Recent News from 2023

Researchers from the SPECIFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre and COATED M2A programme at Swansea University have collaborated with the University of Bath to make a groundbreaking advancement in thermal storage research, developing a new efficient material that is easily scalable and can be sized and shaped to fit multiple applications.

Eilian Richmond, a PhD student in Creative Writing, has won the 2023 Swansea University Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition.

Swansea University researchers have been taking a closer look at the role prevention can play in improving social care for our most vulnerable.

A collection of lithographs by the acclaimed Welsh artist Ceri Richards, inspired by the poems of Dylan Thomas, have gone on permanent display at Swansea University’s Great Hall.

A new study from Swansea University and the University of Cape Town provides the first documented evidence of a cessation in urban space use by a female baboon after giving birth: another example of how wild animals are adaptively responding to urbanisation.

Swansea University’s Department of Education and Childhood Studies has launched a new Centre for Research into Practice (CRIP) which will help educators enhance their teaching practices.

Swansea academics are playing a key role in exploring how Wales can speed up its transition to net zero and help amend its target to 2035 from 2050.

Swansea University researchers have found that a drug commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes can potentially be used in the treatment of autoimmune disorders.

Swansea University’s commitment to sustainability and minimising waste has been recognised by the Carbon Trust.

Experts from Swansea University and Queen’s University, Belfast have helped to bring life-changing eye care to people with diabetes in Bermuda.

Academic Tom Wilkinson has been honoured for helping to develop inspirational ways of teaching immunology to students during Covid.

Nigerian writer Arinze Ifeakandu has been awarded one of the world’s largest literary prizes for young writers – the Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize – for his ‘exhilarating’ debut God’s Children Are Little Broken Things, a stunning short fiction collection, whose nine stories simmer with loneliness and love, and depict what it means to be gay in contemporary Nigeria.

Dozens of Swansea University staff and students attended a multi-location local litter pick - The Big Clean Up as part of The Big Help Out to mark His Majesty The King's Coronation.

Wales' former Grand Slam-winning captain Ryan Jones has been named as the official ambassador for the Swansea University Swansea Half Marathon, which is set to take place on 11 June 2023.

Bevan Commission host major conference

Born from the ruins of a world in crisis, the NHS is an enduring testament to the extraordinary things that happen when people come together for the common good.

Two Ukrainian students currently studying at Swansea University have attended a reception at the House of Lords, marking one year of a twinning partnership between universities in the UK and Ukraine.

A new research collaboration aimed at accelerating capabilities and improving research on maternal and infant health has received a £1.4 million funding boost.

To celebrate its 10^th year, the Swansea University Science for Schools Scheme (S4) are making all their science content open access to teachers and learners in Wales and around the world.

Women using prescription medicines whilst breastfeeding are often faced with a lack of information.

Swansea has been named the safest city for students in Wales, according to a study by the trusted and independent Complete University Guide (CUG).

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

Swansea University's Big Pitch Competition, sponsored by Santander Universities, recently returned, offering more student entrepreneurs a major boost for their business ideas.

The effectiveness of sport as a tool to tackle youth crime has been analysed by Welsh academics and their findings will now be used to help inform police leaders.

Shielding did not reduce COVID-19 infections in Wales: new study questions benefits of policy for vulnerable people. 

Scientists from Swansea University and the University of Cape Town have tracked social grooming behaviour in wild baboons using collar-mounted accelerometers.

New research examining how the foundational economy can be supported in Wales is helping to inform government policy for the future.

Swansea University has donated more than 600 assorted student nurse uniforms to disadvantaged organisations in sub-Saharan Africa, helping healthcare workers stay safe from contracting transmissible diseases as they provide medical aid for vulnerable patients.

A film for school pupils about ice melt in Antarctica and sea level rise, made by a team involving a Swansea University polar expert, has been awarded the prestigious Silver Publishers Award from the Geographical Association.

Research by Swansea scientists investigating sugars in the blood could lead to more effective testing and earlier diagnoses for prostate cancer – which would save countless men’s lives.

Scientists at the Francis Crick Institute have found that high consumption of a common artificial sweetener, sucralose, lowers activation of T-cells, an important component of the immune system, in mice.

Dr Roberto Angelini has become the latest academic at Swansea University to receive the prestigious Academy of Medical Science Springboard award.

A study by Swansea University has revealed how machine learning can help with the early detection of Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) inflammatory arthritis and revolutionise how people are detected and diagnosed by their GPs.

A high-tech Swansea University initiative to develop specialist virtual reality training for healthcare professionals has secured a major funding boost.

TV and radio broadcaster Owain Wyn Evans has urged a Swansea audience to stay true to themselves and never be afraid of taking risks.

Asim Hafeez, Home Office Director of International, Strategy, Engagement and Devolution, recently returned to his alma mater to share his impressive career journey in the Civil Service with Swansea University students.

The science and art of dreaming, the concussion crisis in sport, and the winning title of this year’s Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize are among the subjects set to delight audiences at the 36th Hay Festival between 25 May - 4 June.

University researchers are seeking participants to complete an online survey which will assist with the most in-depth study to date into how the daily exposure of babies and very young children to digital technologies influences how they speak and interact with others.

A team of Swansea University students who have invented a pump that makes polluted river water safe to drink have reached the grand final of a worldwide design competition, which will take place in Texas in April.

Experts from Swansea and Grenoble have joined forces to develop a practical way to produce green hydrogen using sustainable catalysts.

A new short film showcasing how a Friends and Neighbours community group based in Neath is working positively to mitigate climate change, had its premier to coincide with Earth Hour.

A Swansea University student has collaborated with the Met Office to identify how one of its land surface models can be improved, allowing more accurate projections of future climate-vegetation interactions.

Today, the shortlist for one of the world’s largest literary prizes celebrating young writers – the Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize – is announced, showcasing the breadth and depth of new international writing talent.

Swansea University is one of 32 research organisations across the UK that will benefit from the Economic and Social Research Council’s (ESRC) support through a five-year Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) award of £1.25 million.  

Swansea University has delivered its best-ever performance in a leading global university ranking by subject for the second year in a row.

Swansea University has gained global recognition for the high standard of chemistry education it offers.

Swansea University’s Graduate Support Programme has been shortlisted for HE careers and employability team of the year in the targetjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2023.

Swansea University has been shortlisted in six categories for this year’s WhatUni Student Choice Awards (WUSCAs).

Scientists from Swansea University ‘s Institute for Innovative Materials, Processing and Numerical Technologies (IMPACT) and Japan have been awarded £1.3 million to develop a new “point of care testing” kit that can detect biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease.

New Swansea University research has looked at the long-term environmental impact of different methods to control Japanese knotweed.

Research to tackle gambling harm among Armed Forces veterans has received a major boost with three awards, totalling £1 million, for new projects in the field that involve Swansea University experts.

Swansea University has been awarded a research grant with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Cornell University, sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in a multi-institutional research project.

Swansea University's Katie Harris has been named Careers Information Advice and Guidance Apprentice of the Year at Gower College Swansea's Apprenticeship Awards.

An ITWales event organised by Technocamps to celebrate women in STEM was held on International Women’s Day at Swansea Arena.

Swansea University has established a low-cost and scalable carbon ink formulation capable of unlocking, for the first time, the potential for perovskite solar cells to be manufactured at scale.

A new book by Swansea University sleep expert Mark Blagrove will be launched at a sell-out event later this week.

A population data linkage study using anonymised primary and secondary care health records in Swansea University’s SAIL Databank has revealed that in 2020 and 2021, fewer people in Wales were being diagnosed with long-term conditions than expected.

The Circular Economy Innovation Communities (CEIC) Spring Conference will be held on Friday March, 24  at the Swansea.com Stadium and is an open invitation for environmental champions from throughout South Wales and beyond to discuss how well-designed, incremental efforts can have substantial impact.

Researchers at home and away have joined forces for a new international collaboration with the ultimate aim of improving patient care.

Selenium is a micronutrient that plays an essential role in human health but is toxic at high levels. However, new biomedical research has shown selenium actually has anti-cancer properties when used at high doses.

A new app has been launched aimed at celebrating and highlighting the work of Welsh artist Gwen John.

A host of rare Egyptian antiquities has arrived in Swansea ready to go on display to the public and be studied by University experts for the first time.

New research from Swansea University shows that reducing social media use by 15 minutes a day can significantly improve general health and immune function and reduce levels of loneliness and depression.

Swansea University is set to play a key role in shaping Wales’s manufacturing workforce of the future.

A team of researchers at Swansea University have been awarded £740,000 to develop self-powered and sustainable digital “Internet of Things” technologies to tackle accessibility for older people.

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Germany and Swansea University have revealed how different seabird species use distinct strategies to cope with cyclones, with some flying directly into the storm, and others using avoidance tactics. 

Students from Ukraine, including from Swansea’s partner university in the country, were given an official welcome to Swansea at a reception on campus, where they were addressed by the Vice-Chancellor and Universities UK.

Swansea University has teamed up with an immersive tech firm to create a new virtual reality experience designed to inspire the next generation to pursue a career in STEM subjects.

Swansea University has signed a three-year deal to become the headline sponsor for the multi-award-winning Swansea Half Marathon.

New research has revealed how members of minority ethnic groups in South Wales coped with challenges presented by the Covid pandemic.

Swansea University has achieved its highest ever position in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index, climbing 14 places to overall 12^th in the UK.

Swansea City are teaming up with Swansea University and British Heart Foundation Cymru to show their support for Heart Month this February.

A team from Population Data Science at Swansea University is part of a UK-wide partnership that has secured £2.2 million in support from the Alzheimer’s Disease Data Initiative (ADDI) to help bridge the gap between fundamental discoveries in the lab and successful trials of new treatments for dementia. 

Multiple births, a short interval between pregnancies and mothers with a maternal physical or mental health condition are more at risk of having a low birth rate baby according to Swansea University researchers.   

New research from Swansea University shows that female selfie posting is associated with intimidatory self-presentation strategies, linked to higher levels of aggression.

More babies in Wales will benefit from the arrival of a new electric vehicle to support donor milk collections.

Steel experts have been taking a virtual look inside a shaft furnace, as part of a new project to test how well hydrogen would work as a reductant for steelmaking.  If switching to hydrogen from fossil fuels proves feasible, it would slash the carbon emissions from steelmaking.

Swansea University is the headline sponsor Swansea City Centre Conference & Exhibition 2023, which will return to Swansea Arena on Wednesday March 29, following the success of last year’s conference at the venue.

The 2023 Welsh Varsity tournament will be returning to Cardiff for the first time since 2019 as student teams from Swansea and Cardiff University go head-to-head in its 25^th year.

Academics from Swansea University have received £100,000 in funding to help boost essential evidence and understanding around the importance of creating appropriate, social, sustainable, and resilient neighbourhoods, places, and environments for older adults with hearing loss.

The international longlist for one of the world’s largest literary prizes for young writers – the Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize – is announced today, Thursday 26 January. With authors hailing from the UK, Ireland, Nigeria, Kenya, Somalia, Lebanon and Australia, this year’s longlist of 12 features an even split of debut and established names, with African diaspora and female voices dominating the longlist.

A leading Swansea University scientist has developed a new ‘smart patch’ that can detect proinflammatory biomarkers of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's through the use of microneedle technology.

The future of the research and innovation sector in Wales, including over 240 highly skilled jobs at Swansea University alone, in vital areas from clean energy to medical research, is at risk in the next few weeks, unless the UK Government acts now to replace EU funding, the head of Swansea University has warned.

Swansea University has been named as the only university in Wales to have featured in the first Royal Anniversary Trust report, which outlines an ambitious roadmap for decarbonisation of the tertiary education sector.

A Swansea expert has been awarded first prize at a prestigious international conference for his research on tackling river pollution from disused mines.

Is it acceptable to harm another person? It might depend whether or not there’s a car involved, according to a new study from UK researchers. They showed that people have a shared ‘blind spot’ that can make them use different moral and ethical standards when they think about driving cars, compared to other areas of life.

A pioneering researcher whose work on chest trauma has had a global impact has scored a first-in-Wales appointment.

Dr Muhammad Naeem Anwar, of Swansea University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering, is among the first members of the new UK Young Academy – a network of early career researchers and professionals established to help tackle local and global issues and promote meaningful change.

People who are homeless or precariously housed are to be routinely offered lateral flow tests for hepatitis C, followed by rapid PCR tests to speed up diagnosis and treatment and therefore reduce the risk of transmission.

A group of Swansea law interns have been helping shape the debate around academic integrity by sharing their views with higher education professionals.