The Global Room
The University’s Global Room has something for everyone. Find out more about what they do with this blog by Anya Farnan. The Global Room is a social space on City Campus for all students to relax, meet new people and…
Archives
History Scotland webinars
From rioting in 17th century Scotland to Scotland’s first printed book – check out the webinars chaired by Dr Allan Kennedy lecturer in Scottish History. Upcoming sessions include ‘Slaves and Highlanders: Silenced Histories of Scotland and Caribbean’ and ‘Musical life…
Preserving Balance – a mini-exhibition at Dundee Science Centre
Oliwia Mruk, a Biological Sciences student at the University tells us about his exhibition in Dundee Science Centre focusing on conservation and biodiversity. Biodiversity is extremely important – it supports all life on earth. Quoting one of my all-time favourites…
Blazing Worlds! Science Fiction by Women
Did you know the University has a world-leading expert on the history of science fiction on its staff? Find out more at the following events Exhibition at Dundee Central Library Foyer from Monday 6th to Saturday 18th February Public ‘round…
Uncertain Territories – Women & Nature
The latest exhibition from Museum Services in the Tower Foyer Gallery has been designed to tie into both Dundee Science Festival in February and Dundee Women’s Festival in March. Entitled Uncertain Territories, it features work by women scientists and artists…
From limbs to linocut
In this blog Dr Caroline Erolin explains her recent passion with lino printing and etching. Caroline works across the schools of Science & Engineering and Art & Design, and runs the MSc in Medical Art. Her research activities are focussed…
3D Scanning a Two-toed Sloth
Written by EunJung Park (Msc Medical Art DJCAD Graduate) and edited by Amy Crawford (MGS Funded Museum Engagement Officer) The museum collections at the University of Dundee cares for and displays a large collection of animal specimens. The dental collections…
Dundee in 1776
Join the University Archives as Kenneth Baxter takes us on a tour of Dundee in 1776. Using Crawford’s plan of Dundee Kenneth explains how Dundee has changed over time. There are several familiar parts of the map including the Nethergate…
Breaking the Chains
Breaking the Chains is a collaboration between the University of Dundee Museums and the city libraries in Leisure & Culture Dundee, with funding and additional support from Dundee City Council. It is also one of the outputs of the on-going…
Lives through the lens
The Low collection was recently gifted to the University Archive by photo-journalist Alex Low. This is the third blog exploring this fascinating collection which comprises records of not just the Low family, but also of eight other families connected to…
Through the Lens (Part One)
1/2 Parts, written by Amy Crawford (MGS Funded Museum Engagement Officer and Pete McConville, Museum Volunteer) When Pete and I first met we discovered a mutual love of photography. I suggested that he use our University of Dundee Museum collections…
Gamifying Research with the Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research
The late great Nichelle Nichols once said “Science is not a boy’s game, it’s not a girl’s game. It’s everyone’s game. It’s about where we are and where we’re going.” Here at the Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, we love…
Chimera: exhibition of new and existing works by Nashashibi/Skaer
Cooper Gallery is delighted to present Chimera, an exhibition bringing together new and existing works by Nashashibi/Skaer – the joint practice of Turner Prize nominated artists Rosalind Nashashibi and Lucy Skaer. From the ancient Greek for a female goat, ‘chimera’ today refers to…
Then and now – changing Dundee: Camperdown Works
Camperdown Works in Lochee, Dundee was undoubtedly the city’s most famous industrial complex, and its iconic chimney “Cox’s Stack” remains one of Dundee’s most recognisable landmarks. Owned by the Cox Brother, who were already established in the linen trade in…
Lives through a sketchbook: Alex Low
Archive Services tell us more about the fascinating collection of photojournalist Alexander Low who recently gifted the Archive his own collection of papers and photographs as well as material created by his ancestors. His Low family papers, as well as…
50 Years of Accountancy
Find out more about Accountancy at the University. Kenneth Baxter from Archive Services traces its origins from part of Law to a thriving department in its own right. Watch Kenneth’s film below
Lives through letters: the Alexander Low family
The first of three blogs about the Alexander Low collection held by Archive Services. Most of us have some old family photos, letters or documents tucked away in a drawer or in the attic, but how many of us have…
Things in Jars – The Process of Preservation
What do coral, an octopus and a snake have in common? They are among the various specimens getting a bit of TLC in this year’s wet specimen preservation session. Let me explain… A huge selection of our collections are ‘wet…
Meeting Places: A Gathering to Celebrate 85 Years of the Saltire Society
What makes Scotland’s culture vivid and important? Today – and in the future? A brand new publication of creative writing inspired by the archives of The Saltire Society was launched at a special event at the Society’s Headquarters last month. Released…
Discovering the magic of Mount Stuart
A partnership between the University Archives, Mount Stuart and the Centre for Scotland’s Land Futures led to an amazing experience for three Humanities undergraduates. Here they describe their fantastic two week internship at Mount Stuart working with the archives and…
MSc Medical Art and MSc Forensic Art & Facial Imaging Masters Show
Every year, students on the MScs in Medical Art and Forensic Art & Facial Imaging at the University of Dundee present their work as part of the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design ‘Master’s Show’. For the last…
12 Hour Sit-in Revel: Cooper Gallery at Dundee Botanic Garden
A report in images by Curatorial Assistant Peter Amoore. On 25 June Cooper Gallery held a gathering at University of Dundee’s Botanic Garden around the intention of re-imagining what art education could be, questioning who it currently serves and how…
Big Back Garden – Memories of Dundee’s Baxter Park showcased in exhibition
Bandstand performances, talent competitions and firework displays are just some of the fond memories of Baxter Park that will feature in a Big Back Garden exhibition. The exhibition, which is part of the Big Back Garden project led by the…
Micro to Macro – Science-art in Stobswell
At the Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research (WCAIR), we’re big proponents of science art. If you’re lucky enough to live in Stobswell and you like a mural, you might have seen something exciting over the end of June and start…
On Yer Bike – the Public Art Dundee Cycle Trail
Find out about this new initiative from Matthew Jarron, Museum Curator. The Public Art Dundee project began in 2018 with the aim of identifying, researching, recording and promoting the amazing wealth of public art across the city. Dundee has a…
Then and now – changing Dundee: Victoria Road
Another in our occasional series from the University Archives looking at changes in Dundee. The street that is now Victoria Road started off life as Bucklemaker Wynd, which ran east from the point at Laywell where the Wellgate joined the…
12 Hour Sit-in Revel: Cooper Gallery at the Botanic Garden
Cooper Gallery DJCAD will be holding a 12 Hour international symposium, the 12 Hour Sit-in Revel, one of the culminating events of their ongoing programme the Ignorant Art School, which will be held at Dundee Botanic Garden on Sat. 25th June (11am…
Behind the scenes with the Brittle Bone archive
Alasdair Bachell, Project Archivist, gives us an update on his work. This month I wanted to give a brief update on the Brittle Bone Society archive project and give a little peek behind the curtain at what’s involved. The archive…
Dwelling in Extremis
On Friday 13th-Monday 16th May, Postgraduate students from across the Arts and Humanities at Dundee came together to share and celebrate their work, with the ‘Dwelling in Extremis‘ Symposium and Exhibition. There were 65 attendees across the day, and speakers dialled in…
Indian Textiles in the Museum Collections
Written by Léa Joshi, student intern. The history of Indian textiles is a very old and rich one. The oldest cotton threads found in India date to c.4000BC and the tradition is still very alive today. The University of Dundee…
Baxter Park: Our Big Back Garden!
Be a Big Back Garden Chatterbox – come along to the Baxter Park activity centre on Thursday 19 May between 3.30 and 6.30 to find out more about the history of the park and to share what Baxter Park means…
Life at the Botanics – Plant Power 2022
DJCAD: Life at the Botanics is an intimate selection of working sketches inspired by and created on site during Location Life Drawing at the Botanic Garden, Spring 2022, where the artwork will be on display throughout May. Visit the display…
Flashback Friday: a bird’s eye view of campus
In this post Kenneth Baxter from the University Archives takes us back in time to explore the University’s main campus in 1969. As you can see from the image below there is much that is familiar but also a lot…
UOD Museums Sensory Backpack
Amy Crawford – MGS Funded Museum Engagement Officer One of the projects UOD Museums has been working on is creating a sensory backpack for use in care homes and community groups. We are aware that some people are not able…
Dundee’s pioneering women politicians
As we are coming up to the local elections, Kenneth Baxter from the University Archives looks at some early women politicians in Dundee. The first woman to be elected to political office in Dundee was Miss Jessie Shaw who was…
Mackerel, Magpie and Klingons: fundraising for the Brittle Bone Society
Alasdair Bachell, Project Archivist for the Brittle Bone Society collection, uses the records to explore how the charity has raised funds – As with any charity, fundraising is a core activity of the Brittle Bone Society. In this blog I…
Journey of the Brain
Journey of the Brain: Dundee’s Neurosurgery Heroes explores the development of the human brain from before birth to death and delves into the history of Dundee’s Neurosurgery Department. This small and insightful display can be enjoyed outside the library on…
Then and now – changing Dundee: the Ewing Building
Another in our occasional series from Archive Services looking at how the city and University has changed. The Ewing Building on the corner of Small’s Wynd and Small’s Lane is a familiar sight on campus. While today it is very…
Botanic Garden Wee Forest project
More than 1200 trees were planted at the end of March, across two locations, as part of the Wee Forest initiative. These are environments that, once established, have the potential to attract hundreds of animal and plant species to otherwise…
DJCAD’s hybrid public engagement programme and new exhibition
In March DJCAD (Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design) launched a fantastic hybrid public engagement program. The first event complemented the Lines of Site exhibition (see below) and was a curators and artists panel discussion which took place…
The Lost Father of Transatlantic Science Fiction
Join Keith Williams from the School of Humanities for a talk which introduces the life and work of Cupar-born Robert Duncan Milne (1844-99). Milne published over fifty Science Fiction stories (some multi-part or novella length), mostly in the Argonaut and…
Dundee Women’s Festival Events
Every March, Dundee Women’s Festival takes place with events occurring across the city. This year’s theme “Today’s Women Shape Tomorrow’s World” has sparked enthusiasm with University staff and students who have organised a myriad of events. You can pick to:…
What I am reading now – Ashanti Harris
The Cooper Gallery’s What I am Reading Now … is an ongoing online publication. In 2022 Black practitioners and practitioners of colour are invited to share, with a preface, a selection of five readings that are shaping their current thinking, research…
Exhibition: Let’s Go Round Again
Co-written by Léa Joshi (Museum & Gallery Studies, University of St Andrews) and Amy Crawford (MGS funded Museum Engagement Officer) The new exhibition of the University of Dundee Museums highlights the works of former students of Duncan of Jordanstone College…
Margaret Grant MBE – founder of the Brittle Bone Society
The Society’s project archivist, Alasdair Bachell, tells us more about this pioneering campaigner. It is only right that my second blog for the Brittle Bone Society project I talk about the founder of the Brittle Bone Society: Dr Margaret Grant…
Exhibition: Recent Acquisitions
Our newest exhibition in the Tower Foyer gallery spotlights some of the most recent additions to the University of Dundee Museum Collections. Focusing on art and design, it also features objects relating to science, medicine and natural history. Among the…
Then and now – changing Dundee: the Caird Hall
Discover the history of Dundee’s Caird Hall in this post from Archive Services. In April 1914, Sir James Caird, one of Dundee’s wealthiest jute barons and a noted philanthropist, announced he was prepared to fund a new building to act…
The Dundee Smallpox Scare 1906
PhD student, Sylvia Valentine, shares some of her research on an outbreak of smallpox in Dundee in the early 20th century. The University of Dundee archives hold a collection of records for the Dundee Kings Cross Smallpox Hospital.[i] Amongst the…
Then and now – changing Dundee: Ninewells
We delighted to share another in our regular series from the Archives, this time looking at Ninewells Hospital. In the first half of the twentieth century Dundee had become firmly established as centre of medical education and, in Dundee Royal…
Where Art meets Science – Glass Sculptures
Amy Crawford – MGS funded Museum Engagement Officer Art and science often go hand in hand. The ability to visualise scientific data is an artform, likewise art is often inspired by nature and the scientific world. Some of the most…
16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence
Duncan of Jordanston College of Art and Design took part in the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence campaign from 25th November – 10th December 2021. Staff and students were involved in several events and actives both on line…
Dundee Rep proposal for listing
With the news that Historic Environment Scotland are considering listing the Dundee Rep we have been thinking about its role in the City and the many ways it is linked to the University. Here Archive Services, which holds part of…
Then and now – changing Dundee: Airlie Place
Read on for another in the series of posts by Archive Services looking at how Dundee has changed. This 1962 photograph was taken looking up Airlie Place towards Airlie Terrace. In some ways, surprisingly little has changed, as on the…
Opening up the Brittle Bone Society Archive
Nov 18th to Dec 18th marks this year’s UK Disability History Month, which focuses on the history of disabled people and their battle for equality and human rights. This is an ideal platform to introduce the University Archive’s new project…
The Ignorant Art School. Sit-in #2.
Friday 3 December 2021 – Saturday 19 February 2022: Preview 3 December book on Eventbrite. An exhibition and event project navigates experiments in art education and alternative pedagogical initiatives from the early 20th Century to the present. Declaring that our…
Then and now – changing Dundee: Dundee Royal Infirmary
Another in our occasional series from Archive Services on how Dundee has changed. Dundee Royal Infirmary (DRI) was once one of the UK’s leading teaching hospitals. It had a rich 200 year history before its final closure in 1998, and…
Culture Day celebrates renewal
The University recently hosted its 16th annual Culture Day looking at the theme of Renewal, exploring ideas of rebirth and regeneration. This seemed particularly appropriate as it was the Culture & Arts Committee’s first event since the start of the…
The Marvellous Menagerie of Alex Heywood
Alex Heywood studied Animation at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, graduating in 2017. He has since attracted international attention for his unique digital artworks, featuring an extraordinary menagerie of curious yet familiar animals. Each of his illustrations…
The Global Book
Dr Heather H. Yeung from the School of Humanities is one of the panelists taking part in a roundtable discussion on November 12th on the development of book production and globalisation (sign up details below). The images in this post…
Remembering the fallen
As it is the month of remembrance Archive Services is sharing the story of Patrick Anderson who died 100 years ago today (2 November). Though dying nearly three years after the armistice, Lt Patrick Wright Anderson’s name can be found…
Classic Creepy Crawlies
Amy Crawford, MGS Funded Museum Engagement Officer Looking for some creepy crawlies to get you in the Halloween spirit? You’ve come to the right place. Our D’Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum has no shortage of strange, creepy and haunting preserved creatures.…
Elections for new Rector
A call has gone out to all students for nominations for a new Rector for the University of Dundee, find out more here. Rectors represent students’ interests and are a voice for them on University Court. The role of Rector…
The Tower Building celebrates its 60th birthday
Read on for more on the anniversary of the opening of the Tower Building on 20th October 1961. This film by Kenneth Baxter from the University Archives tells the story of the building Or read more in this article…
Dark Academia: An emerging aesthetic sub-culture
Amy Crawford, MGS Funded Museum Engagement Officer Imagine a museum. Did you think of dusty books, animal skeletons and gothic architecture? If so, then perhaps Dark Academia is up your street. Dark Academia is an emerging aesthetic sub-culture. As opposed…
Art at the Start – making a difference to lives
Vicky Armstrong, PG researcher in psychology, has just been awarded an RSE Innovators’ Award for Public Engagement for her contribution to Art at the Start, a collaboration between DCA and the University of Dundee, encouraging art making for 0-3s and…
Happy Birthday Scrymgeour Building!
Join Kenneth Baxter from the University of Dundee Archive Services to celebrate the centenary of the opening of the Scrymgeour Building and learn a little about the history of the School of Education. Read more about this in the…
Summer Stories
During the summer Archive Services asked children and young people across Dundee to be inspired by items in their collections. Under 16s were asked to draw or write a story in response one of the images in the poster at…
Daily art challenge! Why not join in?
#ROCKPOOLaroid is a daily art challenge running every day in October all about the amazing life you can find in the ocean run by marine biologist Elizabeth Mills, aka YouTuber MarineMumbles. Each day includes a creature prompt where Elizabeth posts her…
Towards an Anthropology of plant names
We’re delighted to share with you this piece by Kevin Frediani of the University Botanic Gardens about plant names – enjoy! This short introduction to plant names is a deviation from my normal approach to communicating about the diversity and…
Engaging with science: #WelcomeWeek
Our final post during Welcome Week introduces a perfect combination of culture and science which can be found at the Welcome Centre for Anti-infectives Research, part of Life Sciences at the University. Some of the amazing things they have done…
The Botanic Garden: #WelcomeWeek
Don’t forget to visit our wonderful Botanic Garden. Here are a few of their recent and current activities to entice you! BeFriends (and #How It Felt) Since 1981, through volunteers, BeFriends has offered befriending support to children and young people…
Then and now – changing Dundee: the Dalhousie Building #WelcomeWeek
As we welcome new students to the University and current staff and students return to campus Archive Services have delved into the history of the area around the Dalhousie Building. Read on to find out how it has changed. The…
D’Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum: #WelcomeWeek
One of the University’s hidden gems is the D’Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum, a treasure trove of natural history specimens from around the world, many of them collected by our first Professor of Biology, D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson, an extraordinary polymath best…
The Ignorant Art School: Cooper Gallery #WelcomeWeek
The Ignorant Art School: Five Sit-ins towards Creative Emancipation Sit-in #1: Ruth Ewan We Could Have Been Anything That We Wanted to Be and It’s Not Too Late to Change Sit-in Curriculum #1: Autumn Term: 3 September – 23 October…
Pressed for (all) time
Amy Crawford, MGS Funded Museum Engagement Officer The herbarium is an often-overlooked part of our museum collections. Housing over 13,000 specimens from Angus to Darjeeling, the room is rather magical. Behind every small door is a collated stack of…
Then and now – changing Dundee: Park Place
Kenneth Baxter from the University Archive Services tells us about the history of Park Place. Today Park Place is surrounded by University buildings, but it was once a very different street. We are often asked why it is Park Place…
Happy Birthday School of Business
The University’s School of Business can trace its origins back to 1931 making it 90 years old this year. Founded by textile magnate George Bonar, the Dundee School of Economics and Commerce was housed in Bonar House, Bell Street which…
Song of Sevens: Best Scottish Poem
Congratulations go to Heather Yeung for her poem ‘Song of the Sevens’ which has been included in the Best Scottish Poems 2020. Listen to it at The sound recording of the poem, is a joint performance between herself and Johanna…
World Breastfeeding Week 2021
“Calm down, they’re just having lunch” University of Dundee Museums partnered with Breast Buddies Dundee for World Breastfeeding Week 2021. The Museum Engagement team edited images from their Fine Art collections in an effort to catch your eye and share…
Dundee – ‘Picturing the City’ Online Exhibition
A new online exhibition curated by Museum Services is now available to view here. Dundee ‘Picturing the City’ explores how artists have depicted the city’s natural and built environment throughout the years. From gloriously gloomy oil paintings of the Seagate…
The Archive & Illustration Exhibition
DJCAD Level 3 Illustration students have been working on an Archive project each year since 2017. Normally, they use boxes of plans, diaries, photographs and other archival material from the collections, but with lock-down we turned to online oral history…
Writing History with the Archives
Writing History was an innovative School of Humanities module which encouraged students to explore different approaches to research and writing through the medium of the University’s archive collections. Students used records of Dundee’s jute industry, case books and other material…
Both Sides, Now – Science Art at Stobfest
It’s fair to say that community festivals across Dundee have struggled over the past year. Both the Stobswell Forum and the University’s own Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research (WCAIR) were determined to make Stobfest, Stobswell’s annual festival, happen in 2021. Ali Floyd, from WCAIR…
Lifedown Lockdrawing
Enjoy delving into the digital copy of Lifedown Lockdrawing! Accessible here this open, generously spirited, and intimate publication marks a snapshot of DJCAD art and design students’ experience of life drawing and creating a drawing community during the recent sensibilities…
Then and now – changing Dundee: the Overgate
Although now associated with the eponymous shopping centre, the Overgate was once one of Dundee’s main roads, running from the West Port to the High Street. Known in earlier times as Argyllgait, a name later recycled for a nearby road,…
#30DaysChallengeUoD
Our amazing staff and students are nearing the end of their challenges to raise money for Parkinson’s research. There is still time to donate so we thought we should remind you of some of the creative things they have been…
The Wonderful World of Microbes
On the 27 June it is World Microbiome Day. It is a day to celebrate the wonderful world of microbes by connecting those who work with them with the wider public. At the University of Dundee, we have scientists across various disciplines studying microbes.…
Be creative with CreateSpace!
Have you missed the fabulous online activities run by the Library’s CreateSpace team? Now’s the time to find out more, catch up on previous presentations and book for future events. Covering everything from knitting to 3D printing via visible mending…
Dundee’s Railways
The University of Dundee Archive Services have recently released a series of YouTube videos about Dundee’s railways, perfect for any railway enthusiasts. Watch them here: Here is a little snippet of what you can expect to see:
Through the lens: immortalising stories and collaboration
Join DJCAD Alumni Rose Hendry and Dr Maria Maclennan on the 17th of June at 7pm, when they will be discussing their collaboration on the short documentary “THE DEAD ARE JEWELS TO ME”. The Filmmakers Rose Hendry is a filmmaker from…
In conversation with Architecture alumni around the world
Join Laura Hebdon, Ross Cochrane and Shawn Leishman today at 1pm to hear about their varied and exciting international journeys since graduating from Architecture and Urban Planning from the University of Dundee. They will discuss their projects at this online…
Then and now – changing Dundee: New Dines and the University Library
The first students’ union at University College Dundee’s was formed in 1886 but it wasn’t until 1904 that it was given its first premises at Ellenbank (No.1 Perth Road) a converted Georgian villa. By the 1950s it was clear that…
Three Minute Thesis Competition
Come along to this year’s final of the Dundee Three Minute Thesis Competition where each finalist from the University of Dundee will explain their research in three minutes. This event will take place on the 23rd of June and will…
Celebrating Pride Month
Pride month takes place throughout June, commemorating the date of the Stonewell Riots which started in New York on the 28th of June, 1969. What started as protests for the LGBT+ community has now grown to become a celebration of…
Decolonising the D’Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum
If you missed the Decolonising the D’Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum event, the recording is now available on YouTube: Like many natural history museums, D’Arcy Thompson’s zoology collection was largely acquired during the colonial era of the late 19th and early…
Moving into the Light’ with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
A beautiful collaboration of the University of Dundee User Centre’s Tap & Talk, a support group for adults with the language impairment aphasia, with musicians of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra was premiered last week via Zoom. This collaborative musical…
Joan Eardely: New Perspectives
Students from DJCAD will reinterpret the work of Joan Eardely, an artist famous for her representations of everyday Scotland in the 20th Century, to celebrate the centenary of her birth. The free, online symposium will also include contributions from DJCAD…
Tayside’s Treasures
The recording of UoD Museum’s Tayside’s Treasures event hosted by Matthew Jarron is now available on YouTube. This event took place on the 12th of May 2021 and it featured a series of short presentations from curators and collections staff…
Graduate Showcase 2021
Save the date alert! Hundreds of Art, Design and Architecture students will showcase their creativity in this year’s Graduate Showcase which will take place between the 11th and 21st of June. The online live launch will be held in the…
OpSoc singing “Sunshine on Leith” in support of Feeling Strong
Last weekend OpSoc performed their charity concert in support of Feeling Strong Dundee. Feeling Strong is a local charity with a mission to inspire and empower young people in Dundee living with mental health or wellbeing challenges to reach to…