General

This summer we can follow a blog of an OU Geosciences graduate as he joins a volcanic observation centre in Ecuador. David Litchfield’s participation in the mission to monitor Mama Tungurahua, a 5023 metres high volcano, is secured with an OU bursary, but is far from being a risk-free adventure.

Since he joined the centre, the volcano exploded, sending shockwaves felt hundreds of kilometres away and forcing 200 local residents to flee, as reported by the BBC.

Tungurahua, which means ‘throat of fire’ in indigenous language, has been active on irregular basis since 1999, on occasions threatening local population, with thousands of people being temporarily evacuated and six deaths recorded in 2006.

David declares his broad interest in hazard monitoring methods and how geoscientists communicate their findings with those who need it. The Tungurahua Volcanic Observatory he is now based in provides a 40-minute early warning of lahars (volcanic mudflows) that threaten the nearby town of Baños and other local populations.

David will spend eight weeks at the base. He earned his placement there thanks to a number of factors, including: his enthusiasm, his knowledge of Spanish and the country, as well as to his backing from the OU.

He says: ‘I was successful in applying for financial support through the Ian Gass Bursary from the Open University where I studied undergraduate geosciences.’

David Litchfield is currently studying part-time for an MSc in Geophysical Hazards at UCL.

Since David wrote his first post, significant eruptive activity has been reported at the Tungurahua volcano. David will be writing about this in a subsequent blog post. He invites your comments and questions.

Posted on 30 July 2013.
 

The Open University Business School is launching a new centre to improve public understanding of financial issues, in partnership with financial services organisation True Potential.

The True Potential Centre for the Public Understanding of Finance (PUFin) will deliver free modules to develop knowledge of financial matters, and will offer insight through research into financial understanding.

David Harrison, managing partner of True Potential LLP, is an MBA alumnus of the OU Business School. He says:

"We want to arm people with the knowledge and information they need to enable them to embrace their financial dealings, to ask the right questions of the right people, and to eventually fix the savings gap that is presenting an incredibly serious problem to the UK.

“This is something that I have felt strongly about for many years and we are investing in the True Potential PuFIN in a bid to make a real long-term difference to people’s personal finances.”

Professor Rebecca Taylor, Dean of the Open University Business School, says: "We will together create a learning journey that will provide individuals with the skills and confidence to take control of their finances, building from the basics of understanding personal finance products to understanding investment and risk.

"PUFin will help to address the urgent need for greater understanding by consumers, as highlighted by recent research from the Financial Services Authority."

This research suggests that only 45 per cent of people aged over 30 and earning at least £10,000 are making adequate provisions for retirement, and that few will be able to afford to retire at age 70.
Posted 23 July 2013

Get ready to quiz OU academics on the issues that matter to you.

This is your time to drive conversation with some of Britain’s leading academics. Simply vote on our Facebook Poll, let us know which of our inspiring academics you’d like Desk Time with, and log back in on Friday (12-2pm) to ask the questions that really matter to you.

Vote on the poll now: http://on.fb.me/15ZtpeR

The three academics are - in no particular order:

Katie Chicot - Infinity
Questions around infinity have helped mathematicians to solve some very practical problems. OU Mathematician Katie Chicot is ready to explore the mysteries and misconceptions of infinity with you, from ancient puzzles to the latest mathematical research.

Kristina Hultgren - Communication
The OU’s linguistics expert Kristina is looking at how communications have changed over the last few decades, and what different countries can tell us about socio-cultural, economic and political changes in the way we communicate.

Ellie Dommett - Cognitive Enhancement
Recent news reports estimate that 10% of university students take smart-drugs to improve brain performance. Dr Ellie Dommett is ready to discuss the impact these drugs have on the brain, and what questions we should be asking to inform the choice on smart drugs.

Posted on 22 July 2013.