black and white photo of Jesse Mugambi

Brighton student wins global competition to promote inclusive nightlife

A University of Brighton student has won €50,000 to build a music studio and nightclub from decommissioned shipping containers in his native Kenya.

Jesse Mugambi, who is studying for a Master’s degree in Sustainable Design at the university’s Moulsecoomb campus, has been confirmed as one of two winners of Jägermeister’s #SaveThe Night competition, which supports nightlife projects around the world.

His ‘Studio Can-V’ project beat over 300 submissions from 50 countries to be named joint-winner of this year’s competition, splitting the €100,000 prize fund with a fellow winner from Northern Ireland.

Continue reading “Brighton student wins global competition to promote inclusive nightlife” →

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Syeed standing in front of Johnson Matthey company sign

From degree to designing test equipment for ground-breaking research programmes

I’m Syeed Ansari, an Electrical Control Design Engineer. I studied MEng (Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering and graduated in 2021. During my final year of university, I was highly involved in the STEP Lab (Sustainable Technology and Engineering Projects) activities while undertaking Major Team Project and Independent Study modules. I also undertook a paid summer experience as a Lab Demonstrator.

Group of students sitting down to dinner at a long table
Students standing in front of University of Brighton sign
Three students standing outside engineering lab
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You'll belong at Brighton graphic

Come to an applicant event

Our applicant events are a great way to learn more about your course after you have applied, to get to know us better and make sure we are the right university for you.

To book you’ll need your University of Brighton student number which you’ll find on any emails you’ve received from us about your application.

Online subject Q+A sessions

Online applicant subject q+a sessions are for students who have applied to Brighton – you don’t need to hold an offer to attend. These sessions provide a chance to ask questions to academics and current students before attending one of our on campus applicant days.

If you have applied to study on one of our architecture, interior architecture, product design, engineering, civil engineering, computing or construction courses join us online on Wednesday 28 February.

Book your place

On-campus applicant days

Your chance to check out the campus and also attend talks and tasters from your subject academics, our current students, student support services and have a tour of our accommodation.

If you are holding an offer from one of our architecture, interior architecture, product design, engineering, civil engineering, computing or construction courses we have two upcoming campus events at the Moulsecoomb campus:

  • Saturday 23 March
  • Wednesday 24 April

Book your place

We look forward to seeing you!

Laura RubyLeave a comment
school students working on a racing car

Formula 24 Saturday Club

We have an exciting opportunity for secondary school students take part in a mechanical engineering based project led by University of Brighton staff and students at our Moulsecoomb campus.

Students in years eight and nine will work in small teams to design, build and drive their own F24 racing car and take part in race day at Goodwood racecourse! This is a great experience for anyone interested in racing, cars or engineering and a chance to use our engineering workshops.

Dates: 17 Feb, 2 Mar & 16 Mar, 13 & 21 Apr
Time: 10:00 – 14:00

Click here for booking form

The Saturday clubs will run over five Saturdays and are free to participants, priority is given to student who are from a widening participation background.

For more information email outreach@brighton.ac.uk

Laura RubyLeave a comment
Matt Read graduate sitting a table smiling at the camera

Space to explore on our Architectural and Urban Design MA

Matt Reed graduated from our Architectural and Urban Design MA in 2023. He tells us about some of the his highlights at Brighton and how he is turning his major project into an exciting installation in 2024.

Why Architectural and Urban Design MA at Brighton?
I had been thinking about a career change for a while and Brighton had a course that really interested me which seemed like it could be an excellent extension to my previous studies – Fine Art intermediate at Kingston University (1993-96) and a Postgraduate Certificate in Glass & Architecture at Central St. Martins (2008-09) – and maybe offer up new work prospects.

I really enjoyed the course, and I highly recommend it, especially for someone looking to do something a bit more experimental within the field of architecture. At the time I started the course it was still during the pandemic, so a lot of the study was initially online. But things opened up gradually over time.

Support and space to explore
I actually took a year out in the middle of my studies. I did the part time route, which was two years, but I took a year out and ended up spreading it over three years. This worked well for me, as it allowed me to do paid work around the course. But, it also gave me thinking space and time to really absorb the material and to apply it to my own creative practice. The university staff were very flexible about this, which was great. The support provided was excellent and they were always happy to accommodate my needs.

Continue reading “Space to explore on our Architectural and Urban Design MA” →

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Architecture lecturer wins RIBA House of the Year

Architects Hayhurst and Co, founded by lecturer Nick Hayhurst, have won the prestigious RIBA House of the Year 2023 for a house inspired by nature. 

The award, presented by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), recognises the best example of UK one-off house design.    

The winning house, Green House, in a conservation area in Tottenham, London, was praised by the jury as being airy, cosy and bold but also respectful of its neighbours. 

The RIBA House of the Year 2023 jury comprised: Dido Milne, Director of CSK Architects, Bev Dockray, co-founder of Coppin Dockray Architects, Jessam Al-Jawad, Director and co-founder of multi-disciplinary architecture studio Al-Jawad Pike and Albert Hill, co-founder of The Modern House and Inigo. 

Kate MillerLeave a comment
Puzzle hunt team discussing a clue

A puzzling challenge for architecture technology and engineering students

All students from our school were invited to take part in our first Puzzle Hunt this month. Three teams took on the challenge with the winning team picking up SU vouchers as prizes for solving the puzzles in the fastest time.

All teams did brilliantly. Our super sleuths solved a series of puzzles based on pattern matching and work/number associations which took them on a hunt all-round the Moulsecoomb campus. Each puzzle led the different teams to a different room on campus where they found the next clue.

Dr Almas Baimagambetov, principal lecturer and subject lead for computing and maths, organised the event and devised all the challenges said: “The main challenge comes from the fact that clues to solve puzzles are located in different rooms on campus, so before some puzzles can be solved teams will need to visit certain locations. While the puzzles were the same for all teams, the puzzle sequences and most of the clues are unique to each team, so they can’t simply follow each other.”

The Puzzle Hunt was open to the whole school so no specific subject knowledge was needed for this one. Keep your eyes peeled for other, computing-based events Dr Baimagambetov is organising. See below to find out more.

Puzzle hunt team looking at a board in the library
Puzzle hunt team walking outside
Puzzle hunt team discussed the first challenge
Puzzle hunt team working on the first challenge
Puzzle hunt team walking in to the library
Puzzle hunt team discussing a challenge in the library
Puzzle hunt group shot with prize winners
Puzzle hunt team discussing a clue

Codefest
Codefest is an example of a gamified work-based learning method that focuses on authentic assessment and is supported by industry experts. It is delivered as a software development event aimed at helping students to progress and use the latest technologies in the field, as well as promoting teamwork and peer learning through team-based challenges. The team that solves the most challenges wins the event and wins a prize. This is a great opportunity for students to experience the typical day-to-day activities that happen in the industry on a daily basis, as well as to create a strong network of developers.

Game Jam
Game Jam is a similar event focused on students on game development courses. Students form teams and assign themselves roles that mimic the ones used in industry, such as gameplay programmer, visual artist, audio engineer and others.

At the event, each team is given the same keywords that will form an idea for a game and each team develops their own visions of these games. As part of this process, students learn how to manage their own work, as well as how to manage the overall project, as teamwork is key to completing the development within the allocated time.

Find out more about Computing at Brighton

Stephanie ThomsonLeave a comment
Student Erin Saltmarsh (far right) and the DEPLOY project, photograph copyright Novespace

Walking in the air: University of Brighton researchers touch down after testing ground-breaking devices in zero gravity

Researchers have spent last week suspended in space-like conditions as they put two experiments through their paces during weightless parabolic flights.

The two projects tested, GELL-P and DEPLOY!, both have potential applications for space exploration and on earth. Rachel Forss from the School of Sport and Health Sciences and the Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Devices who led the GELL-P project said of the flight: “It was amazing! A bit like swimming underwater but with less resistance and control. A unique experience; the zero g is quite pleasant, but the 1.8g on either side is what makes it tiring.”

Continue reading “Walking in the air: University of Brighton researchers touch down after testing ground-breaking devices in zero gravity” →

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Staff and students representing the Gell-P and DEPLOY! projects sitting with five at the back and three people in the front

Last minute checks for research teams as countdown for weightless flights begins

Researchers practice for zero gravity flight to put ground-breaking experimental devices through their paces

The University of Brighton teams, including Aerospace Engineering MEng student Erin Saltmarsh, will have just 20 seconds at a time to run tasks in weightless conditions.

During each flight the plane will climb to an altitude of 7,500m before the aircraft goes into a 3000m high roller coaster climb and fall during which weightlessness will be experienced for about 20 seconds. This will happen 30 times in each of the three planned flights. Not surprisingly teams will be given anti-nausea jabs prior to the flights. Staff and students from the Schools of Architecture,Technology and Engineering, School of Sport and Health Sciences, Centre for Regenerative Medicines and Devices and Advanced Engineering Centre representing the Gell-P and DEPLOY! Projects gathered to go through a series of tightly choreographed tasks in preparation for the flights at the end of the month.

The Gell P team working on the project
Lecturer and student with VC showing her the project
Student Erin standing in room with project equipment
Continue reading “Last minute checks for research teams as countdown for weightless flights begins” →

Laura RubyLeave a comment
Portrait of Idil

Meet Dr Idil Fenercioglu Aydin

Idil Aydin is course leader for the Aerospace Engineering courses at the University of Brighton. Her area of expertise is in experimental aerodynamics, and she loves teaching students about the physics of flight, flight dynamics and aircraft design.

My subject and my experience
I’ve been fascinated by aviation and space since I was young. I studied Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at Istanbul Technical University and started workings as a research assistant during my post graduate studies. This role involved actively supporting teaching in the supersonic wind tunnel and low-speed fluid dynamics facilities.

Subsequently, I earned my Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering and embarked on a research role in a DLR project at the RWTH-Aachen Shock Wave Laboratory before I returned to ITU to pursue my Aerospace Engineering PhD in experimental aerodynamics.

Following my Post-Doc position at the University of Bath, I had the privilege of teaching orbital mechanics at the Turkish Air Force Postgraduate Academy, while also holding a regular teaching position at ITU, where I conveyed my practice-based knowledge in compressible aerodynamics and experimental methods in fluid dynamics to my students.

What I love about teaching and about Brighton
Teaching and mentoring have always been integral parts to my role, and I derive immense satisfaction from these aspects of my career.

My journey led me to the University of Brighton, where I was captivated by the vibrant engineering research culture and the opportunity to continue my passion for teaching and research.

Continue reading “Meet Dr Idil Fenercioglu Aydin” →

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