University libary to unveil rare collections

The University of Aberdeen’s Special Collections Centre is hosting three 20 minute lunchtime sessions where visitors can view some of the most stunning rare books. Staff will be on hand to turn the pages and answer any questions.

The series kicks off on Monday November 24 with an original volume from Audubon’s The Birds of America from Original Drawings of 1831-1834, considered to be the greatest work ever produced on North American ornithology.

The book rarely leaves the stores of the Special Collections Centre as it is so enormous that it takes two people just to turn each page!

Tuesday, November 25 will give visitors the chance to see the Hortus sanitatis or “Garden of Health” of 1491. One of the Library’s most spectacular incunables (books printed before 1501), the Hortus sanitatis was also one of the earliest European medical texts, and the most important of the medieval ‘herbals’. The book combines natural history, horticulture and medicinal remedies and is a fascinating blend of known science and folklore, with vivid illustrations depicting the different animal realms and also the interior of a medieval hospital.

Members of the public are welcome to drop in to any of the Collection Close-up events at The Sir Duncan Rice Library. Each session runs between 13.10 and 13.30 and will be held in the lower ground floor Seminar Room.

International Student Webinars (North America)

Are you from the United States, Canada or Mexico and interested in learning more about the University of Aberdeen? Whether you are a prospective student, just taking the first steps in finding out about our university, or you’ve already applied, join us for one of our regular online information sessions.

Space is limited, so participants must register in advance.

How it works…

The online information session consists of a live audio visual presentation given by an International Officer at the University of Aberdeen. Participants are encouraged to interact with the presenter, either by asking questions through their microphone or typing questions in the text box.

To view the online information session, you will need a computer with web access and audio (speakers and microphone). Please test your audio settings before joining the meeting.

As Lync is a Microsoft application, it is advisable to use the Internet Explorer web browser.

Joining Instructions:

Step 1: Open the web link to the online meeting. You will receive a web link by email approximately 15 minutes before the start of the presentation.  This will start the Lync Web App on your computer or device. As Lync is a Microsoft application, it is advisable to use Internet Explorer.

Step 2: Type in your name

Step 3: Tick the box that says “Install Lync Web App plug-in. This is very important. You will need the plug-in installed on your device to hear the presentation.

Step 4: Join the meeting

Step 5: You will then be asked to save and run the audio plug-in

Register

Undergraduate Students (North America)

The Undergraduate Students information session gives an introduction to the higher education system in the UK, and the University of Aberdeen in particular. Hosted by an International Officer, this interactive webinar is your chance to find out more about our programmes and campus, entry requirements, how to apply, costs and financial aid.

Upcoming Undergraduate Students (North America) sessions:

• Wednesday 10th December at 3.00PM GMT / 10.00AM EST / 7.00AM PST REGISTER
• Tuesday 16th December at 3.00PM GMT / 10.00AM EST / 7.00AM PST REGISTER

Graduate Students (North America)

The Graduate Students information session provides a guide to graduate education in the UK and how it compares to North America, an overview of the University of Aberdeen’s graduate programmes, as well as costs and financial aid.

Upcoming Graduate Students (North America) sessions:

• Tuesday 9^th December at 3.00PM GMT / 10.00AM EST / 7.00AM PST REGISTER
• Wednesday 17th December at 3.00PM GMT / 10.00AM EST / 7.00AM PST REGISTER

If you are unavailbale at the above times, but would like the opportunity to speak with one of the team at another time, please contact Brian Hussey by emailing brian.hussey@abdn.ac.uk or call +44 1224 272187.

University to host new festival for the humanities

Author Will Self discussing fiction, psychology and being human; Terror, gods and magic in the North; and Time machines and the Victorians are just a few of the highlights of a new festival which will get underway at the University of Aberdeen this week (Friday).

Being Human is a new UK-wide initiative in November that aims to engage the public with the latest research taking place across the humanities. The Festival is supported by a collaboration of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), the British Academy and the School of Advanced Study, University of London, and draws together a programme of activities to inform, extend, and ignite our contemporary thinking and imagination.

From Friday November 15 – Sunday November 23, a wide range of events will take place in venues across the city which will give researchers from the University the opportunity to discuss and demonstrate how the arts and humanities affects the cultural fabric of our city and society as a whole.

For more information about Being Human and to view the full programme, please visit www.abdn.ac.uk/engage/beinghuman

Aberdeen student inventors triumph at major international science competition

A team of University of Aberdeen students secured two trophies and a gold medal at one of the world’s leading science competitions for a new diagnostic test they have invented. The six undergraduates won best team in the ‘Health and Medicine’ track, and were awarded the ‘Best synthetic biology measurement approach’ at the iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) competition in Boston.

The University of Aberdeen team, who are all undergraduates studying a range of disciplines including physics, biology, immunology and microbiology, engineered bacterial cells to detect whether a person has African Sleeping Sickness.

The iGEM competition brings almost all the best Universities in the world together to compete, including Yale, Harvard, Imperial, Oxford, Cambridge, MIT, Heidelberg, ETH Zurich.

Provost Skene’s House – Through the Centuries

Built in 1545, Provost Skene’s House in the centre of Aberdeen is now a local museum of local history.