BBC Technology Website and Radio 4 - Four Thought 8.45pm 26th December.
Viewpoint: Computer code frees us to think in new ways -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20764273 - By Tom Armitage - Technologist
'At the start of 2012, Michael Bloomberg, the mayor of New York tweeted: "My New Year's resolution is to learn to code with Codecademy."
And throughout the year, "learning to code" seems to have been a hot topic in the media.
Around the same time as Bloomberg's tweet, in the UK the Education Secretary Michael Gove was announcing plans to replace the schools ICT curriculum with a "computer science" programme.
Existing ICT courses often focus on "digital literacy" - teaching particular software packages such as popular spreadsheets and word processors.
The changes are an attempt to reach a more balancing sense of literacy - not just being able to "read" technology, by using it - but also to "write" with it.
And in computing, writing with it means exploring the world of programming: creating with computers.'
'This is an edited version of The Coded Word - a talk delivered by Tom Armitage for BBC Radio 4's Four Thought. It will be broadcast at 2045GMT on 26 December.'
Tom Armitage: The Coded World - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pg54z
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Friday, December 14, 2012
BBC News - Alan Turing: Scientists call for pardon for codebreaker
BBC News - Alan Turing: Scientists call for pardon for codebreaker - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20722581
'Some of Britain's leading scientists have called on the government to grant a posthumous pardon to Bletchley Park codebreaker Alan Turing.
Turing was convicted of gross indecency in 1952 after acknowledging a sexual relationship with a man.
Professor Stephen Hawking, Astronomer Royal Lord Rees and the Royal Society's Sir Paul Nurse are among 11 signatories to a letter in the Daily Telegraph.
They urge David Cameron to "formally forgive this British hero".
The scientists said: "We write in support of a posthumous pardon for Alan Turing, one of the most brilliant mathematicians of the modern era.
"He led the team of Enigma codebreakers at Bletchley Park, which most historians agree shortened the Second World War.
"Yet successive governments seem incapable of forgiving his conviction for the then crime of being a homosexual, which led to his suicide, aged 41."'
'Some of Britain's leading scientists have called on the government to grant a posthumous pardon to Bletchley Park codebreaker Alan Turing.
Turing was convicted of gross indecency in 1952 after acknowledging a sexual relationship with a man.
Professor Stephen Hawking, Astronomer Royal Lord Rees and the Royal Society's Sir Paul Nurse are among 11 signatories to a letter in the Daily Telegraph.
They urge David Cameron to "formally forgive this British hero".
The scientists said: "We write in support of a posthumous pardon for Alan Turing, one of the most brilliant mathematicians of the modern era.
"He led the team of Enigma codebreakers at Bletchley Park, which most historians agree shortened the Second World War.
"Yet successive governments seem incapable of forgiving his conviction for the then crime of being a homosexual, which led to his suicide, aged 41."'
VivaSurvivorsPodcast
VivaSurvivorsPodcast
@VivaSurvivors
A podcast featuring PhD graduates, asking them about their research, their viva and life after the PhD. http://www.viva-survivors.com - by @DrRyder
In Episode 12 Dr @DawnLlewellyn talks about her research, #viva and life after the #PhD - http://buff.ly/RUTycK - some great viva prep advice
"In this episode I talk to Dr Dawn Llewellyn, who did her PhD at Lancaster University and now lectures at the University of Chester. Dawn’s research was in Christian and Post-Christian women’s spiritual reading practices, and as always it was fascinating to hear about someone who has had such a radically different experience of research to me. Dawn had some great advice about preparing for the viva, and had an interesting story to tell about her viva. She is on Twitter, and you can find her at @DawnLlewellyn."
@VivaSurvivors
A podcast featuring PhD graduates, asking them about their research, their viva and life after the PhD. http://www.viva-survivors.com - by @DrRyder
In Episode 12 Dr @DawnLlewellyn talks about her research, #viva and life after the #PhD - http://buff.ly/RUTycK - some great viva prep advice
"In this episode I talk to Dr Dawn Llewellyn, who did her PhD at Lancaster University and now lectures at the University of Chester. Dawn’s research was in Christian and Post-Christian women’s spiritual reading practices, and as always it was fascinating to hear about someone who has had such a radically different experience of research to me. Dawn had some great advice about preparing for the viva, and had an interesting story to tell about her viva. She is on Twitter, and you can find her at @DawnLlewellyn."
BBC News - UK universities in online launch to challenge US
UK universities in online launch to challenge US
By Sean Coughlan
BBC News education correspondent
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-20697392
"A partnership of UK universities is launching an online project, challenging US universities that have dominated this emerging market.
They will aim to give the public access to higher education courses via computers, tablets or smartphones.
The partnership will include the Open University, King's College London, Bristol, Exeter, Warwick, East Anglia, Leeds, Lancaster, Southampton, Cardiff, Birmingham and St Andrews.
Courses will be offered from next year."
By Sean Coughlan
BBC News education correspondent
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-20697392
"A partnership of UK universities is launching an online project, challenging US universities that have dominated this emerging market.
They will aim to give the public access to higher education courses via computers, tablets or smartphones.
The partnership will include the Open University, King's College London, Bristol, Exeter, Warwick, East Anglia, Leeds, Lancaster, Southampton, Cardiff, Birmingham and St Andrews.
Courses will be offered from next year."
Monday, December 10, 2012
The 4Growth Campaign Event London - What has science ever done for us?
Interesting Event -
The 4Growth Campaign
Campaign for Science & Engineering
Tuesday, December 11, 2012 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM (GMT)
London, United Kingdom CaSE - Campaign for Science Engineering, NESTA http://4growth.eventbrite.com/ "At the beginning of next year, the Government will auction the UK's 4G mobile spectrum netting up to £4 billion for the Treasury. The 4Growth campaign, launched by the Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE) and Nesta calls for the Government to reinvest the proceeds back into science, engineering, technology and innovation.
Join us for a free evening of discussion on Tuesday 11th December, kindly hosted by the Institution of Engineering and Technology, to discuss the campaign as well as the wider role of science and technology in our society and economy."
The 4Growth Campaign
Campaign for Science & Engineering
Tuesday, December 11, 2012 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM (GMT)
London, United Kingdom CaSE - Campaign for Science Engineering, NESTA http://4growth.eventbrite.com/ "At the beginning of next year, the Government will auction the UK's 4G mobile spectrum netting up to £4 billion for the Treasury. The 4Growth campaign, launched by the Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE) and Nesta calls for the Government to reinvest the proceeds back into science, engineering, technology and innovation.
Join us for a free evening of discussion on Tuesday 11th December, kindly hosted by the Institution of Engineering and Technology, to discuss the campaign as well as the wider role of science and technology in our society and economy."
Wednesday, December 05, 2012
Open Data Institute - News from official opening
Open Data Institute - News from official opening - http://www.theodi.org/news/odi-signs-agreement-world-bank-cabinet-ministers-herald-official-opening
"The Open Data Institute was opened by Cabinet Ministers, Francis Maude and David Willets today as news emerged of the Institute’s second formal affiliation. The ODI has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the World Bank, following news on Monday that the Omidyar Network will be the Institute’s first investor, bringing with it $750k over two years.
During the event, held at the Institute’s London HQ, Francis Maude praised the work of ODI co-founders, Sir Tim Berners Lee and Prof Nigel Shadbolt and its leadership team. He said:
'Open data serves three objectives. They are all complimentary and overlap. Firstly, for the public to scrutinise what we do, where we spend the money and how we fail. Second, to inform choice in public services. And thirdly, to encourage economic growth by incubating data orientated business. Data is a raw material and it fuels social and economic growth to enrich communities and citizens'.
...
Science and Training
The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) is seed funding the ODI with £2m a year for 5 years. The minister in charge of the TSB, David Willets said the ODI’s mission to train a new cohort of open data developers through its post-graduate diploma and other courses will be crucial:
'We need cutting edge scientists to write systems for the very large data sets that we have, making them more usable and adding to the flow of data. We need to generate skills to analyse data, this isn’t something you can’t do without education and training'."
"The Open Data Institute was opened by Cabinet Ministers, Francis Maude and David Willets today as news emerged of the Institute’s second formal affiliation. The ODI has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the World Bank, following news on Monday that the Omidyar Network will be the Institute’s first investor, bringing with it $750k over two years.
During the event, held at the Institute’s London HQ, Francis Maude praised the work of ODI co-founders, Sir Tim Berners Lee and Prof Nigel Shadbolt and its leadership team. He said:
'Open data serves three objectives. They are all complimentary and overlap. Firstly, for the public to scrutinise what we do, where we spend the money and how we fail. Second, to inform choice in public services. And thirdly, to encourage economic growth by incubating data orientated business. Data is a raw material and it fuels social and economic growth to enrich communities and citizens'.
...
Science and Training
The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) is seed funding the ODI with £2m a year for 5 years. The minister in charge of the TSB, David Willets said the ODI’s mission to train a new cohort of open data developers through its post-graduate diploma and other courses will be crucial:
'We need cutting edge scientists to write systems for the very large data sets that we have, making them more usable and adding to the flow of data. We need to generate skills to analyse data, this isn’t something you can’t do without education and training'."
Monday, December 03, 2012
2 Science and Engineering Events - Bristol
INCOSE UK (International Council on Systems Engineering)
The Bristol Local Group Presents
Festive Fun – An interactive evening with a systems twist
Date: Wednesday 5th December – 6.30pm for 7pm till 9pm.
At University of the West of England
http://www.incoseonline.org.uk/EventBooking/AutoBooking/MainPage.aspx?CatID=Events&EventID=243
HP Labs Science Lecture Series - Maggie Adarin-Pocock
Wednesday, December 12, 2012 from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM (GMT)
Bristol, United Kingdom Life in the Universe: Can We Reach the Stars?
http://hplecture-adarin-pocock-estw.eventbrite.com/
Dr Maggie Adarin-Pocock, MBE
Abstract
As a child Maggie dreamed of travelling to the stars and meeting strange creatures, but current manned space missions are focused on the International Space Station (ISS) a mere 300 miles above the Earth’s Surface. What if one wanted to travel further, to the very stars themselves? Is this possible with current technology and if not what is in the pipeline now that would enable such a journey in the future? Can such travel ever be worth the expense and risk and what will we find out there?
The Bristol Local Group Presents
Festive Fun – An interactive evening with a systems twist
Date: Wednesday 5th December – 6.30pm for 7pm till 9pm.
At University of the West of England
http://www.incoseonline.org.uk/EventBooking/AutoBooking/MainPage.aspx?CatID=Events&EventID=243
HP Labs Science Lecture Series - Maggie Adarin-Pocock
Wednesday, December 12, 2012 from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM (GMT)
Bristol, United Kingdom Life in the Universe: Can We Reach the Stars?
http://hplecture-adarin-pocock-estw.eventbrite.com/
Dr Maggie Adarin-Pocock, MBE
Abstract
As a child Maggie dreamed of travelling to the stars and meeting strange creatures, but current manned space missions are focused on the International Space Station (ISS) a mere 300 miles above the Earth’s Surface. What if one wanted to travel further, to the very stars themselves? Is this possible with current technology and if not what is in the pipeline now that would enable such a journey in the future? Can such travel ever be worth the expense and risk and what will we find out there?
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