A love for film conquers all
Article from Student Life in Bangor
Graduating with an upper second class honours degree in Creative Studies is a dream come true for film fanatic, Robert Mann from Llandudno who's among the first class of students to graduate in this new BA degree at Bangor University.
Robert, who's 21 and a former pupil of Ysgol John Bright, Llandudno was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome at the age of 14 and has struggled more than most to adjust to university life. He said,
"I came to Bangor because it was in daily travelling distance which meant that I could continue living at home, as I'm not ready to live alone yet. I started off having to have taxis to get to and from Bangor, initially required a mentor for getting around the campus, needed a note taker at first and had major difficulty socialising and working with other students."
Over the three years, Robert has overcome all obstacles and is now much more independent; being able to travel alone, produce his own notes and interact with other people as well as holding down a job in his local cinema. He added,
"I feel happy and relieved. Also, a bit surprised because I have faced a lot of obstacles and because the 3 years have gone much better than I expected them to."
"I struggled a lot at school because other pupils didn't understand me. I had support from my teachers and because I wanted to go to university they helped me in the right direction. Because I have an interest is film (watching, reviewing and making) I have been able to incorporate this into my studies at university."
As part of his Creative Studies Course, Robert got a chance to be involved in the production of a number of films including a documentary on Aspergers Syndrome from his own personal perspective which he hopes to develop further in future.
Having gained confidence in himself and his ability, Robert has decided to continue his studies. He added,
"I'm starting an MA in Bangor this September, which I will be doing part time over two years. In the long run I hope to become a film critic and/or director, as this is a profession that I would really enjoy doing and I feel that I would very good at it."
Robert would like to thank all the staff at Bangor's Student Services Centre and his tutors who have helped and supported him on his journey to success.
Copyright © 2001-2010 Student life in Bangor
The original article can be viewed here:
http://www.bangor.ac.uk/studentlife/news/robert_mann.php.en
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This article is a follow-up to my previous post:
http://thewonderfulworldofautism.blogspot.com/2010/01/level-success-for-movie-critic.html
I feel that, when compared to the previous article, it illustrates the ways in which I have developed socially and academically during my time at university.
While I doubt that I will be developing much more socially, my Masters degree involving me being on my own a lot more, I believe that once my Masters is completed, I will have developed significantly more in academic terms.
Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
Monday, 18 January 2010
A-Level Success for Movie Critic
I just thought I would share this article that was published in North Wales Weekly News on August 25, 2005, written by MARI JONES.
It was written about me just after I had completed my A-Levels.
I will shortly be posting another article about me from after completed by Bachelors Degree at University.
Combined the two articles help to show how I have progressed and overcome some of the difficulties posed by my Aspergers since leaving school.
Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Saturday, 16 January 2010
New horizons for beautiful mind
New horizons for beautiful mind
Article from Yorkshire Post - October 27, 2009
By ROB PREECE
MEETING and introducing new people was never easy for Daniel Lightwing at school in Yorkshire but now he lives in a city of 17 million people and plays an unlikely role in helping Britain forge closer links with China.
In three amazing years at Cambridge University, Mr Lightwing got married, graduated in two subjects, appeared in a feature-length film and a television documentary, and was named one of the best child stars ever to appear on screen.
Now the 21-year-old's impressive CV boasts a further distinction after he became the first British student to be awarded a Chinese government scholarship to study at Beijing University.
Not bad for a young man whose problems at school were only explained after he was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, a form of autism which affects how he relates to others.
Millions of television viewers were introduced to Mr Lightwing, from York, in the film Beautiful Young Minds, which was screened on BBC2 in October 2007.
The Bafta and Emmy-nominated film followed his year-long quest to become a member of the UK maths team and his gap-year trip to China, where he met his future wife Yan.
Yan's difficulties in obtaining a visa and immigration clearance were also followed by the film-makers, and the cameras were present at the couple's wedding in York in December 2006.
Mr Lightwing's story delighted movie critics, and earlier this year film magazine The Big Picture included him in its list of most appealing child stars, along with actors from the films Slumdog Millionaire, Life is Beautiful, Pan's Labyrinth and Rabbit-Proof Fence.
Last year, Mr Lightwing was featured in a documentary for the Australian TV science programme Catalyst, which looked at the link between having Asperger and thinking with a highly mathematical mind.
He graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge, this summer after majoring in both maths and Chinese, having already applied for the Beijing scholarship.
His mother Carolyn said: "The fact that he was not only good at the Chinese but also another subject persuaded the Oriental Studies department at Cambridge to nominate him.
"He had to write a description of himself in Chinese and he had to be backed by three people from the university to write references for him."He applied for it back in February but didn't hear until August. He is delighted that his application was successful."
Mr Lightwing, who was educated at York College and St Peter's School, moved to China in June, not knowing whether he would be awarded the scholarship but keen to get on to another course if he was not successful.
The scholarship fully sponsors his tuition fees, health insurance, accommodation, living and travel expenses for seven years of postgraduate study.
He has begun studying for a masters degree in linguistics and applied linguistics, specialising in computational linguistics, and he hopes to follow this with a PhD in syntax and programming.
Mrs Lightwing, who hopes to travel to China next summer, said: "It's a lot of money and a very high-value scholarship, and I think it shows that there are efforts to promote relations between the UK and China."
Quite a few people have come from the US in the past, but we believe that Daniel is the first student from the UK to be awarded a scholarship like this."
He has always said that he finds it easier out there than he does in the UK, and apparently that is quite common in people with Asperger."
People in China understand better some of the difficulties he has, and particularly the problems he has when he meets people for the first time, because he is in a foreign country.
"I think, in this country, he finds it harder because people do not expect him to have such difficulties when he is meeting them for the first time."I think he would like to stay in academia, but he is also very interested in syntax and I think he would love to work for a company like Microsoft.
"He is interested in the interaction between computer language and human language, which is a field of study that could help other people with Asperger."
GLOBAL MATHS CHALLENGE
Daniel Lightwing was chosen to represent the UK in the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), a global maths competition attended by 500 students from about 100 different countries.
Beautiful Young Minds charted his progress from the first UK squad selection meeting in November 2005, through to the main contesr in Slovenia a year later.
He went on to win a silver medal in the IMO, a test with six questions so difficult that only half of the 500 competitors were able to attempt more than two answers.
©2010 Johnston Press Digital Publishing
The original article can be found here:
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/New-horizons-for-beautiful-mind.5768620.jp
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This is a follow-up to my recent posts. Other articles I have posted about Daniel Lightwing can be found here:
http://thewonderfulworldofautism.blogspot.com/2010/01/tv-spotlight-on-maths-whizzkid.html
http://thewonderfulworldofautism.blogspot.com/2010/01/documentary-beautiful-young-minds.html
http://thewonderfulworldofautism.blogspot.com/2010/01/autistic-genius-finds-true-love.html
Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Article from Yorkshire Post - October 27, 2009
By ROB PREECE
MEETING and introducing new people was never easy for Daniel Lightwing at school in Yorkshire but now he lives in a city of 17 million people and plays an unlikely role in helping Britain forge closer links with China.
In three amazing years at Cambridge University, Mr Lightwing got married, graduated in two subjects, appeared in a feature-length film and a television documentary, and was named one of the best child stars ever to appear on screen.
Now the 21-year-old's impressive CV boasts a further distinction after he became the first British student to be awarded a Chinese government scholarship to study at Beijing University.
Not bad for a young man whose problems at school were only explained after he was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, a form of autism which affects how he relates to others.
Millions of television viewers were introduced to Mr Lightwing, from York, in the film Beautiful Young Minds, which was screened on BBC2 in October 2007.
The Bafta and Emmy-nominated film followed his year-long quest to become a member of the UK maths team and his gap-year trip to China, where he met his future wife Yan.
Yan's difficulties in obtaining a visa and immigration clearance were also followed by the film-makers, and the cameras were present at the couple's wedding in York in December 2006.
Mr Lightwing's story delighted movie critics, and earlier this year film magazine The Big Picture included him in its list of most appealing child stars, along with actors from the films Slumdog Millionaire, Life is Beautiful, Pan's Labyrinth and Rabbit-Proof Fence.
Last year, Mr Lightwing was featured in a documentary for the Australian TV science programme Catalyst, which looked at the link between having Asperger and thinking with a highly mathematical mind.
He graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge, this summer after majoring in both maths and Chinese, having already applied for the Beijing scholarship.
His mother Carolyn said: "The fact that he was not only good at the Chinese but also another subject persuaded the Oriental Studies department at Cambridge to nominate him.
"He had to write a description of himself in Chinese and he had to be backed by three people from the university to write references for him."He applied for it back in February but didn't hear until August. He is delighted that his application was successful."
Mr Lightwing, who was educated at York College and St Peter's School, moved to China in June, not knowing whether he would be awarded the scholarship but keen to get on to another course if he was not successful.
The scholarship fully sponsors his tuition fees, health insurance, accommodation, living and travel expenses for seven years of postgraduate study.
He has begun studying for a masters degree in linguistics and applied linguistics, specialising in computational linguistics, and he hopes to follow this with a PhD in syntax and programming.
Mrs Lightwing, who hopes to travel to China next summer, said: "It's a lot of money and a very high-value scholarship, and I think it shows that there are efforts to promote relations between the UK and China."
Quite a few people have come from the US in the past, but we believe that Daniel is the first student from the UK to be awarded a scholarship like this."
He has always said that he finds it easier out there than he does in the UK, and apparently that is quite common in people with Asperger."
People in China understand better some of the difficulties he has, and particularly the problems he has when he meets people for the first time, because he is in a foreign country.
"I think, in this country, he finds it harder because people do not expect him to have such difficulties when he is meeting them for the first time."I think he would like to stay in academia, but he is also very interested in syntax and I think he would love to work for a company like Microsoft.
"He is interested in the interaction between computer language and human language, which is a field of study that could help other people with Asperger."
GLOBAL MATHS CHALLENGE
Daniel Lightwing was chosen to represent the UK in the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), a global maths competition attended by 500 students from about 100 different countries.
Beautiful Young Minds charted his progress from the first UK squad selection meeting in November 2005, through to the main contesr in Slovenia a year later.
He went on to win a silver medal in the IMO, a test with six questions so difficult that only half of the 500 competitors were able to attempt more than two answers.
©2010 Johnston Press Digital Publishing
The original article can be found here:
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/New-horizons-for-beautiful-mind.5768620.jp
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a follow-up to my recent posts. Other articles I have posted about Daniel Lightwing can be found here:
http://thewonderfulworldofautism.blogspot.com/2010/01/tv-spotlight-on-maths-whizzkid.html
http://thewonderfulworldofautism.blogspot.com/2010/01/documentary-beautiful-young-minds.html
http://thewonderfulworldofautism.blogspot.com/2010/01/autistic-genius-finds-true-love.html
Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Thursday, 14 January 2010
TV spotlight on maths whizzkid
TV spotlight on maths whizzkid
Article from The York Press - October 12, 2007
By HAYDN LEWIS.
A TEENAGE maths sensation and former York College student will feature in a BBC documentary on Sunday.
Eighteen-year-old Daniel Lightwing is one of a group of exceptionally gifted young mathematicians taking part in Beautiful Young Minds, on BBC2, at 9pm.
Daniel, of Warthill, near York, gained a place to read maths at Trinity College, Cambridge, when he was 16, but was asked to defer his entry until he was 18.
The documentary tells the story of some of the brightest mathematical brains of a generation.
Each year, exceptionally gifted teenagers from over 90 countries compete for medals at the Inter-national Mathematical Olympiad. The film follows a group of brilliant teen-agers as they battle it out to become the chosen six selected to represent the UK.
Daniel, who was 17 at the time of filming, has been diagnosed with Aspergers' Syndrome, a form of autism that affects the way a person communicates and relates to others. But he recognises that "it's good to be different".
Apart from mathematics, the most important thing in Daniel's life is his wife, Zhu Yan.
The couple met when Daniel spent three months travelling around China - during which time he taught himself Mandarin to fluency.
In the programme, Daniel is desperate to win a medal at the Olympiad and we follow his progress as he gears up for the competition and brings Zhu Yan back from China to his family home in York with the intention of marrying her. As the competition draws closer, minds and emotions are pushed to the limit.
It follows his attempts to represent the UK at the Olympiad, where he won a bronze medal while competing against the best in the world. There were 12 countries taking part in the contest, and each of them put forward six mathematicians.
As The Press reported at the time, Daniel spent a year training with the UK maths squad, teaching English in China and travelling.
He was then selected for the UK team at the main International Mathematics Olympiad, in Slovenia.
His mum, Carolyn, a maths teacher, said: "He's always been very exceptional at maths, and the fact it's been recognised to this point now is really fantastic."
© Copyright 2001-2009 Newsquest Media Group
The original article can be found here:
http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/1755315.tv_spotlight_on_maths_whizzkid/
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This is a follow-up to my recent posts. Other articles I have posted about Daniel Lightwing can be found here:
http://thewonderfulworldofautism.blogspot.com/2010/01/documentary-beautiful-young-minds.html
http://thewonderfulworldofautism.blogspot.com/2010/01/autistic-genius-finds-true-love.html
Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Article from The York Press - October 12, 2007
By HAYDN LEWIS.
A TEENAGE maths sensation and former York College student will feature in a BBC documentary on Sunday.
Eighteen-year-old Daniel Lightwing is one of a group of exceptionally gifted young mathematicians taking part in Beautiful Young Minds, on BBC2, at 9pm.
Daniel, of Warthill, near York, gained a place to read maths at Trinity College, Cambridge, when he was 16, but was asked to defer his entry until he was 18.
The documentary tells the story of some of the brightest mathematical brains of a generation.
Each year, exceptionally gifted teenagers from over 90 countries compete for medals at the Inter-national Mathematical Olympiad. The film follows a group of brilliant teen-agers as they battle it out to become the chosen six selected to represent the UK.
Daniel, who was 17 at the time of filming, has been diagnosed with Aspergers' Syndrome, a form of autism that affects the way a person communicates and relates to others. But he recognises that "it's good to be different".
Apart from mathematics, the most important thing in Daniel's life is his wife, Zhu Yan.
The couple met when Daniel spent three months travelling around China - during which time he taught himself Mandarin to fluency.
In the programme, Daniel is desperate to win a medal at the Olympiad and we follow his progress as he gears up for the competition and brings Zhu Yan back from China to his family home in York with the intention of marrying her. As the competition draws closer, minds and emotions are pushed to the limit.
It follows his attempts to represent the UK at the Olympiad, where he won a bronze medal while competing against the best in the world. There were 12 countries taking part in the contest, and each of them put forward six mathematicians.
As The Press reported at the time, Daniel spent a year training with the UK maths squad, teaching English in China and travelling.
He was then selected for the UK team at the main International Mathematics Olympiad, in Slovenia.
His mum, Carolyn, a maths teacher, said: "He's always been very exceptional at maths, and the fact it's been recognised to this point now is really fantastic."
© Copyright 2001-2009 Newsquest Media Group
The original article can be found here:
http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/1755315.tv_spotlight_on_maths_whizzkid/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a follow-up to my recent posts. Other articles I have posted about Daniel Lightwing can be found here:
http://thewonderfulworldofautism.blogspot.com/2010/01/documentary-beautiful-young-minds.html
http://thewonderfulworldofautism.blogspot.com/2010/01/autistic-genius-finds-true-love.html
Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Saturday, 9 January 2010
Documentary: 'Beautiful Young Minds'
Beautiful Young Minds Part 1 of 4
Beautiful Young Minds Part 2 of 4
Beautiful Young Minds Part 3 of 4
Watch Beautiful Young Minds [Part 3] in Educational View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com
NOTE: Part 3 is included as an embedded video due to the file size being too large for upload.
Beautiful Young Minds Part 4 of 4
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Here is a BAFTA nominated British documentary by Morgan Matthews entitled Beautiful Young Minds which tells the story of several individuals gifted with impressive mathematical abilities who are trying to get accepted into the International Mathematical Olympiad. Among the individuals, most of whom have some degree of Autism, hoping to get accepted is Daniel Lightwing. This film focuses particularly on his efforts, as well as the difficulties he faces in his day to day life, and also his relationship with Zhu Yan, their marriage actually being filmed for this documentary. The film not only manages to be entertaining but also gives an honest, sincere, sensitive and heartfelt look into the lives of its subjects and is very well done in every respect.
Robert Mann BA (Hons)
Thursday, 7 January 2010
Autistic Genius Finds True Love
AUTISTIC GENIUS FINDS TRUE LOVE Article from The Sun - October 27, 2007
By SAM WOSTEAR
MATHS wizard Daniel Lightwing is one in a million – and he has the figures to prove it.
Sitting in his smart student flat in Cambridge, surrounded by books, he explains the probability of triumphing at the global Maths Olympics.
“To get a medal, the odds are one in a million,” he says, “Yet to get to represent your country in the Olympic Games the odds are only one in 100,000.”
But 20-year-old Daniel not only reached last year’s annual International Mathematical Olympiad in Slovenia, he won silver – and all despite suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome.
The condition, a type of autism, has left him struggling to form emotional bonds with others and unable to perform simple tasks – such as making a cup of tea.
Yet other aspects of his intellect are truly breathtaking, such as his mathematical ability – and becoming a fluent speaker of Mandarin Chinese in just FOUR months.
Daniel, now a student at Trinity College, Cambridge, says: “I never felt like I fitted in at school."
“The British don’t celebrate academic success like other, less developed countries, they just label you a geek. Students who are good at sport get all the praise."
“I always felt frustrated at school because I just wanted to learn more and more about maths but because I was good at it, the teachers tried to make me focus on other subjects."
"They didn't understand how I could excel in maths, yet only achieve mediocre grades in other subjects such as English."
Indeed, despite his incredible feat in learning Chinese, Daniel points out that after studying French for eight years through school he still can’t speak a word of it – because it simply doesn’t interest him.
He continues: “I was bored at school, so I started misbehaving. I certainly wasn’t a teacher’s pet. I hadn’t been diagnosed with Asperger’s so they all just presumed I was a trouble maker.”
Daniel’s mum Carolyn had noticed her son was special when at the age of two he was able to recite the alphabet forwards – and backwards.
At four he explained how he could work out how many tiles were on the kitchen ceiling without counting them but by using the equation for area.
Although they were amazed by his incredible maths ability, teacher Carolyn and her husband David, a GP, enjoyed a loving relationship with their son, and so were not immediately aware he could have Asperger's.
The characteristics of the condition mean that sufferers can experience feelings of extreme isolation.
Feeling misunderstood and rejected can lead to very low self-esteem which is usually expressed through anger.
But mild-mannered Daniel, from York, found a way to cope with these problems.
He adds: “I wasn’t bullied but I did shy away from meeting people and playing with the other children. I’m not comfortable in large groups and even as a child I realised I wasn’t the same as the others.”
Although Daniel was incapable of feeling emotion like other children he understood that others did – an ability which may well have helped his condition go undiagnosed for so long.
He says: “I realised the other children in my class would respond differently to situations so I copied them and took it into account when I was with them, but it wasn’t something that came naturally.”
Daniel was finally diagnosed with Asperger’s at 18 when a sixth-form teacher referred him to a specialist. He says it was a great relief finally to understand there was a reason he had always felt different.
It was the fact that Daniel didn’t fit in that led to his interest in China and the Chinese culture of celebrating academic success.
After changing schools more than five times, he decided to take a gap year before university and travel to China.
And in just four months he had taught himself to read, write and speak Mandarin fluently.
Somehow he also found the time to befriend a young Chinese girl, Yan, who was working as a receptionist at the hostel where he was staying.
The friendship blossomed – and six months later the couple married and now live together in Daniel’s Cambridge student digs.
Though it can be hard for Asperger's suffers to form emotional relationships Daniel says that when he saw Yan he knew he was in love.
"I know it sounds cheesy but it was love at first sight. From the moment I saw Yan I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her."
"I would go down to the reception where she worked and pretend to practise my Chinese on her. But really I just wanted to talk to her.
“Yan is the only person who understands me. She has given up so much to come with me to the UK and I appreciate that. I much prefer going out for dinner with my wife than socialising with other students.”
And he adds: “I was interested in China because they are the only country out of all the International Mathematical Olympiad teams to enter where each of the six members wins a gold medal. They have a totally different attitude to learning and achievement so I thought I had a good chance of fitting in there – and I did.
“When I am out and about in England I feel like I stand out. In China I thought that if I did come across weird they’d just put it down to me being a foreigner.
“I wasn’t disappointed. I love China and would consider living there one day with Yan.”
And he adds: “Yan doesn’t judge me because she doesn’t have an understanding of Asperger’s – she just accepts me for who I am.”
© 2009 News Group Newspapers Ltd.
The original article can be found here:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article394147.ece
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Daniel Lightwing is in some ways a textbook case of Asperger's Syndrome and a person who I can very much relate to. He has some unique abilities yet has difficulty with simple things that many people take for granted, such as making a cup of tea. While I personally can make tea I too find many such simple tasks to be beyond my capabilities, while I am very capable at some things that may well elude others. At school Daniel did very well in subjects such as Maths but struggled with others like English. When I was in school I too had similar difficulties, although any mathematical ability I had has been lost with time and ironically my primary gift is now my creativity, something which is often considered a product of English. Regardless, I understand the difficulties that Daniel faced in school, particularly the way others misunderstood me. Daniel also has difficulty forming emotional bonds, another aspect I can really relate to as, since childhood, I have had great difficulty making friends and even greater difficulty maintaining friendships. I have also had great difficulty dealing with the opposite sex, wanting to meet to form a romantic relationship for a long time but my confidence constantly beaten by several failures with girls I liked, many of them based around misunderstandings on my part, one of the ways in which Aspergers has hindered my social development over the years.
Where I cannot fully relate to Daniel though is in his unique abilities. While I do have some gifts, mine certainly do not compare to his. He learned to speak Mandarin Chinese fluently in just four months. I did Welsh and French in school and while I was pretty good at both while I was doing them, nothing stuck with me, my mind seemingly unable to absorb any second (or third, fourth, and so on...) languages. I also can't even begin to comprehend the level of mathematics ability demonstrated by Daniel. He has a true intellectual gift, one that I could never even dream of having.
Daniel Lightwing is a true inspiration to me, and should be to other Aspies as well. He has unique abilities and has harnessed them to great success in his academic life. He has found true love, something that many Aspies, me in particular, aspire to but have great difficulty in finding. And, most importantly of all, he demonstrates that people with Aspergers are capable of anything, if only we put our minds to it. You can't get much more inspiring than that.
Robert Mann BA (Hons)
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