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Specialist Catalyst Software – New Computer Workstations
TechSkills is a brand-new package of workshops, online resources, activities and face to face support to help you develop and enhance your technology skills. We have recently installed several high-performance computer workstations in Catalyst to facilitate student access to specialised professional applications 24 hours a day during term times.
The specialist workstations are adjacent to the Catalyst Helpdesk and can be booked in 1-3 hour periods.
The available professional applications include:
Creative Media:
Adobe Creative Cloud, Maxon Cinema 4D, Autodesk Maya, Toon Boom Harmony; StoryBoard Pro.
Toon Boom StoryBoard Pro is used by some of the best animation studios in the world. It can be used to bring storyboard art, graphic design and game design to life.
Geography:
ArcGIS Pro, ESA SNAP, Google Earth Pro, Leica Geosystems XPro, Trimble Coordinate System Manager, UASMaster.
Google Earth Pro is used by Scientists to share geographic locations in real time. It is also used to import Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data in Google Earth.
Computing:
NetBeans IDE, Python, Unity, Blender, BlueJ, GlassFish Server, HoloLens Emulator, Visual Studio Community, Microsoft Web Deploy, Weka, Windows Software Development Kit.
Python is a programming piece of software which is used globally by analysts, software engineers, developers and data scientists.
Come and use these new work stations which will save you time, with faster downloading speeds and enjoy the lovely views looking out on to the lake, at the same time!
Check out the new TechSkills webpages here.
Upcoming Event
On Thursday 13th December come along to @CatalystEHU 12pm-2:30pm and get involved in our 3D printing technology event. Learn more about 3D printing technology and print your very own 3D snowflake just in time for Christmas ❄️
Written by: JADE KAUR
3rd Year Nutrition and Health Student
Student Advisor for Library & Learning Services
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Christmas Specials on BoB
Back in October, Claire introduced us to BoB or Box of Broadcasts, a really cool online service free to Edge Hill staff and students, with thousands of TV shows and films that have been broadcast on TV between last night and the 1990’s!
As you may have heard, Christmas is around the corner and everyone’s curling up on the sofa to watch some heart-felt winter warmers. There’s hundreds of lists of the ‘best’ Christmas films online, and like me, I know you’ll already have your favourites in mind (I can’t get enough of Jude Law in ‘The Holiday’!).
But, what about the Christmas Specials? All those classic episodes of your favourite shows with a seasonal touch of magic. Can you still remember the Doctor Who episode where they put a sci-fi twist on A Christmas Carol? Or who won the Great British Bake Off Christmas special last year? Well fortunately, there’s no need to panic, because I’ve popped 24 Christmas Special episodes from 24 different shows in a ‘Lead up to Christmas’ playlist!
Head over to BoB with the link below and watch these specials as if they’re little advent chocolates, keeping you in the festive spirit right up until Christmas!
https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ondemand/playlists/187684
Don’t forget that term ends on December 14th, so make sure to book in any Student Advisor appointments before that date if you need support. We offer 15-minute appointments with a Student Advisor, during term time between 11am and 4pm, Monday to Friday. Book your appointment here.
Check out the opening hours of Catalyst here.
And most importantly, have a very Merry Christmas on behalf of myself and the Learning Services team!
Written by: RACHEL ARLAND
3rd Year Early Year Childhood Studies Student
Student Advisor for Library & Learning Services
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Read a New Book Month
Did you know there are nearly 130 million printed books in existence? Did you also know that it would take 60,000 years to read all these books? That’s a lot to choose from…
To celebrate Read a New Book Month, I have created a list of book suggestions for you to read over the Christmas period. All the books mentioned are available via the Edge Hill University library!
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – J.K. Rowling (2nd floor 823.914/ROW)
Did you know that Harry Potter is among the three most read books in the world? If you haven’t read the series already, then grab the first installment from Catalyst. Forced to live in a cupboard under the stairs by his Aunt and Uncle, Harry leads a very unremarkable life. But on his eleventh birthday, Harry is introduced to the magic of the wizarding world.
- Fen – Daisy Johnson (2nd floor 823.92/JOH)
‘Fen’ brings together a collection of short stories inhabiting the English fenlands. English folklore and a contemporary eye, sexual honesty and combustible invention – in ‘Fen’, these elements have come together to create a singular, startling piece of modern fiction. Daisy Johnson infuses her stories with magic realism. This collection is great for those who love extraordinary elements in their everyday lives.
- After Dark – Haruki Murakami (2nd floor 895.6/MUR)
Did you know that less than 3% of English language books are translated from another language? This is remarkably low compared to other countries, Turkey stands at 40% and Slovenia at 70%. Why not read a translated novel over the Christmas period?
‘After Dark’ is the novel written by Japanese writer Haruki Murakami. The midnight hour approaches in an almost empty all-night diner. Mari sips her coffee and glances up from a book as a young man, a musician, intrudes on her solitude. Both have missed the last train home. This novel is great for those who love mysterious and enigmatic narratives.
- My Friend Dahmer – Derf Backderf (1st floor 364.1523/DER)
‘My Friend Dahmer’ is a graphic novel that tells the story of notorious serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer before he committed his crimes. To the public, Dahmer was a monster who committed unthinkable atrocities. To Derf Backderf, Dahmer was a much more complex figure: a high school friend with whom he had shared classrooms, hallways, and car rides. This book is great for those who are visual readers and love to read the real.
- Citizen – Claudia Rankine (2nd floor 811.6/RAN)
Claudia Rankine’s book recounts mounting racial aggressions in ongoing encounters in 21st century daily life and in the media. The book is made up of essays, poetry and images that create a powerful testament to the individual and collective effects of racism in our contemporary, ‘post-race’ society. This one is great for poetry readers!
There are hundreds of more books to choose from within Catalyst. Why not go and check one out before you head home this Christmas?
Written by: DYLAN BOOTH3rd Year Creative Writing Student
Student Advisor for Library & Learning Services
