillian describes how the University
stood out to her immediately: “When I
attended the Open Day, I got a great feeling
about the campus; the lecturers were so
knowledgeable and approachable.”
The most interesting part of the
course for Gillian was Integrated Marketing
Communications module, due in part to, “The
high quality of the lecturers and the case
study materials that we were given with real
life marketing examples to better understand
the practical principles of marketing.”
Between years two and three of Gillian’s
course, she undertook a one-year work
placement at Lactalis McLelland, a cheese
manufacturing company.
Gillian played a key role in the
development of all four of the cheddar
brands: Seriously Strong, Galloway, Orkney,
and McLelland Mature, and provided daily
support to the Brand Managers and the
National Account Managers.
My placement
has been invaluable
and definitely
helped me to get
a good job. The first
thing interviewers
ask is: “Do you have
any relevant work
experience?” “It was a very worthwhile experience,
but a difficult decision to make at the time.
Choosing a placement meant that my degree
would take a year longer, and I would have to
make new friends when I returned to study.”
says Gillian.
Despite knowing that a one-year
placement and a summer placement would
be worthwhile in the long run, Gillian admits
she still had some reservations. “I was
enjoying being a student, and I was worried
about going into the big bad world. I had met
a great group of friends at university and was
reluctant to leave them behind.”
Happily she has no regrets, and
she graduated in 2010 with a BA (Hons)
International Marketing with First Class
Honours. She and her friends kept in
touch and met up regularly throughout the
placement year, while lecturers and staff in
the Careers Service offered her advice
and reassurance.
“My placement has been invaluable
and definitely helped me to get a good
job. The first thing interviewers ask is: “Do
you have any relevant work experience?’’
says Gillian. During her placement, Gillian
was responsible for organising exhibitions
and trade shows, co-ordinating in-store
sampling campaigns, and website content
management. “Other tasks I was involved
in were market research and new product
development, including the launch of
Seriously Strong Spreadable cheese,
analysing and evaluating marketing activities,
and developing new packaging and
promotional materials.”
Gillian also feels she gained strong project
management skills from her experience
of planning and executing exhibitions
and tradeshows that Lactalis McLelland
participated in, such as The BBC Good Food
Show and The Royal Highland Show. “I also
developed excellent time management
skills from co-ordinating in-store sampling
campaigns for two new product launches
nationwide in over 100 stores.” says Gillian.
Her placement also enabled Gillian to
experience working in a real-life marketing
environment. Overall, she says, “It confirmed
that the fast-paced and dynamic nature of
marketing was for me. It also helped to
improve my understanding of marketing and
my grades improved, when I returned to
university to complete my degree.”
Highly successful Scottish food brand
Baxters has over 1,000 staff, based in
Fochabers, near Elgin, in north-east Scotland,
and in their Glasgow Office.
Gillian describes what attracted her to her
current position with the company, based at
the Glasgow office.
“What particularly appealed to me was
Baxters’ heritage and established reputation
for premium food. I got a good feel from
the company website; it was obvious that
they were passionate about what they
do. I thought I would fit in well, and the
opportunity to work with various business
functions appealed to me. Learning about
their growth development plans for the
future was also exciting.”
Now having been at Baxters for just
over a year, Gillian says she really enjoys the
variety involved in managing the branding
of so many different products, which she
describes as being, “...always new and never
boring; you’re always learning and gaining
more experience all the time.”
Gillian’s career aspirations have also
been influenced by her time at university;
she sees her long-term plans involving the
possibility of going into lecturing. However,
she’s quick to maintain that some of the best
lecturers she had were the ones that had indepth industry experience in their field.
“I want to build up my own experience
in my present marketing career, to ensure I
would be an experienced lecturer, who can
bring course material to life with real-life
marketing examples.”
Meanwhile, she sees her future work as
being firmly ensconced within the Baxters
brand. “I’ve got the opportunity to grow
within a well-established company, and I’m
very happy where I am.”
When she’s not working, Gillian likes to
relax in the evenings by cooking, reading
or watching TV. At weekends, Gillian enjoys
eating out, going to the cinema and walking
the dog. “I love walking my Cairn Terrier
Archie along the sand at Ayr Beach.”
Her advice to other students is to get as
much practical experience as possible saying,
“It will really make you stand out from the
crowd and help you to secure a graduate
job. Don’t be scared of challenging yourself
by getting involved in new experiences and
opportunities.” And, Gillian notes that staying
connected helps to keep you in the loop.
“The UWS LinkedIn Alumni Group is a
great way to build your professional network,
which could prove invaluable in the future.”
If you haven’t already, improve
your future employability by joining
the UWS Linkedin Alumni Group at:
www.linkedin.com and keep connected
to us on Facebook www.facebook.com/
UWSAlumniNetwork
UWS Alumni Magazine / INSPIRING ALUMNI / 19
UNIVERSITY PROFILE
UNIVERSITY PROFILE
Totally INTO MUSIC
Stacey Hunter speaks to Jim Prime on his dual career as Lecturer
on the University’s Commercial Music course, and keyboard player
with Scottish rockers Deacon Blue. Photography Tim Morozzo
J
im Prime, best known as the keyboard
player in Scottish rock band Deacon Blue,
is also a Lecturer on the highly acclaimed
UWS Commercial Music course, now
in its eleventh year. His wide-ranging
musical career has brought incredible insights
into his role as a Lecturer, and WEST travelled
to Ayr Campus to meet up with Jim and find
out more.
Originally born in Kilmarnock, Jim was
raised in the Glasgow suburb of Newton
Mearns. He first showed promise as a
musician, aged just seven, when he began
playing the piano, though, in those days, he
says, “My feet couldn’t even reach the pedals”.
Jim describes growing up in a musical
family, where his sisters played piano
“much better than me!”, and his Canadian
father was a jazz aficionado. “He loved Glen
Miller and Benny Goodman.” His mother,
a physiotherapist, was highly influential
to Jim’s musical education; he played her
Reader’s Digest box of classical music nonstop and developed an ability to listen to
music and play it immediately by ear.
“By the time I realised that I could play
by ear, and had the curse of perfect pitch, I
was hooked on keyboards. My mum used me
as the entertainer, whenever anyone came
round, which was highly embarrassing.”
Bill Ritchie was the Music Teacher at
Jim’s high school, Glasgow Academy. “He
played church organ at Glasgow Cathedral.
He really pushed me into forming a band,
rehearsing and also getting involved in all the
school shows and plays.”
After high school, a stint working at the
Cumbernauld Unemployed Youth Theatre
Association proved pivotal for Jim. Alongside
the theatre’s Musical Director John Baraldi,
the association formed the On Yer Bike
Theatre Company, leading to the successful
revue B’roo-ing. “John Baraldi, is the second
most influential person in my life. Nearly all
of those kids went on to college and got
their degrees, and it’s one of the things I’ve
done that I’m most proud of.”
Jim went on to attend Paisley College of
Technology (now UWS) to study Politics and
Social Sciences, however he left to tour with
legendary British songwriter and guitarist
John Martyn. “I was in a band and the guitar
player, Alan Thomson, switched to bass in
order to get the John Martyn gig. Alan tried
to convince me to ditch college and join
him. I was terrified, but followed blindly not
realising that when John offered me a world
tour and an album he was extremely drunk.
It all turned out well in the end, though I
couldn’t have joined his band full time; it was
20 / UNIVERSITY PROFILE / UWS Alumni Magazine
too stressful, he was a handful and I was
only twenty.”
Next up was a coast-to-coast tour of
the US with Scottish band Altered Images.
The opportunity was brought about by
serendipity says Jim. “I was in the right place
at the right time, working in a well-known
pub The Granary, in Shawlands, in Glasgow
when Rab Andrews, the owner of the local
studio Park Lane (who co-managed bands
like Texas, Gun and Hipsway) put me forward
for the job.”
Andrews knew that Ricky Ross was
desperately seeking a keyboard player for a
rapidly disintegrating unsigned band named
Deacon Blue. “All that remained was a very
young Dougie Vipond (aged seventeen) and
Ricky, plus a few guest players. I joined and
we had only played about six gigs, when
we were offered a deal with CBS/Columbia,
which went on to become Sony Music.” Jim
describes how the band were signed up to
their first record deal in 1985, underneath the
historic Finnieston Crane on the river Clyde
in Glasgow, and drove away in a Cadillac
to record ‘Raintown’ at George Martin’s
AIR studios, in London. Jim describes
the moment that, whilst playing a classic
Bösendorfer piano and looking out at the
Christmas bustle, “Through the headphones
a voice said: ‘That’s the piano that Stevie
Wonder wrote ‘Superstition’ on.”
Despite the magical experiences the band
were nearly dropped by their record label
“We didn’t have a successful single”, shrugs
Jim. Conscious of the need for a hit, the band
played a gig in Glasgow University’s Queen
Margaret Students’ Union, with a band called
Lone Justice, featuring Maria McKee. “She
was extraordinary and inspiring; Ricky and
I both stood rapt in that audience and went
home that night to write ‘Real Gone Kid’ and
‘Love’s Great Fears’ respectively.”
Deacon Blue were selling out venues
everywhere, but a hit was still elusive,
until suddenly the news came through
that the band were finally in the Top Ten
Singles Chart. Deacon Blue were held off
the number one slot for three weeks sitting
at number two, with ‘I’ll Never Fall in Love
Again’. They later knocked Madonna’s ‘Like
a Prayer’ off the number one spot with their
second album, ‘When The World Knows Your
Name’, in 1989.
Nowadays, Jim finds balancing working
in the music industry with teaching at
UWS straightforward, and clearly feels an
affinity with his students saying, “I see my
musical career as real-life practice research
to help me teach. And I truly know what my
students feel like because music is simply in
their blood.”
The course came about when a project
championed by Benny Gallagher, one half
of the legendary Scottish duo Gallagher &
Lyle, was picked up by the University of
Paisley (now UWS). UWS colleague “Allan
Dumbreck, was approached to write ideas
for the project, and I assisted him over the
summer of 2001. The University’s Media
Department was formed, and they offered
me a full-time job. The staff were so friendly
in Ayr, and I loved the atmosphere.”
UWS is one of only two academic
institutions (the other being the Liverpool
Institute of Performing Arts) affiliated
with the British Academy of Songwriters,
Composers and Artists, who present the Ivor
Novello Awards, in the UK. Jim describes
how his students are “immersed in the
industry from day one”, and are taught by a
team of music industry professionals.
Jim has taken his own considerable
experience of the industry and applied it
to new research aimed at exploring the
effects on mental health that the stresses
and strains of musicianship can put you
under. “I believe we should look at coping
strategies for managing the stress of touring
and performing.” Interested in the gap in
provision for mental health support for
musicians, Jim is developing a paper that
focuses on competency-based training to
educate young musicians to cope with this.
Deacon Blue released their current
album ‘The Hipsters’ in 2012, to much critical
acclaim, and the band performed at this
year’s T in the Park, Scotland’s biggest open
air music festival at Balerno, in Fife.
“For someone my age to hear 50,000
people singing along to your songs is
just incredible, and to have my son Oscar
watching from the side of the stage as the
whole park surrounded us was just the icing
on the cake.”
“At the festival, I was taken with the
amount of our ex-students working in the
industry, including Lori Duncan, our first-ever
graduate and now a Senior Researcher for
the BBC’s, ‘Later with Jools Holland’.” And,
he says, UWS is very keen to reconnect with
all of its former students, “The message
is: get in touch with me, if I can’t find you
because your contact details are out of date,
I can’t connect you to industry insiders who
want to give you work!”
Update your contact details at
www.uws.ac.uk/alumni
Jim’s son Lawrie (26) lives in London and
writes songs for bands like One Direction,
while his sister Madison (24) is working in
Thailand. Jim calls Oscar, his 13 year-old
son, “My dearest friend. We go on holidays
together and we love the TV programme,
‘Horrible Histories.’”
To relax he enjoys growing his own
vegetables and enjoys gardening, “It’s the
new rock ‘n roll” he jokes. “I have always
been totally committed to music. I really
enjoy the band, but I’m equally dedicated to
using my experience to educate Scotland’s
up and coming talent to establish their own
successful careers in the music industry.”
I really enjoy the band,
but I’m equally dedicated
to using my experience to
educate Scotland’s up and
coming talent...
Deacon Blue’s ‘The Hipsters’ Tour
culminates in a special Christmas gig
at the SSE Hydro, Glasgow’s newest
arena. For a chance to win tickets,
answer the following question:
Which artist held Deacon Blue off the
number one spot in 1990? Their single
‘I’ll Never Fall in Love Again’ stayed at
number two for three weeks.
The winner will receive 4 tickets
to the gig, which takes place on
20th December 2013, bringing the
curtain down on Deacon Blue’s 25th
anniversary tour celebrations. Two
runners-up will receive a signed copy
of ‘The Hipsters’ limited edition 180g
Yellow Vinyl LP, which includes an
exclusive download card with bonus
tracks and mixes.
To enter the Deacon Blue competition,
see details on the Contact Detail
Sheet provided with this magazine.
Closing date 5pm Monday
9th December 2013.
UWS Alumni Magazine / UNIVERSITY PROFILE / 21
INSPIRING ALUMNI
FEATURE ARTICLE
On the
FAST TRACK
Ashley Lennon speaks to Community Mental Health Nurse,
Gillian Coupland, about her studies, career, and what it’s like
to be chosen for ‘The Fast Track’. Words Ashley Lennon | Photography Helen Cassidy
Gillian Coupland has always been interested
in what makes people tick. Even as a new
mother, on maternity leave with her son
Jack (now 17), she spent her evenings
studying for a distance learning Diploma in
Child Psychology.
However, it was the prospect of
redundancy after nineteen years working
with the Post Office that inspired Gill to
return to study in 2007.
Six years on, not only has Gillian
graduated from the University’s Dumfries
Campus with a Distinction in BSc Mental
Health Nursing, and class prizes for being
an outstanding student, she has also been
selected for a fast-track NHS programme
designed to train leaders of the future.
Now back studying for a Masters at
UWS, Gillian, juggles her demanding course
with her full-time job as a Community Mental
Health Nurse, supporting older people across
the Dumfries area. And Gillian credits her
undergraduate degree with providing not just
the theoretical background that she needs
to do her job, but many of the practical skills
too. Indeed, Gillian’s first two jobs came
directly as a result of the placements she
undertook whilst a UWS student.
Gillian says, “The degree course was
a 50:50 split between classroom learning
and community placements, which gave
me loads of experience. Training to become
a Mental Health Nurse can be daunting,
and the first time I visited a nursing home
it was a real eye-opener. But because I did
placements at University, as well as nursing
shifts, by the time it came to my first real job
I was very familiar with it.”
After graduating, Gillian’s first job was at
Crichton Hospital, Dumfries, in a busy, Acute
Mental Health Ward. This was followed by a
job in Nithview Day Hospital, caring for older
people with mental health issues, where she
stayed till the hospital closed in 2011. Now
Gillian works as a Community Mental Health
Nurse, in the Older Adults Team. “Mental
health can be misunderstood and there are a
lot of myths around it,” she says, “but many
people simply need some support. I find
initial assessments really interesting and I
22 / INSPRING ALUMNI / UWS Alumni Magazine
enjoy building up trust with people over a
period of time. To see people getting better
and being able to move on with their lives is
so rewarding.”
Recently, Gillian has been seconded to a
Band Six role, where she will take on more
supervisory responsibilities and facilitate
initial assessments for people coming into
the service. She says that it’s all happened
quicker than she could have imagined.
“When I graduated,” she says, “I thought I’d
start in a ward and then work up to being a
Band Six Nurse in the community, but within
just a couple years, to my great surprise, I’ve
already achieved that!”
Having graduated with Distinction and
the final year class prizes for Outstanding
Achievement in both Practice and Theory,
Gillian had shown plenty of flair whilst at
UWS. So when lecturer Lisa McNay urged
Gillian to apply for the Early Years Clinical
Fellowship, run by NHS Education Scotland,
she decided to give it a shot. This programme,
open to all Nurses and Midwives in the first
three years of their career, is focused on
identifying and developing NHS leaders of the
future. As well as a range of masterclasses
and development opportunities, the
programme also funds Masters courses for
successful applicants.
And, after two days of gruelling
psychometric tests, exams and formal
interviews, Gillian was delighted to beat
hundreds of applicants to gain one of only
twenty places in Scotland. Now, as part of
the programme, she’s back studying with
UWS doing a Masters in Dementia Care.
Who knows what the future will hold for
Gillian? If her track record’s anything to go by
it’ll be a bright one.
FACE TIME
Smartphones are so smart they’ve taken over the world.
Who’s really in charge — you or your phone? Words Gary Marshall
It turns out that faces don’t just exist in
carefully composed selfies. They’re real, threedimensional things on the front of people’s
heads that you can talk to when you’re not
reading something on your smartphone.
I’m no Luddite — if you want my iPhone
you’ll, er, probably find it quite easy to grab
from my RSI-weakened hands — but I think,
that in addition to their many joys, mobile
devices have also made some things worse.
If you’ve ever had your view of a gig blocked
by an iPad you’ll know exactly what I mean.
If the only negatives were the odd idiot
blocking your view then it wouldn’t be so
bad, but unfortunately there’s more to it.
Smartphones have made us more selfish,
more ignorant and considerably —
stop checking Twitter I’m still talking —
more distracted.
We’ve all seen the couples who walk into
the pub, pull out their phones and spend the
next hour ignoring one another. We’ve all been
bumped into on Sauchiehall Street by people
who aren’t watching where they’re going
because they’re studying their Samsung.
We’ve all been annoyed during a night out
by someone checking us in to Facebook or
worse, uploading an unflattering photo.
And we’ve all considered sellotaping an
iPhone to the centre of our faces so that
people will pay more attention to us at parties.
Oh. Apparently that last one’s just me.
What worries me is that sometimes,
it seems that we’re so involved with our
screens that we see real people as poor
relations. I was at an event recently, an
intimate songwriting masterclass, and on
three separate occasions ringing phones
ruined magical moments — because
of course, all phone calls are the most
important thing ever and if the call goes to
voicemail everybody you know will die.
You see it in shops too, people
completely blanking shop assistants at the
checkout because — OMG she said and I
know and he said and I know! I know! It’s
horrible, insulting and demeaning, and the
only time it’s acceptable is when the person
is a bomb disposal expert and the caller is
trying to save New York from catastrophe.
You see it on buses, everybody studying
their screens because the alternative is —
OMG a stranger totally asked me if the next
stop is the right one, how can I ever show
my face in public again?
And you see it in cars, because if there’s
one time to check Twitter, it’s when you’re
driving a two-ton killing machine at seventy
miles per hour.
Our devices have created a paradox:
they’ve made the world smaller than ever
before, enabling us to communicate as easily
with people in Frankfurt or Fukuoka as with
people in Falkirk. But they’ve also increased
the distance between us, making it easier
to ignore, demean or even hurt the people
we’re close to.
I worry that we’ve entered into a
dysfunctional relationship. We built these
things to communicate better, to make the
world more fun, but increasingly it seems
that they’re the masters of us: if aliens
were to invade tomorrow, they’d probably
conclude that these shiny rectangles were
the dominant life form and that humans
were their oddly-shaped and rather dim
transporters. Why else would we ignore our
fellow beings, but respond instantly to the
slightest buzz, click or chirp of our mobiles?
We built these things as tools, devices
to bring us together, but all too often
we use them to keep our distance from
everybody else. I think we’re in danger of
forgetting something important, and that
something is us.
Freelance technology journalist Gary
Marshall is a regular contributor to BBC
Radio Scotland, Techradar.com and
MacFormat. He’s been writing about
technology since 1998.
UWS Alumni Magazine / FEATURE ARTICLE / 23
3.75M
£
93%
OVERALL STUDENT
SATISFACTION
WITH PG COURSE +
ACADEMIC INVESTMENT
CAMPUS INVESTMENT
POSTGRADUATE STUDY AT UWS.
A SERIOUS INVESTMENT
IN YOUR CAREER.
• BUSINESS
• COMPUTING
(inc. fully-funded^ scholarships on our
new MSc Mobile Web Development course)
• CREATIVE
INDUSTRIES
• EDUCATION
• ENGINEERING
• HEALTH
• SCIENCE
• SOCIAL SCIENCES
• SPORT
^ conditions apply - see www.uws.ac.uk/mobilewebdev
WWW.UWS.AC.UK
SUCCESS TAKES KNOW HOW. TOGETHER WE’VE GOT IT.
FOR MORE INFO GO TO:
WWW.UWS.AC.UK/PG2014 OR CALL
0800 027 1000 (44 141 849 4101 OUTWITH UK)
OR EMAIL [email protected]
UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND IS A REGISTERED SCOTTISH CHARITY. CHARITY NUMBER SC002520.
FULL AND PART-TIME COURSES
START JANUARY 2014