UKES Prize Draw Winners!

UKES-news-500The winners for the first week of the UK Student Engagement Survey prize draw are:

  • Katrina Packham (Forensic Science)
  • Alex Tavener (BA Computer Animation Arts)
  • Rupert Bagge (BSc Computing Framework)
  • Andrea Alminana (BA Business and Marketing)

There’s still plenty more chances to be in with the chance to win SUBU Summer Ball VIP entry, or a £25 cash prize – and tell us how you’re finding your course – just fill out the short survey.

 

 

Winners of BU National Student Survey prize draw chosen

Final year BU students who completed the National Student Survey (NSS) have received prizes including £1,000 of holiday vouchers and VIP graduation packages.

Nine winners were chosen at random, for completing the NSS – an independent national survey which gives final year students the chance to feed back on their course and university experience.

BSc (Hons) Psychology student Scott Freemantle won the top prize of £1,000 of holiday vouchers.

He said: “When I first found out I’d won, I was slightly in disbelief. I’m thinking I’ll possibly go to the Caribbean with the vouchers.

“It’s great to know that I can hand in my dissertation, do my final exams and then head off somewhere. It’s a really good end to the year.”

Three students received the prize of a VIP graduation package – which includes overnight accommodation, gown hire and photographs, along with two guest tickets for the ceremony.

The winners were BA (Hons) Events Management student Naomi Kay; BSc (Hons) Computing Framework student David McBeth; and Robyn Gribble, a BSc (Hons) Sports Psychology and Coaching Sciences student.  

“It’s well worth filling out the survey – I’m definitely happy that I did it, as now I’ve got a VIP graduation package,” David said.

“It’s important to give feedback and you might end up with a really great prize! I even got a free smoothie while I was doing it as well!”

Robyn added: “Because I’ve won the graduation package, it’s going to be a really nice end to my university experience, ending it on a high.

“It was definitely worth filling out the survey – if you don’t give feedback and let people know about things, then nothing will ever happen.”

Five students won tickets to this year’s Summer Ball – which is now sold out.

They were:

  • Samuel Whiffen (BSc (Hons) Computing Framework)
  • Jessica Jegathesparan  (BA (Hons) Advertising with Marketing Communications)
  • Dale Scholey, (BA (Hons) English)
  • Yusef Javed  (BA (Hons) Scriptwriting for Film and Television)
  • Kim Doolan (BA (Hons) Leisure Marketing)

Samuel said: “Summer ball is the best night of the year and I’m really looking forward to it. I already had a ticket so I’m going to give it to a friend from back home so they can come too.

“It’s well worth doing the survey – it only takes five minutes and it’s good to give your feedback to the university.”

Yusef added: “I’m really pleased. I didn’t manage to get hold of a ticket, so I wasn’t sure if I was going to go to the Summer Ball, but now it gives me a reason to dye my hair blue as part of the costume idea I’ve got!

“It is definitely worthwhile to get your views heard. I’m a Student Rep as well, and I think this survey is good as it covers the whole university experience, as well as your courses.”

The winners of the BU NSS Prize Draw were chosen at random by Ipsos Mori, the independent market research company who carry out the survey.

They received their prizes from Professor John Fletcher, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at BU.

BU graduates celebrate Oscar and BAFTA success

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A number of Bournemouth University (BU) graduates celebrated nominations and wins at high-profile award ceremonies this year.

Graduates of the National Centre for Computer Animation (NCCA) in BU’s Media School worked on the visual effects for blockbusters nominated at both the 2013 Oscars and BAFTAs.

Steve Twist, who completed a BA in Computer Visualisation and Animation and an MSc in Computer Animation and Visual Effects at BU, worked on the visual effects for Life of Pi – which won both the Oscar and BAFTA in the Visual Effects category.

Steve worked for California-based Rhythm & Hues Studios as a Character Rigger – and helped create the skeletal structure, muscles and body, and face controls for the computer-generated animals on the lifeboat during the film.

“It was an amazing experience to work on Life of Pi,” said Steve, who graduated in 2010.

“The artists at Rhythm & Hues are an incredible group of people, and it was quite a journey to see the film develop.

“When I saw the movie in the movie theatre, I was very proud to have played my small part to bringing the characters of the movie to life.”

Unfortunately, the company recently filed for bankruptcy protection, so Steve said winning the awards was a “bittersweet moment”.

“It’s amazing that our work was so well received, both by audiences and by critics,” he said. “But, needless to say, I probably felt every emotion possible during those few days.”

Meanwhile, visual effects supervisor Paul Franklin, who co-founded VFX company Double Negative and received an Honorary Doctorate from BU in 2012, and graduate Andy Lockley, who completed an MA in Digital Effects in 2000, were BAFTA-nominated for their visual effects work in Batman film The Dark Knight Rises.

Emma Clifton, who completed a BA (Hons) Computer Visualisation and Animation degree in 2005 was among BU graduates and ex-lecturers who worked on the Oscar and BAFTA-nominated visual effects for The Hobbit.

And two 2010 graduates of the BA (Hons) Computer Visualisation and Animation degree course at BU worked on the Oscar-nominated visual effects for Snow White and the Huntsman.

Dante Harbridge-Robinson was part of a team at BlueBolt Ltd. who helped design and create the castle in the film, while Daniel Georgiou worked on it as a matchmove artist for Double Negative.

Daniel, who now works as a lighting technical director, also worked on visual effects for Les Miserables and Skyfall, which were both nominated for numerous high-profile awards.

It wasn’t just visual effects that BU graduates received recognition for. BA (Hons) Television Production graduate Teddy Leifer was part of the team nominated for Best Documentary for a feature he produced called The Invisible War.

Teddy, who graduated in 2005, was executive producer on the film, which explores the topic of sexual assault in the US military.

Stephen Jukes, Dean of the Media School, said: “We live and breathe the industry in the Media School and we are extremely proud of our graduates who go on – which increasing success – to carry off some of the most prestigious awards.

“I believe we offer a unique combination of academic learning and professional practice which sets students up extremely well to flourish in the rapidly changing and highly competitive media world.”