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Philosophy, Access and the Performing Arts: a one-day symposium

as0138 — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:00:32 +0000

Philosophy, Access and the Performing Arts: a one-day symposium as0138 Wed, 01/04/2026 - 14:00 News

Saturday 25April 2026, �ۿ۴�ý

Click here to register

Supported by the British Society of Aesthetics and jointly hosted by Guildford School of Acting and the Centre for Translation Studies at the �ۿ۴�ý.

This one-day symposium explores philosophical issues around disability and accessibility in the performing arts. Focused on themes including aesthetic justice and community, cross-modal perception, meaning-making, sensory sensitivity, inclusivity and specific access practices such as audio description, the event brings together philosophers, performing artists and access practitioners.

This event is free to attend but registration is required. Click here to register.

DRAFT PROGRAMME

09.15 – 09.45 Registration and coffee / tea

09.45 – 10.00 Welcome

10.00 – 10.45 Keynote: Rebecca Wallbank (Uppsala University): Aesthetic accessibility: Epistemic biases and pragmatic encroachment

10.45 – 11.15 Coffee / tea

11.15 – 12.45 Session 1: Aesthetic and disability justice

Ager Pérez Casanovas (University of Barcelona): Access as performance: Disability justice, infrastructural activism and aesthetic community

Jingan Chen (Jinan University): Beyond sensory exclusion: Class, aesthetics and accessibility in performing arts

Ess Grange (audio-describer): Dreaming bodies: audio describing for and with improvised performance

Session 2: Theatre industry, casting and training

Maria Oshodi (Extant Theatre Company): The invisible absurd: Presencing the invisible

Jessi Parrott (Independent researcher) and Jamie Hale (CRIPtic Arts, Independent researcher): “An inclusive cast informing the process for an inclusive audience”

Michael Budmani (University of the Arts, Singapore): Reframing the theatre production classroom: Disability and access in contemporary theatre production education

12.45 – 13.45 Lunch

13.45 – 14.30 Keynote: Amelia Lander-Cavallo (Quiplash): Remember who you’re doing this for: Access dramaturgy in integrated audio description

14.40 – 16.10 Session 3: Sensory modalities and sensitivities

Kelsie Acton (Royal Central School of Speech and Drama): Chill aesthetics and aesthetic communities of sensory sensitivity

Shuangshuang Cai (University of Warwick): Transcending sensory boundaries: Physical theatre King Lear as inclusive aesthetic

Victor Durà-Vilà (University of Leeds): Creativity and aesthetic appreciation beyond sight and hearing

Session 4: Movement and dance

Jack McIntosh (Birkbeck, University of London): My hands and feet are wiggling: Austistic poetics and the hidden joys of Stimming

Trupti Panigrahi (Queen Mary University London): Dancing the fine line between inclusion and exclusion: Negotiating disability in Indian classical dances

Arianna Carloni (�ۿ۴�ý): Watching and listening to dance: Audience reception insights into engagement and meaning-making, and their significance for access

16.10 – 16.30 Coffee / tea

16.30 – 17.15 Keynote: Ken Wilder (University of the Arts, London): Blindness arts, ‘bracketing’ and the question of aesthetic autonomy

17.15 – 18.00 Roundtable: Audio description in practice

With Josefa MacKinnon (Royal Shakespeare Company), Jenny Stewart-Cosgrove (Audio describer), Robert Shaughnessy (Guildford School of Acting)

Organising Committee: Sabine Braun (Centre for Translation Studies), Robert Shaugnessy (Guildford School of Acting), Hetty Blades (Falmouth University) and Anna Pakes (University of Roehampton and �ۿ۴�ý)

Prof Sabine Braun

Professor of Translation Studies; Director, Centre for Translation Studies; Co-Director, �ۿ۴�ý Institute for People-Centred AI

Prof Robert Shaughnessy

Director of Research, GSA

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�ۿ۴�ý appoints Professor Emma Flynn as Provost

dn0009 — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:28:01 +0000

�ۿ۴�ý appoints Professor Emma Flynn as Provost dn0009 Wed, 01/04/2026 - 13:28 Press release

Following a rigorous international search, the �ۿ۴�ý is delighted to announce that it has appointed Professor Emma Flynn as its new Provost. Professor Flynn will take up the role on 1 July 2026.

Professor Flynn joins from the University of Warwick, where she served as Provost from 2023 to 2025. During that period, she successfully drove student growth initiatives, led a large change programme integrating research, innovation and education and was academic lead for the philanthropic campaign which secured a number of large bids.

Before joining the University of Warwick, Professor Flynn was Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) at Queen's University Belfast (QUB), where research income grew by 33 per cent and the university climbed from 202nd to 175th in the QS World University Rankings, and was named the most entrepreneurial university for two consecutive years. She also served as QUB's academic lead for the £1 billion Belfast Region City Deal – a major initiative spanning innovation, digital infrastructure, tourism and skills.

Emma brings exactly the experience our University needs at this moment in its development. She has led at the highest levels of UK higher education – driving research performance, establishing and maintaining regional and international relationships, along with demonstrating significant institutional leadership and delivery. She will be taking on a major role in implementing our plans to realise �ۿ۴�ý's Vision 2041 strategy, and I am delighted that we have secured someone of her calibre. Professor Stephen Jarvis, President and Vice-Chancellor

Earlier in her career, Professor Flynn, who is a psychologist by training, held senior leadership positions at Durham University, including Deputy Provost and Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) in the Faculty of Social Sciences, Medicine and Health. She began her academic career at the University of St Andrews.

The �ۿ۴�ý has a clear sense of where it is going and I am excited to be part of delivering that through Vision 2041. �ۿ۴�ý has real strengths – in research, in its relationships with industry and employability, and in the quality of education it provides for its students. I am looking forward to building on those foundations, working with colleagues across the institution as we lead in delivering our academic mission and ambitions. Professor Emma Flynn

Prof Stephen Jarvis

President and Vice-Chancellor

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University Catering Team tackle food waste

cd0049 — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 09:10:54 +0000

University Catering Team tackle food waste cd0049 Wed, 01/04/2026 - 10:10 News

To mark the UN's Zero Waste Day, we’re shining a light on the University Catering Team’s ambitious initiatives to reduce food waste across all campus outlets.

Over 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from food waste. With these emissions increasing global temperature, impacting communities and our natural world, it’s crucial the University takes positive, sustainable action.

In response, the Catering Team have been implementing changes in how they operate to ensure food waste from the University is kept to a minimum.

All catering operations track, monitor and review food waste data to enable more precise ordering of supplies whilst reducing overproduction. Any surplus food is repurposed into soups, salad bar dishes, and main meals. Remaining suitable items are donated to students via the �ۿ۴�ý Students’ Union (SU) Food Share scheme.

Actions taken to avoid overordering and using up food that would have otherwise gone to waste has resulted in the team significantly reducing the amount of food wasted across all catering outlets. The team not only ensures no edible food goes to waste, but their collaboration with the SU also supports students facing food insecurity.

The work our Catering Team are doing to reduce food waste is commendable. They are not only improving the environmental impact of their actions, but are also considering how initiatives implemented can further support the University community Martin Wiles, Head of Sustainability

Since September 2024, the team have also been running Zero Waste Days in campus coffee shops, including Hillside Coffee and The Hideout. The aim is to continue to minimise edible food being unnecessarily wasted, whilst providing affordable food options for staff and students during the cost-of-living crisis.

Depending on availability, products nearing the end of shelf life are reduced to £1.50 or less from 3pm onwards. Zero Waste Days are announced on the team’s social media pages and the �ۿ۴�ý Perks App.

Zero Waste Days have been a great step forward for us. It’s a simple idea, but it’s helping us make better use of the food we have, and it’s been brilliant to see the response from our campus community. Jenny Kelly, Hospitality Outlets Manager

The team aren’t just focused on reducing food waste, but are striving to embed sustainability into all aspects of their operations. They are also ensuring food served on campus supports a healthier community and planet.

Find out more about sustainable catering at �ۿ۴�ý.

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From Stag Hill to global innovation leader: Liben Hailu’s �ۿ۴�ý story

cj0040 — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 13:01:29 +0000

From Stag Hill to global innovation leader: Liben Hailu’s �ۿ۴�ý story cj0040 Tue, 31/03/2026 - 14:01 News

When Liben Hailu arrived at the �ۿ۴�ý in the mid 1980s, he was a young student from Ethiopia adjusting not only to university life, but to a new country, culture and climate. Today, he is Chief Innovation and Operations Officer at Duracell, following a 33-year career at Procter & Gamble and Berkshire Hathaway

Liben Hailu

Graduating with a BEng in Chemical Engineering in 1989, Liben credits �ۿ۴�ý with shaping the way he thinks, not just what he knows: “The chemical engineering training I had at �ۿ۴�ý was foundational.”

Courses in fluid dynamics, thermodynamics and heat transfer didn’t just teach formulas. They taught him how to think. “You learn how things work and why they work,” he reflects. “And when you keep asking why, you clarify problems better. A problem well-defined is a problem half solved.”

That habit of technical curiosity, questioning assumptions and mastering fundamentals, became a defining leadership trait. Today, he laughs that even his family sometimes grows tired of his constant questioning. But in boardrooms and laboratories across the world, his inquiring mind has been one of his greatest strengths.

The power of the sandwich year

One of the most transformative elements of Liben’s �ۿ۴�ý experience was the University’s renowned sandwich placement programme, now called Professional Training Placements.

Spending a year in industry at ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries) near Liverpool gave him exposure to real-world engineering before he had even graduated. “It was phenomenal,” he says. “You don’t only learn about industry during that year, you grow as a person.”

At a time when international travel was far less common than today, some of his peers accepted placements across the globe. This experience broadens perspectives, builds confidence and, for many students, shaped lifelong careers.

For Liben, it confirmed that industry was where he ultimately wanted to make his mark.

From Ethiopia to Guildford

Arriving in Guildford from Ethiopia brought challenges beyond coursework. Transitioning to university is difficult enough; doing so across cultures compounds it.

“There’s the cold weather,” he smiles, “but more than that, it’s understanding cultural norms, not just the language, but how people interact.”

�ۿ۴�ý’s diverse student body helped him find his footing. Surrounded by fellow international students from across Europe, the Middle East and beyond, he quickly realised he wasn’t alone in navigating adjustment.

And there was another, simpler support system: the campus cafeteria.

“I didn’t know how to cook,” he admits. Living in Stag Hill Court, he relied on the student union cafeteria for meals throughout his degree. “It sounds silly, but not having to worry about that made the transition much easier.”

A Cambridge detour and a defining decision

Liben graduated top of his class at �ۿ۴�ý and received a job offer from ICI before completing his final year. But encouraged by inspiring lecturers, including Professor Jonathan Seville, he chose instead to pursue a PhD at the University of Cambridge under the renowned late Professor John Davidson.

It was an extraordinary opportunity. Cambridge deepened his research training and analytical skills. But during his PhD, something shifted.

A visiting speaker described how chemical engineering principles applied to everyday consumer products, from ice cream to household goods. Liben was captivated. “I’d never asked how ice cream was made,” he recalls. “It opened up the world of consumer goods.”

After interviews with Unilever and then Procter & Gamble (P&G), he was struck not just by the technical challenge but by the culture and meritocracy P&G described. He accepted the offer.

That decision launched a 23-year global career spanning Europe, Asia and the United States, across Fabric Care, Home Care, Beauty Care, and Battery sectors, before stepping into senior leadership at Duracell.

Leading across industries

Over three decades, Liben has moved across industries, functions and continents.

“You go into a new sector and you have no clue about the technology, the consumer, the usage,” he says. “You learn from scratch, master it, and then move on.”

That ability to connect ideas across disciplines now defines his innovation philosophy. He believes breakthrough ideas often happen “at the seams”, where chemistry meets physics, where manufacturing meets consumer insight, where one industry’s solution inspires another.

Innovation, to him, is simply “a new way of doing things that creates value.”

Giving back: education as the great equaliser

Liben’s journey from Ethiopia to �ۿ۴�ý, Cambridge and global industry leadership deeply informs his philanthropic work.

A longstanding supporter of educational and community initiatives in both the US and Ethiopia, including organisations such as United Way of Western Connecticut – a charity in the US focused on equity, community and financial security – he believes education is the ultimate equaliser.

“I’m a good example of that,” he reflects. “My education opened doors.”

He now serves on the board of a boarding school in Ethiopia founded to nurture high-potential students from disadvantaged backgrounds. In just a few cohorts, more than 100 students have completed their studies, many progressing to leading global universities.

“The ripple effect,” he says, “is enormous, for individuals, for families, and eventually for the country.”

Mentorship and long-term impact

Throughout his career, mentorship has played a critical role. Early sponsors at P&G helped him navigate complex corporate systems and accelerate his development.

“Mentorship can’t be forced,” he says. “It has to be natural. You need alignment professionally and personally.”

Many of those early mentors remain close friends today, a testament to the lasting power of those relationships.

He now hopes to offer the same guidance to �ۿ۴�ý students, encouraging them not to “sweat it out alone” but to seek mentors who can help them grow.

AI, innovation and the future workforce

As AI reshapes manufacturing, research and product development, Liben sees both immense opportunity and responsibility.

“AI literacy will be a differentiator,” he says. “It increases personal productivity, but its real power comes when it’s integrated structurally into how you work.”

For today’s students, his advice is clear: harness AI ethically, focus on creating value, and combine technological tools with human judgment.

“Channel your efforts into how you create value with these tools,” he advises, “not just using them because everyone else is.”

Why �ۿ۴�ý?

Interestingly, Liben didn’t initially plan to study chemical engineering. He once considered medicine, until a hospital visit convinced him otherwise.

Looking for a course that combined mathematics and chemistry, close enough to London yet intimate in size, �ۿ۴�ý stood out.

He remembers late nights in Stag Hill Court, friends tapping on his window for entry, half pints of lager at the Students’ Union, trips into Guildford, and racing back from London before his unreliable first car’s headlights failed in the dark.

But more than the memories, it was the mindset �ۿ۴�ý gave him that endured.

“The foundation was important,” he says simply.

From Stag Hill to global boardrooms, that foundation continues to shape not only his career, but the many lives he now seeks to impact in return.

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Studying translation in the age of AI: Why and how

as0138 — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 10:47:11 +0000

Studying translation in the age of AI: Why and how as0138 Tue, 31/03/2026 - 11:47 News

The translation industry has long been an early adopter of technology. From electronic dictionaries and language corpora to integrating CAT tools and machine translation into professional practice, translators have worked at the forefront of innovation for decades. Today, however, the conversation about translation and technology feels more polarised than ever. Some predict AI will replace translators altogether. Others argue there has never been a more exciting time to enter the field.

About the event

The human element in the digital age

Despite the hype surrounding AI, critical language tasks continue to depend on expert human judgement. Professional communication in medical care, law, diplomacy and international policy leaves no margin for error. Creative content demands cultural nuance that machines cannot normally achieve. Global product marketing requires sophisticated localisation strategies. And the development of AI language models, too, depends on specialists who understand how language works across contexts and cultures.

Translation has never been simply about converting words from one language to another; today it increasingly involves managing digital workflows, overseeing quality assurance and collaborating effectively with AI systems.

Preparing for a hybrid reality

A recent landmark report by the Chartered Institute of Linguists, the Institute of Translation and Interpreting and the Association of Translation Companies, The strategic case for languages in UK higher education, highlights a growing demand for graduates who understand how language AI works, know where it fails, can use it effectively and ethically, and are prepared for a professional future combining linguistic, technological and management expertise.

As we celebrate the 40^th anniversary of our MA in Translation, we organised an exclusive webinar to explore the skills that will define the next generation of language professionals.

The event examined

Why translation matters more than ever – socially, culturally, economically
The role of AI – how AI is reshaping (but not replacing) the profession
Employer expectations – what skills and profiles industry leaders are looking for
The postgraduate edge – how a Master’s degree equips you for careers in multilingual, communication, localisation, language technology and beyond

Speakers

�ۿ۴�ý hosts

Professor Sabine Braun, Director, Centre for Translation Studies, Co-Director, �ۿ۴�ý Institute for People-Centred Artificial Intelligence
Dr Dimitris Asimakoulas, Deputy Director, Centre for Translation Studies, Postgraduate Programme Director Translation & Interpreting

Speakers

Lucio Bagnulo, Head of Translation and Language Strategy, Amnesty International
Professor Lynne Bowker, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Translation, Technologies and Society at Université Laval
Dr Félix do Carmo, Senior Lecturer in Translation and Natural Language Processing, Lead of Professional Development, Centre for Translation Studies, �ۿ۴�ý
Raisa McNab, Chief Executive, Association of Translation Companies
Dr Joss Moorkens, Associate Professor of Translation Studies, Dublin City University
Dr JC Penet, Reader in Translation Industry Studies and Leading Edge Curriculum Design Fellow, Newcastle University
Sara Robertson, Chief Executive, Institute of Translation and Interpreting
Professor Margaret Rogers, Professor Emerita, Founding Director, Centre for Translation Studies, �ۿ۴�ý
Giulia Tarditi, Head of Function, Localisation at Revolut
John Worne, Chief Executive, Chartered Institute of Linguists
Xiaojie Zhang, Director of Conference Division, International Maritime Organisation

Recording

You can also access slides introducing this event.

Learn more about our postgraduate courses.

Prof Sabine Braun

Professor of Translation Studies; Director, Centre for Translation Studies; Co-Director, �ۿ۴�ý Institute for People-Centred AI

Dr Dimitris Asimakoulas

Deputy Director (Centre for Translation Studies), Director of Studies (Literature and Languages), Programme Leader: MSc AI for Translation and Interpreting Studies; MA Translation & AI; MA Translation, Interpreting & AI; MA Interpreting, Technology & AI

Dr Felix do Carmo

Senior Lecturer in Translation and Natural Language Processing

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AI could undermine meaningful learning unless feedback stays rooted in connection, researchers recommend

vb0027 — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 10:05:43 +0000

AI could undermine meaningful learning unless feedback stays rooted in connection, researchers recommend vb0027 Tue, 31/03/2026 - 11:05 Press release

The rise of generative AI in higher education is reshaping how feedback is delivered, but meaningful learning could be undermined if its use is not carefully guided by principles of care, trust and connection, according to new research led by the �ۿ۴�ý.

Credit: Getty Images

Published in Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, the paper explores how generative AI technologies, including chatbots such as ChatGPT, are transforming feedback for students – highlighting both the opportunities and risks of AI in education. While AI can generate responses at speed and scale, researchers argue it cannot fully replicate the judgement and relationships that make feedback effective.

Instead, they call for a “care-full” approach – one that treats feedback not as a set of comments, but as an ongoing process of dialogue, reflection and growth. Without this, they warn, it risks reducing feedback to a transactional exercise rather than a meaningful part of learning.

There’s a real danger that AI takes us backwards, towards seeing feedback as something we simply ‘give’ to students. Decades of research show that feedback only works when students actively engage with it and make sense of it over time. Professor Naomi Winstone, Professor of Educational Psychology

The paper also finds that while AI-generated feedback can be useful, students tend to place greater trust in feedback from human educators. Human feedback is more likely to be acted upon because it reflects better understanding, empathy and context – qualities AI cannot replicate.

At the same time, the research team note that AI can play a valuable complementary role. For some students, it offers a low-pressure way to explore ideas or seek feedback with reduced fear of judgement. However, over-reliance on AI may reduce meaningful interaction between students and educators and could even exacerbate existing educational inequalities if some students benefit more than others.

The research builds on an international manifesto developed by the team, which sets out ten principles for feedback in the age of AI. These are:

Feedback is a process, not corrective comments
Feedback is a relational practice
Feedback can be messy, uncomfortable, challenging and joyous.
Feedback should be an ethical practice
Feedback should promote learning over time
Feedback and associated technologies should be designed in conversation with learners and educators
Feedback engagement requires time and care
Learning, not technological efficiency or compliance, should drive thinking and decision-making regarding feedback processes
Feedback can be enhanced by digital technologies, but digital technologies do not always enhance feedback
More feedback is not necessarily better for learning

The key question isn’t what AI can do, it’s what it should do. If we want to protect meaningful learning, we need to design feedback around care, trust and relationships, not just speed and scale. Professor Naomi Winstone, Professor of Educational Psychology

To ensure meaningful learning, the authors suggest generative AI should be integrated thoughtfully into education, alongside a continued commitment to “care-full” feedback practices that are continually evaluated and evolved, while upholding equity, professional expertise and connection.

###

Notes to editors

Professor Naomi Winstone is available for interview; please contact mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk to arrange.
The full paper can be found here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/ref/10.1080/02602938.2026.2643333?scroll=top

Prof Naomi Winstone

Professor of Educational Psychology

Higher education Technology

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Solar flare prompts close monitoring of space weather ahead of Artemis II launch

vb0027 — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 09:19:05 +0000

Solar flare prompts close monitoring of space weather ahead of Artemis II launch vb0027 Tue, 31/03/2026 - 10:19 Press release

With NASA preparing for the Artemis II launch (expected tomorrow, 1 April), a strong solar flare earlier this week is putting space weather back into focus - and highlighting the unpredictable risks astronauts could face beyond Earth’s atmosphere.

Credit: Getty Images

Professor Keith Ryden, leader of the Space Environment and Protection research team at the �ۿ۴�ý Space Centre, �ۿ۴�ý, has shared new insights into what this flare means for the mission, and why events like this remain difficult to predict.

His comment also includes historical context from �ۿ۴�ýing Professor at �ۿ۴�ý Space Centre, Clive Dyer, who worked on the Apollo programme.

Professor Keith Ryden

"The Florida weather looks set to be fair for the Artemis II launch, but space weather could still cause some anxious moments; our engineers and scientists at the �ۿ۴�ý Space Centre have been closely monitoring the situation. At 02:47am UTC on Monday, 30 March, the Sun emitted a strong X-class solar flare which lasted an hour. While this flare was not itself a direct hazard to the mission, it reminds us of what could happen.

"We do know that sometimes such flares are accompanied by outbursts of high-energy radiation particles, which can travel near the speed of light and would easily penetrate space vehicle shielding.

"Monday’s flare erupted from a position to the east side of the Sun, but that ‘active region’ is expected to become somewhat more magnetically connected to the Earth and Moon in the coming days as it rotates further around to the west side. This could allow any radiation particles produced to travel more easily towards us. But equally, the active region may just fade away, or a new active region could emerge at any time. At present, we just don’t have the tools to predict what will happen."

In August of 1972, between the launches of the last two Apollo missions (-16 and -17), a major solar storm occurred very unexpectedly. In fact, between 2-11 August, one of the largest solar particle events of the Space Age occurred. Professor Clive Dyer, �ۿ۴�ýing Professor

Professor Keith Ryden

"High energy radiation particles can be a cause of malfunctions in computers and electronics, and they also pose health risks for astronauts. Of course, NASA engineers and mission controllers will have put in place numerous layers of protection, testing and procedures to minimise the risk for this launch. However, each solar event is unique, and ground-based facilities cannot fully replicate the space environment.

"The �ۿ۴�ý Space Centre is currently working with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the UK Space Agency on a new, highly compact High Energy Particle Instrument (HEPI) to measure these high-energy particles. We are already planning for its deployment in lunar orbit as part of the CLAIRE payload on the ESA Volatile Mineralogy Mapping Orbiter (VMMO). By doing this, we aim to better characterise the danger to future lunar bases, as well as to Earth."

Prof Keith Ryden

Head of �ۿ۴�ý Space Centre, Professor in Space Engineering

Prof Clive Dyer

�ۿ۴�ýing Professor

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A simple ECG test could flag racehorses at risk of exercise arrhythmias

dn0009 — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 08:03:19 +0000

A simple ECG test could flag racehorses at risk of exercise arrhythmias dn0009 Tue, 31/03/2026 - 09:03 Press release

A quick heart trace taken during a warm-up trot could identify racehorses at risk of cardiac arrhythmias during high-intensity exercise, according to a new study led by the �ۿ۴�ý.

The screening method analyses short, routine electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings that could be used to help prevent cardiac events in otherwise healthy horses, where no obvious signs of arrhythmia have been detected.

Researchers from the �ۿ۴�ý, the University of Minnesota, Rossdales Veterinary Surgeons and Wisconsin Equine Clinic have utilised an AI-system (previously developed at the �ۿ۴�ý) that measures any “disorderliness” of the heart’s electrical signal. The team’s AI can distinguish horses likely to develop premature beats at peak exercise using only short ECG recordings taken at rest or light exercise – when heart rates sit between 60 and 100 beats per minute.

Published in Scientific Reports, the study recorded ambulatory ECGs from 110 US-based Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses during routine training. The team used 60-second ECG segments from each of the horses and tested six different algorithms across multiple heart rate ranges and signal features. The best-performing algorithm achieved an area under the curve of 0.86 – well above the 0.5 that would indicate chance – in distinguishing horses with exercising arrhythmias from those without.

Critically, the test was shown to be highly effective at ruling out horses that are not at risk. Horses that screen positive could then be referred for a full exercising ECG to confirm the type and severity of any arrhythmia.

What this work shows is that we can pick up warning signs for more impactful rhythm disturbances from a simple, short heart recording taken before the horse ever reaches peak intensity. Instead of waiting for an arrhythmia to appear, we can flag at-risk horses during a routine warm-up and support closer monitoring of these horses during exercise. Professor Kamalan Jeevaratnam, Head of School of Veterinary Medicine, Professor in Clinical Physiology

Cardiac arrhythmias are extremely common in athletic horses. Most are harmless, but in some severe cases, they can lead to poor athletic performance, collapse or life-threatening cardiac episodes. The challenge is identifying which horses are at risk.

Currently, this involves monitoring ECGs during high-intensity exercise, but earlier identification of those horses at greater risk can support more informed monitoring and management – helping to improve safety and welfare on and off the racecourse.

The study builds on previous work by the Jeevaratnam group demonstrating that similar complexity-based ECG analysis can detect paroxysmal atrial fibrillation – the most common sustained arrhythmia in both horses and humans. The two methods work at different heart rate ranges, meaning vets could potentially screen for both conditions within a single diagnostic session conducted at low exercise intensity.

The research was funded by the Grayson Jockey Club Foundation and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Impact Acceleration Award to the �ۿ۴�ý.

###

Notes to editors

Professor Jeevaratnam is available for interview; please contact mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk to arrange.

Prof Kamalan Jeevaratnam

Head of School of Veterinary Medicine, Professor in Clinical Physiology

Veterinary medicine and science Research

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Studying translation in the age of AI: Why and how

co0017 — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 16:24:12 +0000

Studying translation in the age of AI: Why and how co0017 Mon, 30/03/2026 - 17:24 News

About the event

The human element in the digital age

Preparing for a hybrid reality

As we celebrate the 40^th anniversary of our MA in Translation, we organised an exclusive webinar to explore the skills that will define the next generation of language professionals.

The event examined

Why translation matters more than ever – socially, culturally, economically
The role of AI – how AI is reshaping (but not replacing) the profession
Employer expectations – what skills and profiles industry leaders are looking for
The postgraduate edge – how a Master’s degree equips you for careers in multilingual, communication, localisation, language technology and beyond

Speakers

�ۿ۴�ý hosts

Professor Sabine Braun, Director, Centre for Translation Studies, Co-Director, �ۿ۴�ý Institute for People-Centred Artificial Intelligence
Dr Dimitris Asimakoulas, Deputy Director, Centre for Translation Studies, Postgraduate Programme Director Translation & Interpreting

Speakers

Lucio Bagnulo, Head of Translation and Language Strategy, Amnesty International
Professor Lynne Bowker, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Translation, Technologies and Society at Université Laval
Dr Félix do Carmo, Senior Lecturer in Translation and Natural Language Processing, Lead of Professional Development, Centre for Translation Studies, �ۿ۴�ý
Raisa McNab, Chief Executive, Association of Translation Companies
Dr Joss Moorkens, Associate Professor of Translation Studies, Dublin City University
Dr JC Penet, Reader in Translation Industry Studies and Leading Edge Curriculum Design Fellow, Newcastle University
Sara Robertson, Chief Executive, Institute of Translation and Interpreting
Professor Margaret Rogers, Professor Emerita, Founding Director, Centre for Translation Studies, �ۿ۴�ý
Giulia Tarditi, Head of Function, Localisation at Revolut
John Worne, Chief Executive, Chartered Institute of Linguists
Xiaojie Zhang, Director of Conference Division, International Maritime Organisation

Recording

You can also access slides introducing this event.

Learn more about our postgraduate courses.

Prof Sabine Braun

Professor of Translation Studies; Director, Centre for Translation Studies; Co-Director, �ۿ۴�ý Institute for People-Centred AI

Dr Dimitris Asimakoulas

Dr Felix do Carmo

Senior Lecturer in Translation and Natural Language Processing

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Royal Geographical Society hosts event about ‘green’ travel

ss0122 — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 11:54:36 +0000

Royal Geographical Society hosts event about ‘green’ travel ss0122 Mon, 30/03/2026 - 12:54 News

The Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers (RGS) hosted an event about ‘green’ travel in London. Founded in 1830, this society has 16,000 members which makes it the largest and most active scholarly geographical society.

This event was chaired by David Waddell, who is the international business producer and reporter for BBC News, and focused on the pertinent need to rethink travel and tourism in the current climate of spiralling fuel prices. Dr Nikolas Thomopoulos said: “Now is a once in a generation opportunity to encourage school age children to engage with active travel, which can make a major contribution throughout their lives in increasing green journeys and in lowering carbon emissions to meet sustainable development goals.”

Three expert speakers were invited to present their research activities about ‘green’ travel, with Dr Nikolas Thomopoulos of �ۿ۴�ý Business School joining Dr Dilum Dissanayake of the University of Birmingham and Dr Debbie Hopkins of the University of Oxford. Nikolas presented outputs of his international research projects about New Mobility Services and Active Travel consultancy work for �ۿ۴�ý County Council.

The expert speakers concluded that we all ought to travel more responsibly to meet low carbon goals. Yet, any policies need to also take into account economic and societal differences between the Global North and the Global South to ensure equitable outcomes. This RGS event offered valuable insights to more than 150 attendees and contributed in showcasing the impact of SBS research.

Dr Nikolas Thomopoulos

Associate Professor in Transport

Hospitality, events, tourism and transport

�ۿ۴�ý Business School

�ۿ۴�ý Hospitality and Tourism Management

Off Sustainability Technology and Society Understanding people’s relationships with social and physical environments Off Off

Related sustainable development goals

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