Farewell to the twenty-teens
Now that we’ve come to the end of the decade and are embarking upon a new one, we wanted to take a look back over the last ten years to highlight some of the milestones, standout events and developments that have taken place at the University of Leeds.
Enjoy this little trip down memory lane!
2010:
State-of-the-art leisure complex The Edge opened on 4th May, complete with a world-class swimming pool and fitness suite.
Facilities fit for Olympians, in fact, as both Jonny and Alistair Brownlee have trained at The Edge since it opened, and they continue to make use of the centre.
Alistair Brownlee describes The Edge as:
“a fantastic pool and a great facility.”
New cancer centre brings together academic and medical expertise
The Leeds Cancer Research UK Centre, launched in May 2010, has brought together world class research and medical expertise from the University of Leeds and Leeds NHS Teaching Hospitals Trust.
By bringing innovations and ideas directly from the laboratory to the clinic, the centre aims to give patients access to the latest treatment options.
Cancer Research UK, which funds the centre, supports research in Leeds to the tune of over almost £7 million each year.
2011:
How to win Eurovision
Professor Derek Scott, of the University’s School of Music claimed in 2011 to have cracked the formula for creating a winning Eurovision song entry, and apparently “You need a moustache.”
After extensively researching Eurovision song entries from the last 50 years, Professor Scott identified a few qualities common to the successful winners: according to him, a catchy, entertaining theme and retro visual element are the key ingredients to a winning song.
This knowledge doesn’t seem to have helped the UK however, as we failed to win again in 2011 — in fact the UK last won the contest way back in 1997. So growing a moustache could be worth a try!
Bone-eating zombie worms
University of Leeds PhD researcher Nicholas Higgs terrified us all with his discovery of Osedax “zombie” worms, which survive by feeding on bones — but you can rest easy because what he found were 3-million-year-old fossils rather than living breathing monsters. And they’re only between 1–3 inches long.
This is the first time this species of worm has been found in the Mediterranean, and confirms a suspicion long held by scientists that Osedax are responsible for eating bones before they could form into fossils.
Meanwhile, Live at Leeds…
Ed Sheeran played at Leeds University Union venue Stylus in October 2011
2012:
Iconic museum for the FTSE 100 family favourite
Marks & Spencer opened its Company Archive at the University of Leeds’ Michael Marks Building in March 2012.
It has a collection of over 70,000 historic items, and charts the development of the household name from its roots at Kirkgate Market in Leeds to the present day.
Marks and Spencer is such a familiar household name in the UK, but how much do you know about how the company started?
In 1884, Belarusian refugee Michael Marks opened a market stall in Leeds bearing the slogan ‘don’t ask the price, it’s a penny’ with just £5 start-up capital. In 1894 Marks went into partnership with Thomas Spencer, and the rest is history.
Live at Leeds:
Rita Ora entertained students at Leeds University Union in May 2012
2013:
Bye Bye Bodington
2013 marked the end of an era, as Bodington Hall, the largest student hall of residence at the University of Leeds, closed its doors and was demolished to make way for a housing development.
A Grade II listed mural by leading post-war British sculptor Denis Mason-Jones was carefully removed and later reinstalled on campus, where it can now be seen on the stage@leeds building.
Live at Leeds:
Bastille entertained a packed crowd at Stylus in March 2013
2014:
University of Leeds welcomes Tour de France riders
Teams participating in the Tour de France set off from the University of Leeds to join Le grand départ at the race start point outside Leeds Art Gallery on The Headrow.
22 teams took part, made up of a total of 198 riders, with the Yorkshire stages drawing over 2 million spectators across 2 days, bringing more than £128 million in revenue to the region.
The event was such a success that it inspired a Tour de Yorkshire which now takes place every year.
Live at Leeds:
Catfish and the Bottlemen performed at Leeds University Union in November 2011
2015:
New library creates a buzz
Boasting a collection of 150,000 books, 900 broadband-enabled study places, and even a live-in community of 50,000 bees on the roof, the Laidlaw library opened its doors in the summer of 2015.
The library, close to the University entrance on Woodhouse Lane, is named after Irvine Laidlaw, who studied economics at Leeds in the 1960s, and whose £9m gift towards the project is the biggest ever received by the University.
Nicola Adams Honorary degree
In 2001, Leeds-born boxer Nicola Adams became the first female boxer to represent England. Since then she has won medals at the European Championships, the World Championships, and memorably claimed the first ever women’s Olympic boxing gold medal at the London Olympic games in 2012.
Nicola is seen as an ambassador for Leeds and Yorkshire, and the University of Leeds recognised her in 2015 with a Doctor of Laws honorary degree.
2016:
University of the Year 2017
The University of Leeds was named University of the Year 2017 by The Times and The Sunday Times’ Good University Guide.
“Outstanding student satisfaction levels do not happen by accident and reflect the emphasis placed here on getting the student learning experience spot on,”
said Alastair McCall, editor of the The Sunday Times Good University Guide
“The University of Leeds thoroughly deserves our University of the Year for prioritising students’ needs first to last.”
This award follows another year of exceptional student satisfaction levels, where Leeds secured 90% satisfaction in the recent 2016 National Student Survey (NSS).
Baby born from ovary frozen in childhood
The first woman to have an ovary frozen before the onset of puberty has given birth to a baby boy.
Moaza Al Matrooshi, now 24, had her ovarian tissue frozen prior to receiving cancer treatment aged 9 by Professor Helen Picton, Head of the Division of Reproduction and Early Development at the University of Leeds.
The preserved tissue was then successfully replanted, and Moaza gave birth to a son in 2016.
Professor Picton said:
“This is a huge breakthrough in the field of fertility preservation.”
“It is the first time that the success of the procedure has been shown in a pre-pubertal girl, and I’m delighted that this young woman has had her baby.”
2017:
UK cities overpaying for energy
The UK’s 50 largest cities could save £7 billion annually and create over 90,000 years’ worth of extra employment by adopting simple measures to cut their energy use and counter climate change, according to a recent study from the ESRC Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy at the University of Leeds.
The research assessed the total energy bills of the UK’s 50 biggest cities — which currently amount to over £35 billion a year, and average £1,500 per person. It found that simple, profitable improvements to heating, lighting, insulation, appliances and vehicles would reap extraordinary results for their 23.5 million citizens.
Live at Leeds:
Kate Nash played Leeds University Union, and even indulged in a spot of crowdsurfing in February 2017.
2018:
Honorary degree for Lang Lang
World-famous pianist Lang Lang was awarded an honorary degree from University of Leeds in September.
As Global Ambassador of the Leeds International Piano Competition, Lang Lang has a strong connection to the city. He commented:
“I’m extremely proud of my association with Leeds — with the city, with the piano competition and, thanks to this great honour, with the University too.”
University of Leeds Vice-Chancellor Sir Alan Langlands said:
“Lang Lang is one of the world’s finest musicians and has influenced and inspired people in every continent. He is a role model for young musicians the world over.”
Launch of new poetry prize
The Brotherton Poetry Prize has been launched by the University of Leeds Poetry Centre to nurture and recognise new talent. The main prizewinner receives not only £1000, but also the opportunity to develop their creative practice with the poetry centre. Four runners-up will each receive £200. All shortlisted poems will also be published as an anthology, making this a great opportunity for budding poets.
Poetry centre Director Professor John Whale said:
“It’s a proud moment for the University of Leeds Poetry Centre to be offering this opportunity.”
2019:
Old Bar turns 80!
The much-loved Old Bar, situated in the Leeds University Union building, has been quenching the thirsts of students and making memories since 1939.
After posting about its 80th birthday on our Social Media, we discovered that Old Bar has been known by various names over the years, including Tartan Bar, and The Tetley as students new and old shared their memories of it in droves.
It’s great to know that the bar is fondly remembered by former students as well as continuing to play a key part of University campus life.
Scientists create the world’s thinnest gold
Scientists at the University of Leeds have created the world’s thinnest gold, which is just two atoms thick — one million times thinner than a human fingernail. The breakthrough could have wide-scale applications in the medical device and electronics industries, as well as helping to speed up chemical reactions in a range of industrial processes.
The journal paper’s lead author, Dr Sunjie Ye, from Leeds’ Molecular and Nanoscale Physics Group and the Leeds Institute of Medical Research, said: “This work amounts to a landmark achievement.
“Not only does it open up the possibility that gold can be used more efficiently in existing technologies, it is providing a route which would allow material scientists to develop other 2D metals.”
Brownlee brothers co-author new research
Walking and cycling to work were associated with fewer heart attacks across 43 million adults in England, according to a new national study led by the University of Leeds in collaboration with Alistair and Jonny Brownlee.
The triathlete brothers, often known for their competitive streak, came together to co-author the research with Professor Chris Gale of the University of Leeds’ Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine. The findings show that using an active method of travelling to work (such as walking or cycling) provides important cardiovascular health benefits.
