The Cardiff Branch celebrates the diversity of research across the University

The Cardiff University Branch of the Coleg Cymraeg came together on the first of March to celebrate the diversity of the university's research.

This first Research Symposium was designed to highlight the wide range of research taking place across the University and to offer researchers the opportunity to present their work to a new audience and through the medium of Welsh. There is a lack of opportunities to discuss research in Welsh and it is also good to have academics and services such as librarians coming together and socializing.

Attendees, lecturers, students, Coleg Cymraeg officers and wider university staff came together in the new School of Journalism, Media and Culture building at 2 Cardiff Central Square.

The Symposium was opened by Aled Huw, a lecturer in Journalism and Media on secondment from the BBC.  Aled opened with the famous quote “For Wales, see England”, an entry in Britannica's early editions. He discussed the Welsh language press, journalism and communication and the importance of information about Wales - “more important than ever”.

Dr Huw Williams, Dean of Welsh Language took us then in to the world of Richard Price, the philosopher, theologian and mathematician from Llangeinor, and encouraged us at Cardiff University to work together to develop a Welsh-medium intellectual community. “We can achieve this by all of us doing the little things” was his timely message.

Professor Simon Ward, Director of Cardiff University's Medicines Discovery Institute, followed and gave us an insight into his research into the discovery of innovative medicines, particularly for Neuroscience and mental health.

Rhianwen Daniel, a research student funded by the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol's Research Scholarship Scheme, presented her research which gives a Welsh context to international studies on language and identity.

It is fair to say that the audience was surprised by the emotional presentation given by Dr Emyr Lloyd-Evans of the School of Biosciences.  He is researching into the development of experimental and clinical treatments for children with rare neurological diseases.

He explained how it focuses on lysosomal diseases that affect about 1 in 5,000 of the population, in particular, Niemann Pick's disease. This was a great presentation from a scientific point of view and also from a human experience perspective of working with children with rare diseases and their families. “A privilege to listen to” said Dylan Foster Evans, Head of the School of Welsh.

The St David's Day Research Symposium was concluded by Branch Chair, Dr Jonathan Morris, lecturer in Linguistics at the School of Welsh. He mentioned the significant role that the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol has played in promoting Welsh-medium research at the University. He said that Coleg Cymraeg scholarships and grants have enabled us to work across subjects to create interdisciplinary research and innovative learning.

We hope to hold such an event on an annual basis, and following the positive response and interesting conversations held over lunch, such an event will be warmly welcomed by University staff.

The Coleg Branch would like to thank all the speakers and attendees who ensured a very enjoyable afternoon and we look forward to the next. “An opportunity for us to be proud of our language, culture and research here at Cardiff University” Hefin Jones, Dean of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

Enforcing what Dr Jonathan Morris and others had said during the Symposium, a few weeks later, at the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol’s Annual Congregation up at Bangor University on the 19 March,  we were celebrating the achievements of Coleg-funded research students who have been awarded doctorates.  At this year’s Annual Congregation, five of the seven research students celebrated were Cardiff University students.

The Branch would like to congratulate the five for their recent success, and welcome them to the growing community of researchers and academics who work through the medium of Welsh here at Cardiff University.

Llongyfarchiadau mawr i Dr Ifan Jams, Biological Sciences; Dr Rhidian Thomas, Biological Sciences; Dr Gwenno Griffith, Welsh; Dr Sion Llywelyn Jones, Social Sciences and Dr Ben Screen, Welsh.