Maria Dawson joins international advisory board

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

Maria Dawson has accepted an invitation to become a member of the advisory board for the annual International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies, to be held in Barcelona in July 2013. She will join a selected group of academics and teachers from around the world.

English Research Seminars

This semester there will be three English Research Seminars. They take place on Wednesdays in the Priestman Building and start at 5pm. Staff and students from all faculties are welcome.

Ilich Ramírez Sánchez: a.k.a. 'Carlos the Jackal'

• March 20th 2013, Priestman 215, 5pm: Dr Ann-Marie Einhaus (Northumbria University) 'Reading and teaching the First World War'
• April 24th 2013, Priestman 201, 5pm: Dr David Fallon (Sunderland University) '''Fashionable Booksellers, Fashioning Authors": Shelley, Peacock, and the Hookham's Bookshop and Library'
• May 29th 2013, Priestman 201, 5pm: Dr Samuel Thomas (University of Durham) '"Yours in Revolution": Retrofitting Carlos the Jackal'

Spring semester History Labs

Francisco Franco 1892-1975

The new season of History Lab seminars has been announced. The talks start at 5pm, last for 30-40 minutes and are followed by a trip to the pub and a meal to which all are invited.

• Tuesday February 5th 2013, Priestman 102, 5pm: Dr Henry Knight (Northumbria University): 'The paradox of water: Florida and environmental imagery in the Gilded Age'
• Thursday March 7th 2013, Priestman 102, 5pm: Professor Helen Graham (Royal Holloway, University of London): ‘The past that will not pass away? Francoism and present-day Spain’s ‘memory wars’ in national and international context’
• Thursday April 25th 2013, Priestman 102, 5pm: Dr Jenny Rampling (University of Cambridge): 'Practically making the philosophers' stone: recreating alchemical experiments'

David Fallon at the Samuel Johnson Society

Samuel Johnson by James Barry, oil on canvas 

circa 1788-80 NPG

Dr David Fallon has been invited to give a talk on Sunday 20th January at the Samuel Johnson Society (Lichfield). He will be speaking about Samuel Johnson and the London Booksellers.

John Williams starts PhD

Sunderland University students on Roker Beach

John Williams, who was awarded a First Class degree in English Language and Linguistics and TESOL from the University of Sunderland in 2012, is to start work on his PhD next month. His research will investigate the reasons why UK-based students with English as a second or additional language appear not to go on to study English Language and Literature in higher education in very high numbers. His research will be supervised by Drs Susan Mandala and Felicity Breet.

Immortality

On January 8th 2013, the philosopher Dr Ian Ground (NECLL) was interviewed by Jonathan Miles on BBC Radio Newcastle. You can listen to their conversation about immortality here.