Recent News from 2021

An international team led by Swansea University has come up with a novel way of teaching youngsters about fish migration.

A Swansea chemistry researcher has been awarded a scholarship to support his work on molecules known as “radicals”, which could help improve the efficiency and performance of technologies such as solar cells and batteries.

Researchers from the School of Psychology have been awarded funding to examine the potential health benefits of creating sustainable eco-friendly hospitals and providing healthcare outdoors.

Personalised rehabilitation programmes for patients with long Covid are to be developed as part of a new research project involving Swansea University health economists, which has just been awarded £1.1 million of UK government funding.

A world-leading £2.5 million plus research programme to revolutionise surgeons’ ability to reconstruct nose and ear cartilage in patients affected by facial difference has been launched at Swansea University.

Swansea University will sponsor the Babell Lên (literary pavilion) and contribute to several online sessions as part of this year’s Eisteddfod AmGen programme.

A series of books to help support the psychological needs of people living with diabetes have been given a major boost by experts at Swansea University.

A pharmacist who grew up in a community where access to basic healthcare supplies was a luxury has secured a scholarship to further her studies at Swansea University.

Using advanced remote sensing techniques can help the early detection of oak tree decline and control many other forest diseases worldwide, says new research from Swansea University.

When Robert Yarr left secondary school, he viewed university as purely a necessity. However, with the help of the Swansea Employability Academy (SEA), he has been able to study whilst developing his passion for sports journalism.

Throughout July, FIRE Lab's art-science creations, Underwater Realm, are being exhibited in Swansea's Square Peg Coffee House and mark the starting point of a QR code treasure hunt around the city.

Swansea University has been ranked 12th for overall student satisfaction in the 2021 National Student Survey (NSS).

The easing of lockdown seems to have helped many British teenagers’ mental health but loneliness and anxiety remain extremely common, according to new research by the Mental Health Foundation and Swansea University.

Coastal wetlands – such as salt marshes - provide even more flood protection than previously thought, reducing the risk to lives and homes in estuaries, a new study has revealed.

A new study by a Swansea University academic has announced a new mathematical formula that will help engineers assess the point at which cellular materials, which are used a wide range of applications ranging from aerospace to the construction industry, will bend and buckle.

Sir David Suchet, star of the famous Poirot TV series takes the lead role in a new drama written by Swansea University’s Director of Creative Writing, Professor David Britton.

Swansea University's Academi Hywel Teifi has published a follow-up report to its conference ‘A Worry or an Opportunity: Welsh in the “New Normal”’, which was held in March this year.

A Swansea student is speaking out about her own experiences of racism to help ensure Wales becomes a better place to live.

A Swansea University academic has received a double accolade for his expertise at teaching Information Systems.

A new documentary film series that explores the challenges facing Wales, drawing on academic research, is to be launched at a virtual event - open to all - by a Welsh Government Cabinet Minister.

Swansea University scientists will be sharing their expertise with the community at a special weekend of online events.

A University art project aimed at highlighting the connection between art and science features in a new exhibition at Swansea’s Mission Gallery.

A PhD student from Swansea University Medical School has won the Swansea University Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition.

Swansea University's Oriel Science has welcomed the first school to visit its new city centre exhibition venue.

On 4 June 2021, Llanelli-based tech experts Vindico ICS Ltd represented small businesses at Downing Street to launch Together for Our Planet, a nationwide campaign that will roll out across the UK in the run-up to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November.

Swansea University has announced the appointment of Niamh Lamond as Interim Registrar and Chief Operating Officer. 

Swansea University will continue to play a vital role in training the healthcare workforce of the future for the next decade.

Swansea University is to welcome Professor Judith Lamie to its senior leadership team as a new Pro-Vice Chancellor with responsibility for the university’s international portfolio.

A free event aimed at showing just what a university education could offer is being held in Swansea city centre on Tuesday 6 July.

Swansea University and Diamond Light Source to exploit revolutionary nanoparticle beam technology.

A children’s author, the winner of the inaugural BBC Young Writers Award, and a previous Colm Tóibín International Prize winner are among the 12 authors shortlisted for the 2021 Rhys Davies Short Story Competition.

Seventeen stunning images, and the fascinating stories behind them – the surprise finding inside a crocodile shark, Antarctic glaciers on the move, and the unexpected uses of insect poo - have today been revealed as the winners of the 2021 Research as Art competition.

In June 2020, protesters toppled the statue of the slave trader Edward Colston from its plinth in Bristol and debates about controversial statues became front-page news in Wales and around the world. Twelve months on, those issues are the focus of a major international conference organised by academics at Swansea University.

Swansea University has been recognised for its excellence in diversity and inclusion during the pandemic, winning a silver award in the 2021 Whatuni Student Choice Awards.

The pan-Wales research network in advanced engineering and materials, led by a Swansea University Engineering Professor, has received a second round of funding which will allow it to continue its work for a further 2 years.

Report captures learnings and innovative practice emerging from across NHS Wales in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Warm mix asphalt (WMA) is gaining attention in the asphalt industry as an eco-friendly and sustainable technology.

Former Swansea City star and USA international footballer Jordan Morris is teaming up with Swansea University to discuss how he manages to combine a career in top-flight sport with type 1 diabetes.

A paper by Swansea University’s Grigory Garkusha has just been published by one of the world’s most prestigious mathematical journals. 

Swansea University is building on its successful collaboration with Trent University in Canada to launch an additional opportunity for transatlantic study.

Researchers at Swansea University’s Computational Foundry are sharing a new, low cost invention which combines the concept of traditional public voting machines and automatic hand sanitiser dispensers.

A Swansea University Medical School academic has been honoured for his innovative approach and contribution to teaching.

Sport and exercise science experts from Swansea and the University of Canberra (UC) in Australia have launched an official partnership which will see them collaborate on research, teaching and student exchanges.

Swansea University has been named as the world’s 440th best university, according to the latest edition of the world’s leading university ranking and has achieved the largest ranking improvement in Wales this year.

Swansea University has achieved its highest ever position in the Complete University Guide League Tables 2022 – and has broken into the top 30.

Researchers at Swansea University are calling on headteachers and senior leadership staff to complete a survey about their experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Swansea University ecotourism expert Carl Cater is taking part in global event to mark United Nations World Oceans Day on Tuesday, June 8.

Taliesin Arts Centre is to host Everything Change, a series of discussions and events exploring the roles creativity, adaptive thinking and storytelling can play in overcoming the challenges of the climate crisis.

As part of their commitment to providing key support throughout the pandemic, Swansea University student volunteers have created activity packs for children, young people, and disabled adults within the community.

As India continues to be ravaged by the pandemic, a Swansea University academic is investigating how green tea could give rise to a drug capable of tackling Covid-19.

Engineering students have been getting vital hands-on experience, despite laboratories being off-limits due to COVID, thanks to home lab kits developed and sent out by their lecturers.

Swansea University will renew its front of shirt sponsorship with Swansea City for the forthcoming 2021-22 season.

Swansea University researchers are helping to develop wider understanding of Covid-19 in addition to their important focus on vaccines.

A student from Jamaica has beaten off the challenge of 40 other hopefuls to win a coveted, full £20k scholarship to study at Swansea University.

A leading Swansea University scientist has been appointed to head a key Government advisory committee by Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

New research has revealed more about the impact Covid-19 and lockdown has had on the mental health and wellbeing of people in Wales. 

Swansea University is sponsoring and coordinating one of the main attractions of the online Urdd Eisteddfod-T once again this year, the GwyddonLe, offering a series of live events, resources, and videos of entertaining educational activities for the whole family. 

Swansea University will host a series of events at this year’s Hay Festival, which brings writers and readers together for an inspiring array of conversations, debates, workshops and performances online, from Wednesday 26 May to Sunday 6 June.

A study by researchers from Swansea University shows that conspiracy theories, a distrust in in government and Covid echo chambers are among the factors leading to vaccine delay.  

How does a lone pigeon get back home? Does it choose the fastest, the easiest or the safest route?

Scientists at SPECIFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre, Swansea University, have found a way to replace the toxic, unsustainable solvents currently needed to make the next generation of solar technology.

Two academics from Swansea University are among the latest recipients of the Learned Society of Wales’ medals, announced at the Society’s AGM on Wednesday, 19th May.

A group of Swansea University students has written this year’s Peace and Goodwill Message, which focuses on equality for women and girls.

A team of Welsh academics has developed a new method of supporting health professionals to make clinical decisions about people who may be at risk of taking their own lives.

Swansea University’s Oriel Science is back with a new exhibition venue in the heart of Swansea city centre and will open its doors on Saturday 22nd May.

Swansea University’s MSc in Cyber Security has received official certification for its quality from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), which is part of GCHQ and is the UK’s leading expert body in the field.

A digital collection of manuscripts, notebooks and photographs relating to the Welsh writer Dylan Thomas is now available free online, thanks to an international collaboration.

New Yorker Raven Leilani has been awarded one of the world’s largest literary prizes for young writers – the Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize – for her ‘fearless’ debut Luster, a provocatively page-turning and painfully funny novel about what it means to be a black millennial woman in America.

Swansea University is playing a leading role in a new UK-wide consortium to bring together vital mental health data.

The ability to connect and feel a sense of belonging are basic human needs but new Swansea University research has examined how these are determined by more than just our personal relationships.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has announced that Professor Michael McNamee of Sport and Exercise Sciences has been appointed as Chair of WADA’s ethics expert advisory group  

Technocamps, a Swansea University outreach project, is supporting children across Wales who don’t have internet access by producing 3,000 activity workbooks and resources so they can work at home on STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) if their school is closed because of COVID-19.

A Swansea University professor has taken part in research that shows one in nine adults consistently had very poor or deteriorating mental health during the first six months of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Swansea University scientists have uncovered potentially dangerous chemical pollutants that are released from disposable face masks when submerged in water.

Enterprising students earned a major boost for their business ideas at the University’s annual Big Pitch Competition, sponsored by Santander Universities.

A Swansea University graduate hopes her new children’s book will be the first in a series of resources aimed at taking young readers on sensory journey. 

A Swansea University bioscientist has taken part in research which has shed new light on the impact of humans on Earth’s biodiversity. 

The finalists for the annual Best Practice Awards have been announced today by work-life balance charity Working Families 

A new interactive website has been launched to help voters in the upcoming Senedd election identify how their policy preferences line up with the stances of political parties and candidates.

Ten Swansea University academics are among the new entrants to the Learned Society of Wales’ Fellowship.

Swansea University is celebrating a landmark 50,000 journeys being made by the Santander Cycles bike share scheme – proving how the scheme has gone from strength to strength in the city since its launch in 2018.

As the Tafwyl festival celebrates its fifteenth anniversary this year, Swansea University's Academi Hywel Teifi will be sponsoring the festival's Llais (Voice) platform once again, and will present a series of virtual literary events for people of all ages. 

A Swansea University historian has been shortlisted for the Wolfson History Prize 2021, the UK’s most prestigious history writing prize, which celebrates the best historical non-fiction titles from the past year and carries a £40,000 prize.

A Swansea University lecturer’s latest book was not only a labour of love but also a chance to pay tribute to the man who inspired his passion for the game of cricket.

A Swansea University academic who helped pioneer engaging ways of teaching science remotely during the pandemic has been honoured by the Royal Society of Biology.

A Swansea University Senior Research Software Engineer has been awarded the first Fellowship offered by the Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) in Research Software Engineering.

Physicists from Swansea University are part of an international research collaboration which has identified a new technique for testing the quality of quantum correlations.

The first event of the DataAid programme saw 25 PhD students, including 9 from Swansea University, work together with three UK charities to solve real-world data problems. The charities involved were The Fairtrade Foundation, The Diana Award and Chance to Shine. 

Shielding vulnerable people has been central to the response to COVID-19, but how well does it work?   A Swansea University research team are to examine the evidence, to see what lessons can be learned for the future.  

A Swansea University academic has received an Outstanding Contribution award in recognition of his work in supporting the United Kingdom Advising and Tutoring Association (UKAT).

Swansea University physicists, as leading members of the ALPHA collaboration at CERN, have demonstrated laser cooling of antihydrogen atoms for the first time. The groundbreaking achievement produces colder antimatter than ever before and enables an entirely new class of experiments, helping scientists learn more about antimatter in future.

Every year, an estimated four percent of the world's vegetated land surface burns, leaving more than 250 megatons of carbonized plants behind. 

New research finds no cases of a rare blood disorder have been identified in the COVID-19 vaccinated population of Wales.

Swansea University has welcomed a trio of new staff as the countdown continues to the launch of its first pharmacy programme in September.

Increased global temperatures help invasive species establish themselves in ecosystems, new research led by a Swansea University bioscientist has shown. 

A Swansea University student is one of only four students nationwide who has secured a grant of £10,000 after taking part in a new personal and professional development learning initiative.

The shortlist for one of the world’s largest literary prizes for young writers – the Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize – is announced today, featuring a raft of bold new voices that challenge expectations in a compelling exploration of survival, identity, belonging and what it means to be ‘other’ in our world today.

Swansea University has been awarded £4.8m UK Government funding for cutting-edge equipment to manufacture silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductor devices that will create more efficient power electronics for homes, transportation and industry, and help to deliver on the nation’s net zero ambitions.

A Swansea University research team have launched a new digital platform that will transform the way supply chains operate within the manufacturing industry.

A team of researchers at Swansea University are calling on members of the public to complete a survey about their experiences of wearing face masks during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Researchers from Swansea University have developed a unique device that can detect COVID-19 in common wastewater.

A supercomputer that can perform 15,000 trillion operations per second, making it 15,000 times more powerful than a desktop PC, is to be installed at Swansea University, where it will support research on artificial intelligence (AI) in fields from engineering to medicine.   

Swansea University’s Fulton House will be lit up in yellow on Tuesday 23 March as part of a national day to remember those who have died during the Covid-19 pandemic and to support those who've been bereaved. 

Three of the shortlisted entries for this year’s St David Awards, the national awards of Wales, involve Swansea University.  

An online digital archive containing material documenting hundreds of people’s experiences of Covid-19 will be launched at Swansea University on March 23 – the anniversary of the first UK lockdown. 

Swansea University is to dedicate £1.5 million in extra funding to three initiatives that will help to maintain capacity and aid wider economic recovery in the context of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.  

Life science experts from Swansea University are looking forward to playing a key role in plans to forge even closer links between Wales and Ireland.

23rd - 25th March 2021

The Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research (CADR) will be welcoming academics, professionals and the public to its first Zoom conference to coincide with the anniversary of the start of national lockdown.

Triggers for self-harm and poor mental health are aggravated by pandemic restrictions, according to experts.

A bunch of amateur gardeners from across the UK is needed for a new research project, involving Swansea University, which looks at the benefits of growing plants, volunteering and online communities – and NHS hospitals will end up blooming from it too.

Researchers from Swansea University are part of a project to trial a new method of measuring tidal currents which could revolutionise the marine renewables industry. 

Welsh Government, Pfizer, Swansea University and Life Sciences Hub Wales have all signed a ground-breaking charter that reflects their shared beliefs in driving the adoption and delivery of Value-Based Health Care in Wales. 

Work has begun to create £2.1 million state-of-the-art facilities for Swansea University’s new pharmacy courses.

The impact of Covid restrictions on prisoners and prisons is to be examined in a new Swansea-led research project, which has been awarded £251,240 by the Economic and Social Research Council, to see what lessons can be learned.

New Swansea University research is examining the impact Covid-19 is having on the physical activity, mental health and wellbeing of children in Wales.

The author of a new report commissioned by the Welsh Government’s Minister for Mental Health, Wellbeing and Welsh Language has made 12 policy recommendations to the Welsh Government to address the second homes crisis in Wales and its impact on Welsh speaking communities.

Swansea University is giving its backing to the UK’s first ever Food Waste Action Week.

The Right Honourable Mark Drakeford MS, First Minister of Wales, today (Friday, 26 February) officially opened Swansea University’s Morgan Advanced Studies Institute (MASI) during a virtual ceremony.

A Swansea University scientist’s research into the geometrical characteristics of a physical theories is highlighted in a new paper.

Personality has been described in all sorts of animal species, from ants to apes. Some individuals are shy and sedentary, while others are bold and active. Now a new study published in Ecology and Evolution has revealed that the way a fish swims tells us a lot about its personality.

Academics from Swansea University are part of an international study exploring the impact of Covid-19 governmental responses on vulnerable groups.

New research by Swansea scientists in collaboration with scientists at the University of Bristol and the Francis Crick Institute in London has indicated that consuming a diet high in the sugar fructose might prevent the proper functioning of peoples’ immune systems in ways that has, until now, largely been unknown.

Patients at a west Wales hospital have been given a helping hand to stay in touch with loved ones by Swansea University nursing students.

Swansea University is looking for volunteers from South Wales to be part of vital research into how an over-the-counter nasal spray could help protect against Covid-19.

A major European grant has been awarded to partners in Ireland and Wales, including Swansea University, to research the development of oats as a climate-resistant crop and a healthy food product.

Swansea University paramedic students have received their coronavirus vaccine as they continue to work on the NHS frontline.

Hywel Francis, adult educator, historian, activist and parliamentarian, who has died at the age of 74, is mourned by his innumerable friends within and beyond Swansea University.

The Coleg Cymraeg has appointed five new ambassadors from Swansea University for 2021 to encourage more prospective students to take an interest in Welsh-medium higher education.

People with asthma in Wales’s most deprived areas are 50% more likely to be admitted to hospital and to die from asthma compared with those in the least deprived areas, a new five-year study of over 100,000 people has revealed.

More than half of people who had to self-isolate felt it negatively affected their mental health with more than a quarter saying it negatively affected their income, Swansea University research has revealed.

Swansea University is spearheading the fight against online child sexual exploitation after securing major funding for an innovative new project focused on online child sexual grooming.

A new joint project that aims to support students experiencing loneliness and isolation has been launched by Swansea University and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD).

Professor David Ford, Director of the Population Data Science Group at Swansea University, has been recognised amongst the most influential people in data and analytics in the 2021 edition of the DataIQ 100.

A collaboration between researchers at the Energy Safety Research Institute at Swansea University and cement producer Hanson UK has seen the installation of a new green hydrogen demonstration unit at the company’s Regen GGBS plant in Port Talbot, South Wales.

Swansea University's Academi Hywel Teifi is calling on students who want to study for a postgraduate research degree through the medium of Welsh to apply for a new scholarship in memory of Professor Hywel Teifi Edwards.

Low-income mothers feminize their children in the womb by adjusting their hormones, whereas high-income mothers masculinize their children, a major study based on finger length, led by a Swansea University expert, has found.

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has announced that the Hillary Rodham Clinton Global Challenges programme at Swansea University has been extended to a further five scholars.

Cardiac patients who also have diabetes will be able to do their rehabilitation exercises more safely, thanks to the world’s first guidance on the subject, which has been published by international experts including a Swansea University academic.  

As the pandemic continues to dominate our lives, people are being asked to share their experiences as part of ongoing research into how the Welsh are coping with coronavirus.

How to study the stages children go through as they play together has been highlighted in new research by a Swansea University academic.

Year 7 pupils at two local schools have been encouraged to read and boost their literacy during lockdown, thanks to a Swansea University project.

New research by Swansea University scientists found that boat ramps facilitate the dispersal of the highly invasive zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha). To contain the dispersion of this invasive species Dr Marta Rodriguez-Rey and co-authors suggest in the new study, that strict control measures and target monitoring around boat ramps should be implemented.

Millions of students around the world could benefit if their educators adopted a more flexible and practical approach, say Swansea University experts.

A Swansea University researcher is appealing for Welsh volunteers to share their memories of past disasters for a new study that will look at how these memories are processed by people living in Wales and in France.

Swansea University sleep expert Mark Blagrove is hosting special event to commemorate a significant moment in the history of dream analysis.

Swansea University and Faradair Aerospace are to expand their relationship with the British company’s commitment to bring back large-scale aircraft production to the UK and deliver 300 home-designed, sustainable aircraft for regional air mobility and special missions by 2030.

Rugby coach Tirion Thomas was delighted to be honoured for her dedication to sport but now she enjoys preparing for her future career just as much as for the next match.

The ability of some cobras to spit their venom, unique amongst snakes, evolved as a defence mechanism to inflict pain rather than to catch prey, new research involving a Swansea University expert has revealed.

A brain pressure disorder that especially affects women, causing severe headaches and sometimes permanent sight loss, has risen six-fold in 15 years, and is linked to obesity and deprivation, a new study by Swansea University researchers has shown.

Scientists who highlighted the bug-busting properties of bacteria in Northern Irish soil have made another exciting discovery in the quest to discover new antibiotics.

The international longlist for one of the world’s largest literary prizes for young writers – the Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize – is announced today, featuring a record number of nine debut writers.

Researchers from Swansea University have been commissioned by the Senedd to explore people’s experiences of being contacted by Test, Trace, Protect (TTP) and told to self-isolate.

The Copperopolis project, which is at the heart of regenerating Hafod-Morfa copper works, has been selected as an example of how universities across Wales are working with their communities, creating social and economic benefits.

The EU-Funded ASTUTE 2020 operation based at Swansea University has provided industrial Research, Development, and Innovation (RD&I) support to help Brother Industries (U.K) Ltd. produce their first Brother branded toner cartridge manufactured from recycled materials recovered from End of Life products.

A Swansea University researcher has received international recognition for his work in the field of industrial decarbonisation.

Active Buildings, which generate, store and release their own solar energy, are to be constructed in India, helping some of the 600,000 villages in the country struggling with electricity supply.

A Swansea University project has won funding to investigate the use of alcohol among people from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller backgrounds.

Researchers at Swansea University are developing the world’s first smart vaccine device that will both deliver the COVID-19 vaccine and measure its efficacy through monitoring the body’s associated response.

New research from Swansea University suggests that a simple nurse- or carer-led medicines’ monitoring system can help reduce medication-related illness for people living in residential care homes – and the process takes just a few minutes per patient.

Two Swansea University courses are among the first postgraduate qualifications to be awarded accreditation by the Royal Geographical Society.

Professor Gert Aarts FLSW, of Swansea University's Physics Department, has been appointed as Interim-Director of the European Centre for Theoretical Studies in Nuclear Physics and Related Areas (ECT*).

A new review by Swansea University reveals there is widespread belief around the world in a teaching method that is not only ineffective but may actually be harmful to learners.