MexSocUK Newsletter
Autumn 2020
MexSocUK Newsletter
Autumn 2020
First edition
Publication date
27th October 2020
Editors
Irasema Guzmán
Brian Isaac
Contact
sociedad@mexsoc.org.uk
Editorial Message
We hope this message finds you well, as these are truly challenging times.
The Society of Mexican Students in the United Kingdom would like to communicate that the Executive Committee is launching a newsletter to raise awareness upon the activities, research, and achievements of Mexican students in the UK. The main goal of this newsletter is to share information about joint Mexican and British student endeavours, such as but not limited to, scientific, cultural and business activities.
Mexican talent is contributing all over the UK to tackle challenging questions in science, development, and cultural matters in the interest of both countries. We want to convey how meaningful and relevant the contributions of Mexican students are to Mexico, the UK, and the progress of science overall.
This newsletter shall be released every three months. Therefore, we will encourage our members and external collaborators to bring forth content for each edition. Do not worry if your contribution is not yet ready to be published as of today. There will always be another edition. Moreover, we would like to point out that although English is the preferred language for this newsletter, Spanish content could certainly be adapted.
We also offer advertisement save for any sponsor or organisation that is interested in engaging with Mexican students.
MexSocUK will always act on the behalf of every Mexican student in the UK, as that is the very reason for our existence. If you find yourself in any difficulty, please, do not hesitate to contact us directly or through the Mexican society of your university.
Kind Regards
Raúl Zepeda | Óscar Lazo |
Diego Vidal | Brian Isaac |
Irasema Guzmán | Jorge Llamas |
MEXSOCUK ADVISORY BOARD 2020-2021
MSc Omar Sáenz Herrera
Red Global MX United Kingdom, President
Dr Ana Elena González Treviño
Centro de Estudios Mexicanos UNAM-Reino Unido, Director
Prof Elena Rodríguez Falcón
New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering, CEO
Prof Alejandro Madrigal
Professor at UCL Americas
Eduardo Estala Rojas
Mexican Cultural Centre, Director
Mexican embassy in the uk
Message to the student community from Ambassador Aureny Aguirre, Chargé d'Affaires of Mexico in the United Kingdom
It is with great pleasure and satisfaction that I greet all of you in this first edition of the newsletter produced by the student community and the Mexican Student Society in the United Kingdom, MexSoc UK.
As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a deep rethinking about how we relate and interact with each other at the local, national and global level. In the unprecedented context in which we find ourselves, it is essential to strengthen and expand the communication channels within our communities in order to join forces and stay connected.
Therefore, I welcome the initiative of MexSoc UK to establish this valuable tool that will undoubtedly contribute to the efforts that both the Embassy and the broader Mexican community are making to amplify the presence of our country in the United Kingdom.
Today more than ever, cooperation, science and innovation play a central role in facing present and future challenges. Mexico and the United Kingdom are working hard to identify therapeutic and clinical treatments for the COVID-19 pandemic and our country is a strategic partner for the global application of the vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and the British pharmaceutical industry.
I am convinced that the links between the two countries will continue to consolidate through our academic exchanges and contribute to strengthen the higher education and research centres that have made Mexico and the United Kingdom important destinations for study and partners in science and development.
I take this opportunity to welcome all fellow Mexicans who are starting their studies; I invite you to remain in contact with the Embassy and keep up to date on our extensive program of cultural, educational, community, economic and tourist promotion activities. Each one of you also represent Mexico; in turn, when you return to the country you will bring along your acquired knowledge and experience, and also the commitment to live up to the efforts put forward by both societies to prepare you to lead a better world.
I am sure that the newsletter will become a privileged platform for dialogue and mutual understanding. As I conclude, I would like to express my sincere congratulations. Best of luck and much success!
Aureny Aguirre
Ambassador I Charge d’Affaires of Mexico in the United Kingdom
Message from the Head of Education and Cooperation of the Embassy of Mexico in the United Kingdom, Rodrigo Meléndrez
The Society of Mexican Students in the United Kingdom, MexSoc, plays an important role in representing the interests of the student community and linking it, in turn, with higher education institutions and their authorities, both in the United Kingdom and in Mexico.
For this reason, we celebrate that, in its new stage, MexSoc has committed itself to contribute to further strengthen the ties that unite Mexican students in the United Kingdom through the launch of this newsletter.
The challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic invite us all to address its effects on multiple fronts, including education, in innovative and constructive ways.
Throughout the 2020-2021 school year, the Education and Cooperation Section of the Mexican Embassy will continue to work jointly with MexSoc to promote collaborations between British and Mexican institutions and identify opportunities for the benefit of Mexican students in the United Kingdom.
Please continue to stay connected through the email rmelendrez@sre.gob.mx and visit our website and social networks to keep up to date on our upcoming activities.
Rodrigo Meléndrez
Head of Education and Cooperation I Embassy of Mexico in the United Kingdom
Resources for the Mexican community
- Quick guide “Travel to the United Kingdom”. It offers information on consular assistance and protection, immigration requirements, as well as general and travel recommendations: https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/reinounido/images/stories/pdf/viajeseguroalru.pdf
- Registration System for Mexicans Abroad (SIRME). This tool is part of the efforts to make consular assistance and protection more efficient and effective for all Mexicans abroad, if required, regardless of their immigration status: https://sirme.sre.gob.mx/
- Guide for Mexican students living in London 10×10. This pocket guide is divided into 10 categories and within each category you can find the top 10 places in the city: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U4Zq12Vc1Tvh8pGCwFx2AKT3goSq2MrL/view
- Guide for the Mexican Traveler of the Ministry of Foreign Relations. It provides recommendations, travel alerts for different international destinations and contact information of Mexican Embassies and Consulates around the world: https://guiadelviajero.sre.gob.mx/
- Mental Health Window. It provides links to mental health sites of the National Health Services (NHS), institution responsible for providing health services in the United Kingdom, as well as counsellors of Mexican origin who collaborate voluntarily with this initiative (with limited free sessions). Queries to: consulmexuk@sre.gob.mx
Website and social network accounts of the Embassy of Mexico in the United Kingdom and its Consular Section
- Embassy https://embamex.sre.gob.mx/reinounido/index.php/es/
- Consular Section https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/reinounido/index.php/es/
- Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Embamexru/
- Twitter: Embassy @Embamexru https://twitter.com/Embamexru I Consular Section @ConsulMexGbr https://twitter.com/ConsulMexGbr
(ES) Festival Digital del Día de Muertos
La Embajada de México en Reino Unido te invita al Festival Digital del Día de Muertos
Consulta las bases para el concurso de altares en el siguiente enlace.
Mexsocuk news
¡Regístrate en MexSocUK!
Si eres estudiante mexicano en el Reino Unido, responde el siguiente formulario para conocerte y estar en contacto contigo.
Mexican societies
In this edition, we would like to introduce to the Mexican Societies members of MexSocUK. As for this edition, there are 18 member societies, and we are helping to form a new Mexican society in Warwick. The posts shown in this Newsletter are all submitted by the societies, so if you want more information feel free to contact them.
Mexican society, university of aberdeen
President
Edwin Iván Avella Fernández
Contact
uoamexsoc@gmail.com
Social Media
We are a group of Mexican students eager to share and spread our Mexican culture and traditions.
Our society aims to:
– Promote cooperation among the students belonging to the University of Aberdeen.
– Promote science, culture and Mexican traditions through events like conferences, symposiums and sports events.
– Be a link between the University of Aberdeen and their Mexican Students for academic and professional purposes
– Be a support and guidance for University of Aberdeen students during their stay in Aberdeen and the United Kingdom.
The society intends to organize the following events:
– Symposiums / Conferences
– Cultural events:
– Cinco de mayo – May 5th
– Mexican Independence – Sept 15th
– Dia de muertos (Day of the dead) – Nov 2nd
– Mexican posadas – December
– Trips to nearby areas within the UK related to professional areas and more
– Networking events
– Newcomers welcome event (guiding and helping new students cope faster and easier)
– Spanish classes
Mexican Culture Society, university of Bristol
President
Abel Pacheco Ortega
Contact
mexican.culture.society@gmail.com
Social Media
The Mexican Culture Society (MexSoc) of the University of Bristol aims to:
– Involve the University of Bristol student community with Mexican traditions via cultural events.
– Strengthen the integration of the Mexican community of the University of Bristol via social events.
– Promote the Mexican culture, history, art, literature and scientific research within the University of Bristol student community.
Before COVID, we ran activities during both teaching blocks with emphasis on relevant dates for Mexican history and traditions. Among those activities we hosted:
– Karaoke nights at the Balloon Bar
– Kermés Mexicana
– The Mexican Day of the Dead
– Posada (Mexican Party for Christmas!)
– Film nights
– Spanish Conversation Clubs
Currently, we are working on delivering content and organising more virtual activities that could be of interest for the student community and beyond! Whether you’re interested in culture, history, traditions, food, or even just meet up with the members of the society, we’re making efforts on bringing this to you in a safe yet enjoyable way!
Mexican Society, cambridge university
President
Gustavo Santa Rosa Garcia
Contact
cumexsoc022@gmail.com
Social Media
The aim of this society is to promote the Mexican culture in the University of Cambridge. We organise many activities along the academic year, consisting primarily of academic, cultural, and socially-engaged events, as well as regular social gatherings, i.e. nice parties!
We also provide a mean of contact with different Mexican institutions, such as the Embassy, especially regarding academic affairs.
The society is open to any person, members and non members of the University of Cambridge, Mexican or not.
durham mexican society
President
Brian Kostadinov Shalon Isaac Medina
Contact
mexican.society@durham.ac.uk
Social Media
The Durham Mexican Society is a place to learn/share/celebrate our vibrant culture and traditions, gathering Mexican students and researchers within the University as well as international people who are passionate about Mexico. As Mexicans, we are known for being approachable, charismatic and fun people, and we treat everyone as family. We want to share that here in Durham, encouraging people to get involved in our activities. Besides the social aspect, we will provide an academic network with the Mexican students, researchers, and people who are working or are interested in studying our culture and traditions.
We want this society to be a link between Mexico/Mexican prospective students and Durham University. We aim to promote Mexican culture in the University and people living in Durham City, enabling the Mexican society to be a point of information for everyone interested in our country.
Our most important aims for Mexican students are:
– To provide information on grants and scholarships available for current students at Durham University.
– To promote the research of Mexican students as well as research about Mexico.
– To strengthen academic links with Durham alumni in Mexico.
UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH MEXICAN SOCIETY
President
Alejandra Schiavon
Contact
mex.soc.edin@gmail.com
Social Media
The Mexican society stands as an integration space where everyone interested in the Mexican culture, by birth or by heart, can experience in firsthand the real Mexican essence. We celebrate as a group the main Mexican festivities during the academic year, including the Independence Day, Day of the Dead, Christmas and Dia de la Candelaria. The Mexican society also provides a support base for all Mexican students and non-students living in Edinburgh and promotes collaboration between people doing research in topics related with Mexico by organizing yearly academic events and partnership with other societies.
Although most of our members are of Mexican origin, we welcome anybody interested in the Mexican culture to come and get involved, as we can learn a lot from each other having a great time in the process.
mexican society, university of glasgow
President
Atenea Berumen
Contact
mexicansociety.glasgow@gmail.com
Social Media
The Mexican Society of the University of Glasgow is founded to provide an official representation of the Mexican Students at the University of Glasgow, to guide new students at their arrival to the University, and to promote Mexican culture in Scotland through a variety of events such as our traditional Day of the Death party, baking your own rosca de reyes or pan de muerto, or a Mexican game night.
KING'S COLLEGE LONDON MEXICAN SOCIETY
President
Raúl Zepeda Gil
Contact
kclmexicansociety@gmail.com
Social Media
The King’s College London Mexican Society is open to EVERYBODY
interested in Mexican cultural, economic, political and social issues, Spanish language, and other related matters regardless of whether you are Mexican or study at KCL. We are part of the King’s College London Student Union (KCLSU) and affiliated to the Society of Mexican Students in the United Kingdom (MexSocUK).
These are the aims of the KCL Mexican Society:
– Promote Mexican culture and values among the King’s College London (KCL) community.
– Analyse and discuss Mexico’s main political, economic, and social issues.
– Provide Spanish learners with opportunities for practice.
– Provide touristic advice.
– Provide networking opportunities between Mexican students, KCL Mexican Alumni, and all students interested in Mexico.
– Promote KCL in Mexico.
MEXICAN STUDENTS SOCIETY, LEEDS UNIVERSITY
President
Myrna Pérez Milicua
Contact
unimexic@leeds.ac.uk
Social Media
The Mexican Students Society provides a space for expression, support, and integration of Mexican culture in Leeds.
They run piniata workshops, host celebrations for Mexican festivities like Dia de Muertos and Pastorela, provide discussion forums about issues effecting Mexican people and, of course, social events.
mexican society, london school of economics
President
Toño Cárdenas
Contact
mexican@lsesu.org
Social Media
We, the Mexican Society, are a group of individuals who seek to promote the culture and tradition of Mexico, while at the same time celebrating its heritage.
We also aim to raise awareness of Mexican politics, society and culture as well as to bring together all the LSE students interested in Mexico.
We welcome people from every background; anyone who wants to participate and share their ideas or just have a conversation is welcome. Throughout the year we hold events, both academic and social, where we promote Mexico’s heritage and ideas that are relevant in the international panorama.
EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Over the course of the year we host a wide number of events including Day of the Dead celebration, talks with Mexican Public Servants and Academics and the Mexico Week.
Including social events for members to get to know each other, and others interested in Mexico from other London and UK universities, including the UK Mexican Society (all Student Mexican Societies). The Mexican Society welcomes everyone!
Manchester Mexican Society
Vice-president
Noel Natera
Social Media
The Manchester Mexican Society (MMxS) was established on June 8th, 1995, and we are celebrating our 23nd anniversary.
The aims of the Manchester Mexican Society are:
– To share and promote our passion for Mexican traditions, customs and culture.
– To provide support for all Mexicans living in the Greater Manchester area, organising regular gatherings and events.
– To create and develop friendly links between Mexican, British and other foreign students, in an environment based on mutual respect for different cultures and customs.
We organize events for the Mexican and Mexican-loving community in Manchester.
mexican society, university of nottingham
President
Jorge Llamas Orozco
Contact
mexsocuon@gmail.com
Social Media
The Mexican Society is looking forward to welcoming you!
The Mexican Society is a group of friends (nationals and internationals alike) with a common Mexican passion for culture, traditions, language, food and leisure. Gathered together as one of the most compelling societies from the University of Nottingham Students’ Union, our mission is to make our best effort to deliver our members a proper Mexican student experience.
Oxford Mexican Society
President
Moshe Ben Hamo
Social Media
If you are a student or a professional living in Oxford with an interest in Mexican science and culture or if you are just thinking to apply, you are in the right place!
Our aim as a society is to promote Mexican scientific development and culture by organising academic, cultural and social events in the city of Oxford, UK. We also provide informal advice on a number of matters relevant to prospective Mexican students interested in studying at the University of Oxford.
For over 8 years, we have been the official point of contact for all Mexican maters in Oxford, as well as one of the University’s most active international societies. This has been possible thanks to the effort of many Mexican students that have studied at Oxford, where we endeavour to create a welcoming environment for our community.
We know that crossing the pond can be overwhelming, but there’s no reason to face it alone! Whether you need advice on how to find a room to stay, or simply want to reach out to our friendly community, don’t be afraid to get in touch.
SOME INTERESTING FACTS:
– The University of Oxford has been named the best university in the world for four consecutive times by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings [2017, 2018, 2019, 2020].
– On average, there are about 60 Mexican students enrolled at the University every year. Most of us are pursuing graduate studies, roughly halved between one-year Masters and research degrees.
– About 25 new Mexican students come to Oxford every year. Many contact us prior to their arrival, and others do upon getting here!
Latin American Society, University of Sheffield
President
Luciana Verduga
Contact
latamsoc@sheffield.ac.uk
Social Media
The Latin American Society (LatAm Soc) has a large tradition of bringing together people from different backgrounds who are interested in the Latin-American culture.
Our aim is to provide a mean of socio-cultural integration through diverse academic and social activities as well as to represent the Latin-American community before the University of Sheffield.
We regularly hold diverse activities such as our “Conversation Group”, “Social Club” and “Folk and Dance group”. Other events include our annual MiniOlympics, BBQ party, the Latin-American Independence celebrations, the Day of the Dead, the Mexican Posada, film nights and many more!
We look forward to you becoming part of the LatAm Society! For more information please check out our website and don’t hesitate to contact us.
Mexican Society, University of Southampton
President
Erick Montes de Oca Valle
Contact
mexsoc@soton.ac.uk
Social Media
The Mexican Society of Southampton has three main aims: the first one is to promote Mexico, its culture and traditions; secondly to create and develop friendly links between Mexican, British and foreign students, based on mutual respect of their cultures and customs; and thirdly to provide support for all Mexican students at the University of Southampton.
This society was created to show the culture of the Mexican people, its diversity, its food, its films, its literature, its music, … with the University of Southampton community. This is a very united group of friendly people that like to share our customs and traditions with everyone. We organise several events throughout the year, such as monthly socials, massive parties, cultural events, typical Mexican food tasting, and much more!
Mexican Society at University of Sussex
President
Irasema Guzmán
Contact
mexsus@societies.sussexstudent.com
Social Media
MEXSUS aims to represent and promote the identity, culture and legacy of Mexico in Sussex University community; to promote academic events on regional and national issues and to discuss relevant topics related to the Mexican agenda. We also aim to generate an effective network among upcoming students, current students and Alumni to guide each other, before or after their studies.
So, if you’re interested, don’t forget to check out/join our Facebook page as well; don’t miss out any of our events!
Mexican Society, University College London
President
José Luis Hernández
Contact
su-mexican.society@ucl.ac.uk
Social Media
¡Hola! People from all over the world are welcome in this effort to share Mexican culture. Throughout the year we organise activities to celebrate our traditions, such as Día de Muertos, a Posada, discussions about current Mexican issues, conferences with scholars who study Mexico, networking events and parties with Mexican music.
Latin American Society, University of York
President
Eduardo Solis Meza
Contact
latinamericansociety@yusu.org
Social Media
We are a group of students that work together to promote, share and enjoy the Latin American culture and traditions. Everyone aiming to have a good time, along with truly open and friendly people, is more than welcome to be part of the Latin American Society.
We welcome everybody, so we love having people from all over the world. It is not necessary to come from a Latin-American country or to speak Spanish/Portuguese to participate. Apart from meeting people from all over the world and making new friends, becoming a member of the society will allow you to take part in many weekly or annual activities.
We organise Bachata and Salsa lessons, Spanish classes, nights out, Society BBQ, etc, and we participate in cultural and food festivals during the year. Follow our Facebook page and check out our past activities and events.
Get in touch with us!
Mexican societies news and events
mexican society, university of glasgow
previous Events
Living the Day of the Dead in Glasgow
2 November 2019
As a part of the Day of the Dead, the Mexican Society of the University of Glasgow organized a baking workshop so people could learn how to bake their own Pan de Muerto. Pan de Muerto is a butter-based bread with orange blossom and anise scents traditionally baked in Mexico during the weeks leading up to the Día de Muertos, which is celebrated from October 31st to November 2nd. It has a soft flaky brioche-like interior; the crust is thin and golden and many people love the “bones and skull” pieces because they get a little crispy on the outside.
Also, as a part of the celebration, the Mexican Society organized a cultural festival with makeup sessions, traditional folklore dances performed by Grupo Mextli, Mexican traditional games such as “sillas locas”, and live music by the Latin rock band” Los Guacamoles”. The event was a huge success and people in Glasgow were able to experience some of the Mexican culture. Pictures provided by photographer Davy Chung.
Los Guacamoles - marta tiene un marcapasosDay of the Dead marta tiene un marcapasos !
Posted by Los Guacamoles on Friday, 22 November 2019
Oxford Mexican Society
Information for new students
Committee elections for the Oxford Mexican Society 2020-21
Dear all,
Welcome to Oxford!
As the term begins we will start the transition process to a new Committee for the year 2020-21
Running for election
Being in the committee is great fun! You can run for any of the open positions described below. To run for a position please register in this online form with a couple of lines describing your main goal or idea for your position. Register before Friday 30 at 2pm.
Queen Mary Mexican Society
Upcoming Events
Let's Talk About Mexico: Backstage de una Exposición
16 November 2020
We are happy to start our series of talks called ‘Let’s Talk About Mexico’, an opportunity to get to know our country better. Mexico is a diverse country, full of valuable people, works, places and resources to share. Unfortunately, some of these values are little known. The Queen Mary Mexican Society has gathered a group of guest speakers from different backgrounds and places who will share their experience. The variety of subjects includes the speciality coffee bar in Coatepec, Veracruz; world-class museums in Mexico City; dancing festivals in Oaxaca; roundtrips in Baja California Sur; the beauty of Chihuahua and Puerto Vallarta; or the outstanding food in Sinaloa. Join us once a month to discover our great country.
Our next guest speaker will be Liliana Chapina Barbosa on ‘Backstage de una Exposición‘. Her expertise includes design and museography. She will share her experience preparing world-class exhibitions in prestigious museums in Mexico. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn what’s going on behind a display of treasures.
Making 'Pan de Muerto'
One of the most popular traditions in Mexico is celebrating the Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos). This tradition involves a lot of special preparations, such as the altars, crafted paper-works (Papel Picado), and the Bread of the Dead (Pan de Muerto) amongst others. Join to our tutorial on how to bake your own ‘Pan de Muerto’ lead by our expert Ana Paola Inzunza, Queen Mary’s Alumnus (Sustainable Energy Systems MSc).
Mexican Society at University of Sussex
previous Events
Day of the Dead, University of Sussex
2 November 2019
Last year, MEXSUS organised an event at the University of Sussex to present the Mexican ofrenda on the Day of the Dead. This colorful event gathered the Sussex university international and academic community to celebrate this iconic Mexican tradition.
This year, we are planning some surprises. Stay tuned in our social media.
Latin American Society, University of York
Upcoming events
SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH IN MEXICO
4 November 2020, 18:00.
In this presentation, PhD student Luis Beltrán Galindo will share the current state of sexual and reproductive health policies. And his research on this topic as part of his doctoral work.
Mexicans Students in Essex are looking for you!
NEW SOCIETY!
Hello everyone, I’m Ana Laura Velázquez Moreno. I’m currently studying the LLM in International Human Rights Law at the University of Essex. Together with other Mexicans in this university, we are working to have a society of Mexican students. If you are interested in be part of the society please send me an email: av20910@essex.ac.uk
Mexican Students in UK
Association for Project Management 'PM Challenge' Winner
Viridiana Valdez, University of Southampton
Wellbeing in Project Management
On the 20th of February a group of Project Management MSc students from Southampton Business School called Eudaimoina team composed of students: Sitsofe Banini, Nikitas Ntakos and Brandon Dyer-Pallister led by Viridiana Valdez delivered a wellbeing event to academics and professionals from a range of industries. The event was part of the team’s extracurricular engagement with the Association for Project Management (APM) ‘PM Challenge’ which is an opportunity to manage and deliver a project in a real-life scenario. The team was assigned with a mentor, an experienced Project Manager (Jed Gorka) who provided guidance over 5 months with the purpose to enhance the teams career performance.
The challenge of the team was to provide a project plan that identifies smart outputs and benefits to be delivered, associated resources, methodology and key risks within a designated budget provided by APM. The team delivered two reports (progress and final), which demonstrated how it delivered the project outputs and benefits defined in the original project plan using a range of competences. Finally, the competition culminated with an online 10 minutes presentation to the highly experienced project professionals APM judging panel. Eudomonia and Bournemouth, Winchester, Portsmouth and BAE Systems teams adapted to give their online presentation on March 17th with a professional and positive approach to this year’s challenge given the current challenges. Eudaimonia Team was announced as the winner of the competition on March 19th receiving many recognitions from assistants and professionals involved.
The aim of the project was to increase the awareness of wellbeing in the workplace, which led to a high-quality event for local practitioners and academics. Supported by their programme leader of the MSc Project Management, Dr. Ramesh Vahidi who initially promoted this challenge within her students, the team also managed to be sponsored by the Project Management Institute, Association for Project Management (Wessex Branch) and Southampton Business School.
The event was supported voluntarily by 4 seasoned experts who shared their experiences and research with audience about wellbeing as a crucial and meaningful theme in the current industry. Proceedings were chaired by the Head of the Southampton Business School, Professor Martin Broad, who introduced each guest professional along with a background into their relevant research/expertise. After each talk, Professor Martin Broad led a short Q&A session.
The talks covered a multitude of topics:
- ‘Your Brain on stress’ by Zoryna O’Donnell;
- ‘How to refuel your mental wellbeing’ by Dee Burrowes;
- ‘Balance in work life’ by Dr. Mina Beigi;
- ‘Physical wellbeing’ by Andy Haigh.
Project Management Institute supported the team with the incredible participation of Dee Burrowes who displayed her extensive knowledge in how to replenish your brain and engage with the audience by asking the simple question “When was the last time you were happy?”. This question sparked great engagement from the attendees who were surprised by the impact of just taking a couple of minutes to think of their own happiness. The event was a great success offering a networking platform to exchange different perspectives and build relationships that can potentially benefit several industries to start building a workplace culture of healthy high-performance. It received positive feedback from the attendees and the team delivered the project successfully achieving the scope of the project initially proposed to the APM. It triggered an increased interest in wellbeing in academia and industry and since completion of the event the team had been contacted by several academics and professionals asking to organise another wellbeing event.
PhD Bursary Scheme
Enrique de la Rosa, King’s College London
Enrique de la Rosa-Ramos has been awarded a grant of £4,000 by the Economic History Society to support the research project: Inequality, Living Standards and the Gender Gap in Mexico: A Long-Term Perspective.
On the effects of the COVID-19 related economic lockdowns on poverty
Eduardo Ortiz-Juárez, King’s College London
Eduardo Ortiz-Juarez and co-authors, Andy Sumner from King’s College London, and Chris Hoy (Australian National University) published two papers for UNU-WIDER on the effects of the COVID-19 related economic lockdowns on poverty. The first paper, Estimates of the Impact of COVID-19 on Global Poverty, offered a global view of the potential orders of magnitude in the increase in poverty, as measured by different poverty lines, as a result of a range of income contractions; the second paper, Precarity and the Pandemic: COVID-19 and Poverty Incidence, Intensity and Severity in Developing Countries, offered a more detailed view of the previous estimates by disaggregating the estimates at regional and country levels. The first paper was used as input in Oxfam’s Dignity Not Destitution economic rescue plan, and both papers were accompanied by blog pieces for WIDER Angle: Will COVID-19 lead to half a billion more people living in poverty in developing countries?, Global Policy: The end of poverty postponed?, and The Conversation: Global poverty: coronavirus could drive it up for the first time since the 1990s. These papers were cited in close to 90 media pieces including The Guardian, The Huffington Post, The Independent, The New York Times, Reuters, and Slate, and by early October both papers reached 120 academic citations according to Google Scholar. Eduardo was interviewed for The Guardian’s “It’s a tsunami”: pandemic leaves vulnerable Latin America reeling piece.
In a third working paper, Eduardo and his co-author George Gray Molina (Chief Economist at UNDP’s Global Policy Bureau) present estimates, arguments, and challenges for the roll-out of unconditional temporary basic income (TBI) schemes across developing countries as an urgent strategy to stop people falling into poverty or further impoverishing as a result of the pandemic. This paper, Temporary Basic Income: Protecting Poor and Vulnerable People in Developing Countries, was accompanied by a concise policy brief version, a blog post for The Conversation: Coronavirus is pushing people into poverty –but temporary basic income can stop this, and gathered a large international media attention, with over 900 media mentions within the first 24 hours from its release, featuring in top media outlets including Al Jazeera, CNBC, Der Spiegel, Le Monde, and Reuters.
Noise reduction in coherence scanning interferometry for surface topography measurement
Carlos Gómez, University of Nottingham
Abstract
Coherence scanning interferometry is one of the most accurate surface measuring technologies, and it is increasingly applied to challenging surface structures, such as additive manufactured parts and transparent films, directly in environments that
resemble production areas more than metrology labs. Environmental disturbances may further compromise measurement accuracy. Data acquisition strategies to reduce measurement noise in coherence scanning interferometry include averaging a sequence of repeated topography measurements or increasing the sampling frequency of the fringe signal during a single data acquisition—sometimes referred to as oversampling. This research improves the understanding of the mechanisms of the two noise reduction methods and compares their effects on surface topography measurement in the presence of environment-induced vibration. The results provide guidance for good practice in the reduction of uncertainty in surface measurement for a wide range of applications.
Surface-process correlation for an ink-jet printed transparent fluoroplastic
Carlos Gómez, University of Nottingham
Abstract
Ink-jet printing is one of the key technologies in the field of defined polymer deposition. There is currently a lack of knowledge regarding how some fluoropolymers, in this case THV221, can be ink-jet printed. A quantitative analysis of the micro-scale areal surface topography measured with coherence scanning interferometry can advance the understanding of the correlation between the ink-jet printing process and the resulting surface topography. The experimental design covers a variety of ink-jet printed THV221 structures with basic geometric shapes such as dots and films, ranging from a few nanometres to tens of micrometres in height, and from tens of micrometres to a few millimetres in spatial wavelength. Relevant printing parameters, including polymer concentration, drop spacing and number of layers have been selected and varied to produce the samples used for the study. This investigation also provides an insight into how to control and optimise the quality of THV221 printed parts.
Distributed Real-Time Power Management in Microgrids Using Multi-Agent Control with Provisions for Fault-Tolerance
Marcos Eduardo Cruz Victorio, Durham University
Abstract
This paper presents a distributed real-time control scheme based on multi-agent systems for cost optimisation of a micro-grid using real-time dynamic price estimation. The real-time prices are forecast using realistic UK energy price data via a Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm. A backup mechanism for main containers of the agent platform is implemented to improve fault tolerance of the control system, addressing the single point of failure problem at the hardware and software levels. The Multi-Agent system developed in JAVA and run with Raspberry Pi controls a simulated microgrid in an OPAL-RT real-time simulator to test the accuracy of the estimation method, the capacity of the control to realise power management at minimal supply cost, and uninterrupted operation in case of container faults.
Indigenous farming in Mexico and Belize - An interview with Karla G. Hernandez-Aguilar
Karla Hernández-Aguilar, University of Nottingham
Food systems in the Yucatan Peninsula have changed over the last centuries, however maize and milpa have remained present in the livelihoods, culture and local economy of Maya Culture. Traditional Milpa, also known as the “Mesoamerican Triad”, is a shifting agroecological system, in which maize is planted together with beans and squashes in combination with many other crops to provide food security for families. Milpa is cultivated and managed in many ways under a biocultural approach depending on the region, the microclimate, the type of soil and the local knowledge and needs of farmers. One of the biggest challenges that the modern traditional milpa system is facing is climate change, since many farmers plant and harvest under a seasonal rain-fed system. However, variable temperature and rainfall patterns cause droughts or floods that affect milpa’s production threatening local food security. Using a mix-methods approach, this research aims to understand how local-scale farmers in Mexico and Belize build resilience to climate change by exploring the use of knowledge of local micro-environments, traditional planting strategies and different maize varieties to minimise risk to yields in the face of an increasingly variable climate. In this interview Mexican PhD Student Karla G. Hernandez-Aguilar talks about her research which is part of the Palaeobenchmarking Resilient Agricultural Systems project and is funded by the Future Food Beacon at the University of Nottingham.
Hult Prize
Agustín Guerrero Martínez, Queen Mary University of London
The Hult Prize is the most prestigious social entrepreneurship competition and it is a programme backed by the United Nations. Every year 200,000 students from all around the world compete for 1 million dollars pitching their business ideas. A Mexican Student participated in the Stirla Team from the Queen Mary University of London. They made it for the top-6 in the Beirut Regional Summit, presenting a sustainable air conditioning system. Such a result positioned them among the top 0.6% globally! Interestingly, none of the students in this team belongs to Business Management careers, but Engineering, highlighting the value of problem-solving mindset.
The London Mayor's Entrepreneur Competition
Agustín Guerrero Martínez, Queen Mary University of London
London is known as the business capital of the world. Every year 800 teams engage in the Mayor’s Entrepreneur Competition. This year a Mexican student made it for the semi-finals, meaning top 2.5% of participants. His name is Agustin Guerrero-Martinez, awarded scholarships from CONACYT and Her Majesty The Queen under ‘The Mexico-UK Initiative’ for a Sustainable Energy Systems MSc in the Queen Mary University of London. He presented a project for recycling electronic waste to recover noble metals. Innovation is the key to address the overwhelming environmental and social problems before us. Both Q-Incubator and Careers & Enterprise Department at Queen Mary’s supported this project.
(ES) Reino Unido y México contra la brecha salarial de género
Guadalupe Carcaño Estevez, University of Nottingham
En el ensayo se describe la colaboración diplomática que existe entre Reino Unido y México por la búsqueda de erradicación de la brecha salarial, dando mis puntos de vista sobre la causa y describiendo las soluciones que UK propone para México. Leer más.
Information and events
International Seminar of Rainwater Catchment: Perspectives and Reflections from Academia.
Seminar: Red Waterlat-Gobacit
In line with the Thematic Area 3, Urban Cycle and Essential Public Services, of the WATERLAT-GOBACIT Network and as a preliminary activity of its XI International Meeting, the first edition of the International Seminar of Rainwater Catchment is being held once every two weeks from August to December of 2020. This initiative is co-coordinated by Jorge Adrian Ortiz Moreno, PhD student at Sussex University, and supported by the Academic Group on Water, Energy and Climate Change of Universidad de Guanajuato, the Academic Group on Technology and Management for Sustainable Architecture and Urbanism of Universidad de Guadalajara, the Mexican Association of Rainwater Catchment Systems (AMSCALL) and the Mesoamerican and Caribbean Society of Ecological Economics (SMCEE).