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In celebration of our bicentenary, the latest edition of our magazine features the inspiring students, staff and alumni that have made an impact over the past 200 years. Meet award-winning Hollywood star and alumnus Benedict Cumberbatch as he chats about his university days, learn more about the Manchester pioneers who have fought for equality through the ages, and discover the incredible alumni featured in the Bicentenary Way installation.

Foreword

Michael Wood / 200 years of The University of Manchester

Feature

Nancy Rothwell / Manchester. Always The University of Manchester

Feature

Then, now and next / Manchester pioneers making their mark

Feature

Reckoning with our past / Exploring the University's historic links to the slave trade

Feature

2024: A vintage year / Celebrating anniversaries

Feature

Bicentenary Way / A celebration of Manchester's finest

Opinion

A future perspective / Energy

Feature

The Global Development Institute / What is its role in the 21st century?

Feature

Benedict Cumberbatch / Owens Park to Oscar nominee

Summer 2023

Foreword

Nancy Rothwell / Celebrating our University values

Feature

Manchester Museum / Inclusivity and cultural understanding

Feature

Student entrepreneurs / Innovation for good

Feature

Chrissie Wellington OBE / Champion of courage

Feature

Manchester firsts / Transforming the Parkinson's prognosis

Feature

Nazir Afzal OBE / Made in Manchester

Feature

UK-Med / 30 years of humanitarian aid

Feature

Global Manchester / Building cancer partnerships in Kenya

Feature

Ella Podmore MBE / Engineering change for women in science

Opinion

The RoundView / Climate change education

Picture

Lessons from a life in sport/ Chrissie Wellington OBE

Summer 2022

Foreword

Nancy Rothwell / Together, we make an impact

Feature

The Paterson Building/ A bold future for cancer research

Feature

Gareth Owen / A man on a mission

Feature

Artificial intelligence / Putting the human back into the algorithm

Picture

Gift of Time / Lemn Sissay

Picture

Jodrell Bank/ The First Light Pavilion has landed

Feature

Making a difference / Greater Manchester graduates

Feature

Black Excellence Network / Inspiring the Black leaders of tomorrow

Feature

Research with impact / Solving the world's most urgent problems

Feature

Students securing justice / The Innocence Project

Feature

Lemn Sissay / Lemn's legacy

Picture

A local artist's thoughts / Bex Mamo on Lemn Sissay

Opinion

Promoting fair and equitable access to medicines / Professor Anthony Green

Feature

The British Pop Archive / A real pop-portunity

Spring 2021

Foreword

Nancy Rothwell / Global challenges, Manchester solutions

Feature

Written in – and for – the stars / Ben Elton

Feature

Rethinking productivity / The Productivity Institute

Feature

Countering the cost of conflict / Northern Uganda

Feature

For health, equality and sustainability / Delivering the UN SDGs

Feature

Driving sustainability/ Graphene start-ups

Feature

Inspiring real change / Online and blended learning

Opinion

What did biotechnology ever do for us? / Professor Rob Field

Feature

Fighting back against COVID-19 / The Manchester response

Feature

Opening up the universe / The search for extra-terrestrial life

Feature

Recovery from brain haemorrhage / Improving chances

Opinion

Mind the gap / Professor Richard Jones

Illustration of Hamied Haroon

Opinion

A wake-up call on inequality / Bridget Byrne

Feature

Communities as a local asset / Fundamental volunteers

Picture

Manchester Guardian bicentenary / New exhibition

Picture

Dr Catherine Chisholm / Paediatrics pioneer

Feature

Tutoring the next generation / The Tutor Trust

Autumn 2019

Foreword

Nancy Rothwell and Luke Georghiou / Innovation at our heart

Feature

Creative Manchester / Music for the speed of light

Photo of Professor Camden Reeves, surrounded by musical instruments

Feature

Sarah Cartmell / A materials world

Photo of Professor Sarah Cartmell, stood in a labratory

Opinion

Patsy Perry / Cost of fashion

Illustration of Dr Patsy Perry, Senior Lecturer in Fashion Marketing and Retail, School of Natural Sciences

Feature

Cancer / Power couple

Photo of Dr Philip and Professor Emma Crosbie sat on a bench in Brunswick Park

Feature

Jodrell Bank / World Heritage

Lovell Telescope, Jodrell Bank Observatory

Feature

Poetry / Manchester Lens

The vaulted ceiling of The John Rylands Library

Opinion

Francesca Gains / Diversity and devolution

Illustration of Francesca Gains, Professor of Public Policy

Feature

Immunity / Lydia Becker Institute

3d illustration of cells

Feature

Stellify / Period poverty

Photo of university students India Burgess, BA History, and Gabriella Hartfield, LLB Law

Picture

Global inequalities / After Maria

Panels from graphic novella, After Maria: Everyday Recovery from Disaster

Feature

Graphene / Smarter roads

Photo of tarmac with large capital letter G

Feature

Enterprise / Invisible Manchester

Photo of Danny, one of Manchester's Invisible tour guides

Picture

Equity and Merit / Tackling urbanisation

Photo Ntigulirwa Marie Amelie, MSC in Global Urban Development and Planning, stood next to the School of Architecture and Built Environment in Rwanda

Feature

Anthony Burgess / Realising a vision

Photo of Anthony Burgess's writing desk, on top of the desk sits a typewriter, pair of glasses, ash-tray and some of his written work

Picture

Ellen Wilkinson / Firing up social change

Hand-drawn illustration of Ellen Wilkinson, leading a march with a large banner behind her, with the words 'Jarrow Crusade' in bold letters.

Opinion

Hamied Haroon / Social identity

Illustration of Hamied Haroon

Feature

Luke Collinson / Tenacity to succeed

Photo of Luke Collinson holding his award for undergraduate of the year

Summer 2019

Foreword

Nancy Rothwell and James Thompson / Social responsibility at our core

Opinion

Jen O’Brien / Empowering students

Illustration of Jen O'Brien

Feature

School governors / Making a difference in schools

Stephen Gabriel, headteacher

Feature

Stellify / Their time

Stellify students

Feature

Social Development Goals / Answering the world’s call

Bertrand Taithe, Director of the Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute and Professor of Cultural History

Feature

Vaskar Saha / Taking on the challenge

Professor Vaskar Saha

Feature

Windfarms / Blowing in the right direction

Wind turbine

Feature

David Olusoga / History through a different lens

Professor David Olusoga

Picture

Purple Wave / The extra mile

Thousands of staff, students and alumni together in a ‘Purple Wave’ for the Simplyhealth Great Manchester Run, raising money for good causes.

Opinion

James Mason / Net zero

Illustration of James Mason

Feature

Campus Masterplan / Building better futures

David Seville

Feature

Public contributors / Shaping Manchester’s work

member of the public, contributing to The University of Manchester’s research

Feature

MIF / Futures in creativity

Students standing in the sunshine in Manchester city centre

Feature

Roy Conway / Inspiring by example

Roy Conway

Feature

Shaping the future / Health care in Rwanda

Olivier Ndahiriwe, studying his master’s in Clinical Immunology at The University of Manchester

Feature

Dams / Powering development

Image of a dam

Feature

IntoUniversity / Helping the next generation

high school students

Opinion

Simon Ross / Manchester University Press

Illustration of Simon Ross

Picture

Sir William Arthur Lewis / Development done differently

Illustration of Arthur Lewis

Spring 2019

Foreword

Dame Professor Nancy Rothwell / Placing Manchester at the heart of our University

Opinion

Kirk Malone / Future for plastics?

Illustration of Kirk Malone

Feature

Graham Lord / A healthier Manchester

Photo of Professor Graham Lord

Feature

Chester Zoo / Placements that protect

Image of zeal of zebras

Feature

Maxine Peake / Fearless creator

Maxine Peake

Feature

Bone bricks / Rebuilding bodies

Professor Paulo Bartolo and Dr Glenn Cooper

Feature

Between the lines / World War I remembrance

Fifty drama students in the University’s Old Quadrangle in remembrance of those who fought in World War I

Feature

Peterloo / Remembering the fight

Historical artefacts from the Peterloo Massacre

Picture

Lasting legacy / Urban regeneration

Painting at GT Blagg, West Didsbury, by Mateus Bailon.

Feature

Storytelling / Public engagement

University of Manchester scientists recount the moments that have challenged and driven them at an inspiring event in Manchester’s city centre.

Feature

Protons / Fighting against cancer

Karen Kirkby, Professor of Proton Therapy Physics at the University

Opinion

Neil Allen / Care home consent

Neil Allen

Feature

ScienceX / Science and engineering festival

Young people at ScienceX

Feature

Today’s winner / Tomorrow’s research stars

University of Manchester undergraduate Amelia Halls

Feature

Age-friendly cities / Manchester’s challenge

Elderly Manchester resident

Picture

Sir John Charnley / Medical pioneer

Illustration of Sir John Charnley

Autumn 2018

Foreword

Dame Professor Nancy Rothwell / Demonstrating the value of our university

Opinion

Mark Corbett / A catalyst for cleaner growth

Illustration of Mark Corbett

Feature

Social Responsibility / Local, national, international

Social Responsibility / Local, national, international landmarks

Feature

Rosie Garland / A novel approach

Rosie Garland in John Rylands Library

Picture

Jodrell bank / Art piece

American artist Addie Wagenknecht

Feature

Graphene / A runaway success

Fellrunner wearing Graphene trainers

Feature

Energy / Joined-up thinking

Radiator

Feature

Smart screens / Aiding sleep

Woman using smartphone in the dark

Picture

Social justice / Picture competition

Social justice challenges captured in pictures

Opinion

David Hulme / The changing face of poverty and inequality

Illustration of David Hulme

Picture

The Baby / #MadeAtUni

Tom Kilburn and Geoff Tootill in front of 'the baby' computer

Opinion

Elaine Ferneley / The age of digital and blended education

Illustration of Elaine Ferneley

Summer 2018

Foreword

Dame Professor Nancy Rothwell / Importance of reputation

Feature

Creative Manchester / Hive of creativity

A bee on a flower

Feature

Culture / The Manchester way

Esme Ward

Feature

Dental health/ Students making a difference

Illustration of smiling mouths

Feature

Fighting for justice / Legal students' success

Student volunteers at the University's Legal Advice Centre

Feature

Parental leave / Shaping the future

Parents and their two children standing in a garden

Picture

Christabel Pankhurst / Queen of the Mob

Illustration of Christabel Pankhurst

Opinion

Bina Agarwal / Everydayness of harassment

Illustration of Bina Agarwal

Feature

Reaching further / Widening participation

Photo of Ilyas Nagdee

Feature

Lung cancer / Scans during the weekly shop

Shopping list

Picture

HV Lab / 60 electrifying years

High voltage Tesla coil

Picture

Purple Wave / Staff runners make a splash

University staff running at the Great Manchester Run

Opinion

Anna Scaife / Football and data science

Illustration of Anna Scaife

Picture

NHS 70 / Our part in a proud story

Timeline of the University's role in the history of the NHS

Spring 2018

Foreword

Dame Professor Nancy Rothwell / The value of universities to society

Feature

Power of learning / International success for our undergraduate

Farhana Choudhury

Feature

Change-makers / How students are helping our outreach work

Letitia Budu

Opinion

Joseph Lampel / Creating a culture for breakthrough innovations

Opinion

Alexander Baratta / Let’s talk about accent

Feature

Manchester, UNESCO City of Literature / A look at the University’s role

Tim Price

Feature

Driving force / How will future cars be powered?

Electric car at charging station

Feature

Making a Difference / a poem by Lemn Sissay

Lemn Sissay

Opinion

Vidyadhar Peesapati / Expecting more from electrical infrastructure

Vidyadhar Peesapati

Feature

Preventing stillbirth / Pioneering research giving parents hope

Picture of baby's hand

Feature

Alan Turing / 80 years since a heroic enigma joined us

Alan Turing

Autumn 2017

Foreword

Dame Professor Nancy Rothwell / Our commitment to widening participation

Feature

A vast cosmic arena / Daleks, deep space and distant galaxies

Jodrell bank

Feature

Lighting the way / University initiatives helping to widen participation

Light bulbs

Opinion

Iain Buchan / Time to address the north-south health divide

Iain Buchan

Feature

A man of the city / When it comes to Manchester, it’s personal

Sir Howard Bernstein

Feature

Research / Propelling the aviation industry towards hypersonic speeds

Airplane flying across the sky above skyscrapers

Feature

A bright future in The Works / Previously homeless people tell their story

Frezghi Teklemichael

Opinion

Ajmal Hussain / Radicals with a cause? Young Muslims and the underbelly of the city

Ajmal Hussain

Feature

Be // Longing / Raising the curtain on Manchester Migration Lab

Dr Cathy Wilcock

Picture

Equity and Merit / Scholarship student becomes Rwanda’s youngest ever government minister

Jean de Dieu 'Jado' Uwihanganye

Picture

Heritage / Lost Turing letters give unique insight into his academic life prior to death

Alan Turing letters

Opinion

Andrew Hosty / A materials renaissance to spark disruption

Andrew Hosty

Picture

Rutherford / Splitting the atom and saving lives

Illustration of Ernest Rutherford

Summer 2017

Foreword

Dame Professor Nancy Rothwell / Explaining our University's finances

Feature

Defending the bee / The emblem of Manchester

University beekeepers maintaining one of two urban beehives on top of the Rutherford Building on campus

Feature

Artist fellowship / Giving a voice to the oppressed

Silvanos Mudzvova

Opinion

Gunn Grande / Putting the spotlight on the invisible workforce of family carers

Gunn Grande

Feature

Social responsibility / Big numbers, real lives

Alvin Bell

Feature

Energy / Getting graphic: Bioenergy for the future

Page from bioenergy graphic novel

Feature

Research / Sustaining our future

Illustration of two different interpretations of a future city

Opinion

Tom Arnold / A ‘Metrolink Mayor’?

Tom Arnold

Feature

Research / Cleaner water, bluer skies

View of city from aeroplane in flight

Feature

God particle / The physicist, the rabbi and the quest to understand the universe

Dr Justin Evans

Opinion

Lynne Bianchi / Inspiring the engineers of the future

Lynne Bianch

Feature

Citizen science / Understanding allergies

Dandelion seed head

Picture

Manchester / #weloveManchester

we love MCR graphic

Spring 2017

Foreword

Dame Professor Nancy Rothwell / An international city and university

Feature

Research / Wealth of experience

Co-researchers walking through Alexandra Park

Feature

Teaching / Sparks and explosions

Sparks

Feature

Innovation / Doing things differently

Manchester

Feature

Our inspiring scholars / A journey of discovery

Andrew Amara shows a local child how to build in Nabweru

Feature

Opinion / Impact of US politics

American flag / Donald Trump

Feature

Social responsibility / Real lives, inspiring women

Rhys Archer

Picture

Anthony Burgess / Slovos and warbles

An ashtray shaped as a cog with a single cigar smouldering on its edge

Feature

Advanced materials / Big business, global solutions

Dr Andrew Hosty

Winter 2016

Foreword

Dame Professor Nancy Rothwell / A global reputation

Feature

Research / Making history in health care

Busy hospital corridor

Feature

Research / The man who is building a brain

Steve Furber standing in front of a wall of computers

Opinion

David Allison / Spreading the word, not the worry

David Allison

David Allison

Feature

Global inequalities / Born unequal

Newborn baby on scales

Feature

ESOF 2016 / Science as revolution

he Lovell Telescope during the bluedot Festival at Jodrell Bank Observatory

Feature

Teaching / A Renaissance in learning

Massacre of the Innocents. Marcantonio Raimondi. ca. 1512–13

Feature

Research / Bring me sunshine

Will Dixon, Professor of Digital Epidemiology in the University’s School of Biological Sciences

Feature

Research / Grown for home

Row of houses and chemistry equipment

Opinion

Sarah Mander / The second 'dash for gas'

Sarah Mander

Picture

Margaret Murray / The Grand Old Woman of Egyptology

The Grand Old Woman of Egyptology

Feature

Winnie Byanyima / We Belong

Winnie Byanyima standing in The University of Manchester's Whitworth Hall

Summer 2016

Foreword

Dame Professor Nancy Rothwell / The value of a university education

Feature

Research / Ahead of the curve

Feature

Cancer / The personal approach

Opinion

Hema Radhakrishnan / Let's make women count in science

Hema Radhakrishnan

Feature

Research / Manchester's mechanical opus

Feature

Michael Wood / A storyteller in China

Feature

Research / Robots doing the dirty work

Feature

Teaching / A tale of two continents

Feature

Research / The gifts of life and learning

Opinion

Jonathan Darling / Housing asylum seekers

Jonathan Darling

Feature

Social responsibility / Governing change in education

Feature

Widening participation / Mapping out futures

Opinion

Julia Segar / Health and social care devolution

Julia Segar

Picture

Desmond Paul Henry / The Picasso of the machine age

Spring 2016

Feature

Jodrell / A journey into the unknown

Foreword

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell / A chance to transform through science

Feature

Powerhouse / Honorary Professor Jim O'Neill

Feature

Research / An education in conservation

Feature

Campus masterplan / A vision of transformation

Feature

Industrial biotechnology / Feed, fuel and heal the world

Opinion

Chris Martin / Sharing can be better

Opinion

Rathaven Gunaratnarajah / Little things make a big difference

Feature

Student experience / Giant steps for student interns

Feature

HCRI / A rare glimpse behind the scenes of a humanitarian crisis

Picture

Beatrice Shilling /
A flaming pathfinder of women's lib

Feature

Outreach / A symphony of science and art

Opinion

Francis Livens / A nuclear future

Clarissa Gabriel

Feature

Student experience / What does it take to be a student of the year?

Winter 2015

Foreword

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell / The spirit of revolution

Feature

Research / Charting a shifting political landscape

Feature

Global inequality / One globe, a world of solutions

Opinion

Clarissa Giebel / How can we improve things for people affected by dementia?

Clarissa Gabriel

Feature

Chancellor Lemn Sissay / Inspire and be inspired

Picture

Mother of the Sea / Research has the power to make lives better – sometimes for an entire nation

Feature

Teaching / An inspiring adventure on campus

Feature

Teaching / Pioneering tomorrow's patient care

Opinion

Kevin Anderson / Climate change: a global cause, an individual's duty?

Feature

Advanced materials / The 2D revolution

Opinion

Tanja R Müller / What can history teach us about migration?