The University of Essex Podcast

Andrés Montenegro is studying the work of Francis Alÿs, Santiago Sierra and Tania Bruguera as part of his PhD at the University of Essex and is being supported by the Institute for Studies on Latin American Art (ISLAA) to travel to New York to take part in a discussion on the grotesque at the prestigious 101st Annual Conference of the College Art Association. Find out more about ISLAA's support for work at Essex here: http://bit.ly/essex_islaa

It was, they say now, “something different”, “very exciting” and even “probably the most positive experience of my life”. In the fifth of our 50th Anniversary podcasts, students who came to the new University of Essex in the 1960s and 70s talk about their memories of campus, classes, teachers and tiddlywinks.

“Our first students will still be in positions of influence and responsibility in the first two decades of the twenty-first century.”

Sir Albert Sloman, 1963 Reith Lectures

It was a place of political awakenings, and one where barriers were broken down – where a politics lecturer could play football with his students. But it was also intellectually challenging, a place where your views were listened to and an opportunity to make lifelong friends and, in some cases, partners.

Interviewees

- Peter Avis, Maths student 1964-67

- John Dowden, Maths PhD student, 1963-67, the University’s first student and now Emeritus Professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences

- Peter Haine, Physics student, 1964-67

- Nicolette Hardy, Literature student, 1966-69

- Christine Hinton, Sociology student, 1967-70

- Margery Wilson, Literature student, 1971-74

- Peter Wyatt, Government student, 1966-69

In this podcast, Dr Roland Meeks, from our Department of Economics, reflects on the shift in mood at this year's World Economic Forum compared with the same event five years ago when there was an urgent need to counter panic and prevent economic collapse. Dr Meeks has been examining how we could come so close to economic disasters with his students at Essex.

If you are interested in studying Economics at the University of Essex, go to: http://www.essex.ac.uk/economics/

From Monday 21 January to Sunday 27 January there will be debates, discussions and open seminars to mark Holocaust Memorial Week including the London Klezmer Quartet, a Twilight Zone Cafe, a screening of Shoah, a developing art work by artist in residence Martha Haversham and an evening of performance. The week of events leads up to Holocaust Memorial Day on Sunday 27 January.

Professor Rainer Schulze from the Department of History explains what will be happening during the week and why events like this remain so important to the University and the wider community.

For more information see: www.essex.ac.uk/history/holocaust_memorial_week

The University of Essex will be marking International Holocaust Memorial Day on 27 January with a week focusing on the Arts and the Holocaust. Professor Rainer Schulze from the Department of History explains more about the importance of the week and this year's theme. For more information see: www.essex.ac.uk/history/holocaust_memorial_week

Colchester’s Avatars: the historical figures on Colchester’s Town Hall is a talk series at firstsite organised by Professor John Gillies from the Department of Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies. The talks are taking a fresh look at the town's history through the lives celebrated by statues on the exterior of one of the town's most iconic landmarks. bit.ly/firstsite_talks

The first talk is on Thursday 24 January with architectural historian James Bettley and Colchester historian and Visiting Fellow at the Department of History Andrew Phillips.

Future talks include ‘Thomas Audley and Samuel Harsnett’ with Professor James Raven and Professor Gillies, ‘Edward the Elder and St Helena’ with Andrew Phillips, ‘Boudicca and Eudo Dapifer’ with Philip Crummy and ‘William Gilberd’ with Professor David Tilley, Peter Noakes and Ken Rickwood.

Eniola Cole has just completed a Masters on International Relations and the Media at the Department of Government at the University of Essex. Her studies have inspired her to co-found Nigerian Election Sensitization Scheme (NESS) which will be holding a major conference at our Colchester Campus on Saturday 19 January. NESS hopes to inspire young Nigerians to work towards improving the political situation in Nigeria through political participation, political discourse and sensitization in order to tackle challenges and boost growth and development.

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Essex Professor Anthony Forster uses his first-ever podcast to highlight the many ways the University has contributed to the region since being established nearly 50 years ago and to encourage a conversation about its future regional role.

The first Vice-Chancellor and the campus architect Kenneth Capon were appointed on the same day in October 1962. In this, the fourth in our Creating a University series of podcasts, staff and students from the early days talk about the vision these two men had for “a harmonious composition of towers and terraces floating in the lap of its wooded valley”.

They reminisce, too, about life at the University of Essex before the buildings went up – with lectures in Nissen huts and departments based in the old stable blocks at Wivenhoe House.

Interviewees

- Dawn Ades, Professor of Art History

- Sir John Ashworth, founding Professor of Biological Sciences

- Peter Haine, Physics student, 1964-67

- Jules Lubbock, Visiting Professor in the Department of Art History

- Gabriel Pearson, Professor in the Department of Literature, Film and Theatre Studies for over 30 years

- James Sutherland, structural engineer and designer

- Peter Townsend, founding Professor of Sociology (died 2009)

- Margery Wilson, Literature student, 1971-74

Artist Susan Morris discusses her work featured in Untitled Motion Capture Drawings with exhibition curator Professor Margaret Iversen from the School of Philosophy and Art History at Essex and Art Exchange director Jesse Kenny.

The exhibition is at Art Exchange on the Colchester Campus until Saturday 8 December. More information at: https://www.essex.ac.uk/news/event.aspx?e_id=4659