Innovation and competition. Today’s industry relies on these two qualities to drive it forward and maintain its edge. So it makes sense then that companies are keen to impress these qualities upon students, the generation to form tomorrow’s industry. The ‘Smarter Planet Comes to You’ tour is a joint IBM and Students for a Smarter Planet initiative that has been visiting various European universities over the last few weeks with a view of doing just that, and most recently, on 14th March 2011, it arrived in York.

One word to sum up the tour would be interaction. The whole day was filled with hands-on, entirely involving activities, from workshops to computer games. Needless to say this captured the imagination of all and sundry that came along to the Smarter Planet tour bus, regardless of their level of technological know-how. In my case for example, technological know-how was non-existent. But thanks to the friendly, approachable team members available to explain everything in terms accessible to all, this wasn’t a problem.

And that’s what made the Smarter Planet tour more than just a recruitment drive. The passion and excitement of all of the staff was clearly visible, even despite the fact that many had been on the tour for several weeks and had no doubt seen countless exasperatingly ignorant laymen such as myself. Their patience never wavered. Special thanks must go to Ben Hardill, an IBM Emerging Technologies Specialist, who willingly and cheerfully showed me his tools for a more energy-efficient desk not once, but twice.

York was just one stop of the tour’s UK branch, with Dublin, Exeter and Swansea ahead. Although the tour is entirely open to all, as indeed the global nature of business today requires input from disciplines across the academic board, the destinations were of course selected for the universities’ emphasis on technology.

York’s computer science department played host to the event, and provided some of its own esteemed speakers: Andrew Jackson and Mark Rodbert spoke engagingly on the importance of openness in innovation. IBM executives also hosted a Q&A panel session, and a thought-provoking talk on ‘smarter healthcare’ by Angus Cambell was very well received.

Olivia Waring, a first year literature student, was surprised at how much she was able to take away from the event:

“The speakers really addressed what’s relevant to young people considering a career in innovation, and broadened it out successfully to include those of us not solely interested in computing. I really enjoyed my visit and loved the smarter supply chain game!”

It’s good to see big corporations taking an interest in the development of students which isn’t solely focussed on recruitment. The IBM ‘Smarter Planet Comes to You’ tour delivered an engaging and accessible event that piqued a lot of interest here at York, and successfully banished that general last-week-of-term stupor; quite the feat by anyone’s standards.

By Lucy Whitehouse, Images by Olivia Waring

If you happen to be at Portsmouth university, or anywhere near it for that matter, get down to Breakneck / Punchfunk on South Parade Pier for some of the biggest names in DnB at the moment – Friction, Doctor P and Sigma to name a few. Tickets are still available!

I was at the last RAM Portsmouth night here, and they really know how to put on an event. Highlight of last time was the impromptu ice pole at 3am being given to everyone. Amazing.

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* Breakneck Room *

FRICTION & AD
DOCTOR P
SIGMA
CHARGE vs TRU:BASS
SDM vs TRIPLE M

* PunchFunk Room *

TREVOR ROCKCLIFFE

By Mark Allen

One of the greatest shows we got to see in Edinburgh during the Fringe 2010 was Lisa Faye’s Streisand: The Concert. This is 5 Star entertainment at its total best with a singer who not only shows restraint and respect to one of the music industries biggest stars but also in her own right has a voice that will send shivers down your spine.

This is the last of a 3 show run in London’s West End for Lisa Faye at Trafalgar Studios, on Whitehall, literally by Trafalgar Square – 5 minutes from Charing Cross station and tube. Do not miss this show, and to mark this great event we are reproducing an interview Lisa did with us early this month.

For more information and to book tickets please click here.

This is pretty exciting news about bring your Edinburgh Fringe show to London, how have things been going since the summer?

It is very exciting to bring the show to London after it’s success at Edinburgh. Since Edinburgh I have been busy promoting the show, working on taking the show on tour, working on an album. I’ve performed the show in Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands and at various other events here in the UK. I’ve also been writing songs, produced my local pantomime and managed to take a holiday too.

Are you nervous about coming to the West End?

No not nervous – very excited and privileged to be able to bring the show to London’s audience’s. A dream come true!

What can people expect from the London show, have you changed it much or will it be much the same as in Edinburgh?

The show is very similar to Edinburgh’s, it has been renamed and is slightly longer with more interesting anecdotes and stories bringing Barbra Streisand’s story right up to date as she has been a busy lady herself since August.

How was the Fringe fo your last year, are you planning on heading back this year?

The Fringe was fantastic for me last year, the show was a success, having sell out shows and 5* review – all that I had gone there to achieve. It was hard work as always constantly promoting the show – before and after you perform every day, guesting on other shows such as, ‘Mervyn Stutters – Pick of The Fest’ and Jim Bowen’s – Bullseye. I won’t be heading back this year as I am looking to grow this show further, but perhaps next year I will return with a new show!

Barbara Streisand has such a wide range of music, how have you come to the selection you have? Have there been some you wanted to do but didn’t make the cut?

There are so many songs to chooses from and there are many that didn’t make it into the show this time round, but as the show grows to 90mins then we can include many more of those gems – I am already working on this as we speak! The selection so far is a snap shot of her career highlights, those songs that most people will know and love.

After your run in London’s West End what are your plans, you going to take some time off?

After London I will be concentrating on promoting the show further, working towards a tour, work on the album – no time for a holiday.

What advice would you give performers thinking about tackling a show and considering bringing it to Edinburgh Fringe?

Edinburgh Fringe is a great place to showcase your work and is a fantastic experience. It is however very hard work and long hours. Advice? – Be prepared, put as much work in as you can before you go. Make sure the show is up and running before you get there as press can arrive on day one and if your show isn’t as great as it can be – you’ve just blown it. Network whilst there – you never know who you might meet. See as much as you can too, there is so much variety, good and bad, and it might just give you an idea for the next big thing!

They say an image is worth a million words and this is the case with the latest images to come out of Newcastle’s Student Peaceful protest. These images are emotive and provocative, the student body taking part in this powerful display of student resistance really do need your support and help now. As with most cases the University is refusing to even have the VC Prof, Chris Brink meet with them.

Have  a look at these and make a difference, show them your support!

For more information on the NCL Student Occupation you can follow them on their blog HERE and for more images you can find them HERE.

The NCL team say that these are some of the most powerful images taken yet of the student protest and as we all here look at these images we feel their sense of frustration and anger. A greater irony is that the students occupied the new financial building of Newcastle University which cost £22 Million to build. Yet they remain fully committed to being respectful and ensuring their protest will remain peaceful.

UPDATE

NCL Occupation are trying to raise £2500 so they can buy a full page ad in Newcastle’s Evening Chronicle. This will be an open letter to Newcastle Vice Chancellor Prof Chris Brink who has so far refused to meet with the students and discuss their demands.

You can help them out by pledging a donation to ncl.donations@gmail.com help them reach their goal!

All images NCL Occupation.