The World Bank and Social Capital by Juan Guerra

Hi, my name is Juan. Many years ago, I fundraised my way into university. I could have missed out because of money and that sparked a fire in me: I decided to dedicate my career to making poverty optional.

And so, as a young student, I started researching what tools could be used to tackle poverty. A powerful one I came across is social capital. I knew exactly how this could work, because it was what I used to get to university in the first place. I was never very academic, so please forgive the sloppiness of my writing, but this is a paper I wrote when I was 21. Read more…

11th April 2013: Brewing redux; centuries of brewing art and science in 45minutes by Andrew Barnett aka Barney

Barneys Beer

Name of speaker and subject:

Andrew Barnett aka Barney
Brewing Science

Title of talk:

Brewing redux – centuries of brewing art and science in 45 minutes

Bullet points of what you would like to cover:

  • A bit about me, Barney’s Beer & Summerhall brewery
  • Understanding the science & history of brewing process – through everyday objects
  • Malting & mashing
  • Wort boiling & cooling
  • Fermentation

Read more…

April 11th 2013: From Moonshine to Masters and the distillation of beer by Cory Mason

Cory Mason Distillation

Name of speaker and subject:

Cory Mason – Distillation

Title of talk:

From Moonshine to Masters and the distillation of beer
(you can call it whatever you want)

Bullet points of what you would like to cover:

  • Brief scientific explanation of distillation
  • My history in distilling: How I started and where I am now/ current project
  • Practical home distilling advice: A how-to on equipment and fermentation
  • Review of a project on the distillation of local beers
  • Audience sensory analysis of distilled beers

Read more…

4th April 2013: Barefoot in the Head; How the way we think, feel and behave produces mental and physical health by Prof Ray Miller

psychology

Name of speaker and subject:

Prof. Ray Miller, Psychologist

Title of talk:

What has Psychology ever done for us? (A story in three parts)
Part 2: Barefoot in the Head: How the way we think, feel and behave produces mental and physical health. Psychological therapies from the couch, through dogs and rats, to mindfulness and positive thinking.

Bullet points:

  • The distressing history of treating problems of mental health.
  • The growth of psychological models of mental well-being.
  • History and development of major psychological therapies.
  • The importance of mental well-being to physical and social health.
  • The growing demand for psychiatric and psychological treatments.
  • What is ‘normal’? Are we pathologising everyday distress?

Read more…

The Marketing Of Madness by Dina Poursanidou and Lou Rawcliffe

‘A Journey Into Light’?  Psychiatric Drug Promotion And The Marketing Of Madness by Dina Poursanidou and Lou Rawcliffe

Dina’s voice…
Last week, as part of carrying out research into women’s mental health at  Manchester University, a colleague and I visited  a Medium Secure Unit  for women in the North West for a meeting to discuss some training for mental health nurses on the sexual and reproductive health of  women  accessing  psychiatric  care.
Secure mental health services are defined as ‘specialist services providing treatment for adults with mental disorders including personality disorders that mean that they are at significant risk of harming themselves or others. In such services, patients are detained under the Mental Health Act 1983/2007 and many, but not all, will be convicted offenders. In this context, ‘secure’ relates to the range of physical, relational and procedural measures put in place to ensure the provision of a safe and secure environment in which to deliver treatment. Read more…