The Ustinovian, Epiphany 2015

THE EPIPHANY 2015 ISSUE

50th

The Ustinovian DU’s Solar Car Challenger, 17

My Parliamentary Debate, 18

A Ustinovian in ...Idaho?, 19

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MASTHEAD Editor: Rebecca Bouveng Deputy Editor: Michael Baker Layout & Design: Michael Baker Section Editors Alice Chadwick Siobhan Harper Chris Kerr Jillian McGuire Yashodhara Trivedi Contributors Sherihan Al-Akhras Cesare Aloisi Valentina Amuso Catherine (Aikaterina) Apokatanidou Jennifer Bergevin Cat Edgeley Cameron Fairweather Robert Fisher Lucy Gardner Sercan Hamza Bağlama Jason Haynes Sam Jackson Saleh Jawa Marc Owen Jones Stefan Kemp Aliya Khasseneyeva Mizah Kholil Prof. Glenn McGregor Andrew Messenger Steph Orswell Jesper L. Pedersen Holly Flynn-Piercy Miriah Reynolds Sneha Roy Ariadne Schulz Anna Serke Rose Simnett Photos/Images Mike Appels Michael Baker Jennifer Bergevin Cat Edgeley Siobhan Harper Saleh Jawa Marc Owen Jones Mizah Kholil Andrew Messenger Arūna Miasojedovas Sneha Roy Salsa Dance Society Brian D. Taylor Lara Maria Velho

CONTENTS Editor’s Letter..........................................................................................3 Principal’s Letter.....................................................................................3 50th Anniversary Preview.........................................................................4 GCR President’s Report............................................................................5 GCR Treasurer’s Report............................................................................6 GCR Ecology Rep’s Report.......................................................................7 GCR Welfare Officer’s Report...................................................................8 Burns Night 2015: a Wee Retrospective...................................................9 Toast to the Lassies...............................................................................10 Toast to the Lads...................................................................................11 Super Bowl XLIX: A Ustinov Commentary...............................................13 Cricket World Cup: It’s Happening.........................................................14 Mentor Dinner........................................................................................15 Valentine’s Weekend..............................................................................15 Save the Dates!......................................................................................15 Rain, Sleet, and Shine: Durham’s Solar Car...........................................17 My Debate in the Houses of Parliament.................................................18 A Ustinov Graduate in Moscow, Idaho...................................................19 Epilogue to a Year in Durham.................................................................20 From Graduand to Graduate...................................................................21 Meet a ‘January Starter’........................................................................21 Alumni Corner: Where are they now?....................................................22 Exploring ‘Nearby’ Edinburgh................................................................24 Three Weeks in Bayern..........................................................................26 Ustinov Volunteering..............................................................................28 Café Scientifique...................................................................................29 Café Politique .......................................................................................30 Race, Crime & Justice............................................................................32 Café des Arts.........................................................................................33 Ustinov Intercultural Forum (UIF)..........................................................34 Norman Richardson Postgraduate Research Award Report..................35 Basketball Club, Men and Women..........................................................36 Cricket Club...........................................................................................37 Ultimate Frisbee.....................................................................................37 Alex Papadopoulos: A rags to catches story..........................................38 Salsa Dance Society..............................................................................39 Ustinov Choir Sings Into Life!................................................................39 The Ustinov Memorial Tree.....................................................................40

The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

Editor’s Letter Rebecca Bouveng

Welcome to a brand new edition of The Ustinovian! 2015 is not only the 50th anniversary of the College, but also the tenth anniversary of the Ustinovian. To celebrate this, the magazine has been given a brand new look—we hope you like it.

Following our college motto Diversitate Valemus—‘strength in diversity’—this edition offers something for everyone.

There’s romance: from the enthusiastic love life of Robert Burns to a report from Valentine’s weekend.

There’s money: the GRC treasurer reports on GCR funds well spent.

There’s self-help: tips on how to cope with stress and manage when you’re feeling down.

There’s drama: a riveting account of the rise and fall, and rise again, of a Spin Doctor’s Ultimate Frisbee player.

And there’s plenty of sport: from reports from Ustinov’s sports teams to commentaries on bigger (but not necessarily better) events such as Super Bowl and the Cricket World Cup. In addition, the college scholars look back at a busy term of academic events, and travelling Ustinovians write from Edinburgh, Bavaria, and Uganda. We also review the social events of this term, and get a sneak preview of the upcoming 50th celebrations, and the GCR BBQ and Summer Ball.

And finally, as a special feature, we get up close and personal with Ustinov graduates across the world looking back at their time at Ustinov. With different degrees of nostalgia, they offer golden nuggets of wisdom to current students.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

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Principal’s Letter

Prof. Glenn McGregor Ustinovians, hello there. Picking up on my favourite theme of seasonal transitions, the Winter Solstice has passed and the Spring Equinox is rapidly approaching. This is the time of the year when daytime and night are approximately equal in length.

In 2015 the Spring Equinox occurs on March 20. I have always liked spring in the UK as it is a time of rapid change in the landscape, and you get the feeling that life is once again emerging from the long cold dark days of winter. No doubt you are also feeling the change in the air. I trust that as you read this, the winter blues are slowly subsiding and the hope that spring and summer brings is now making its presence felt. If you are one of our alumni, please keep in touch.

Let us know what you are up to and what spring looks like in your part of the world—yes, sadly I am a climatologist and I need to know these things!

Of course, and not wanting to put a damper of any ‘feel good effect’, the fact that we are approaching spring means that the academic year is almost at a midway point. No doubt Masters students are thinking about the exams and dissertation work that lie ahead, while research students are reflecting on progress to date.

My colleagues and I are of course are conscious of the pressures that deadlines and exams bring for current students, so make sure you find some quality time to relax and take in some fresh air and/or attend one of the many activities that the College and GCR are putting on over the coming months. As well as taking a stroll in the country, or attending one of the Café seminars, some of you will want to relax by getting together with friends and socialising either within The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

College or off-campus.

If so when returning to your accommodation, whether at Howlands, Dryburn, or off-campus, please be aware of those around you and respect their space and observe the social norms for behaviour where people are living and sleeping. And of course, when on a night out and it comes time to call it a night, make sure all your friends are accounted for and ensure that everyone returns ‘home’ safely.

Now back to the Spring Equinox ‘thing’: March 20 also marks my first anniversary at Ustinov College. In the short time I have been here I have become really impressed with what a great community Ustinov is. From what I have observed, it is clear that we take delight in celebrating, in a variety of ways, the strength that arises from diversity, interdisciplinarity, and collegiality.

I also get the sense that Ustinov offers a safe, enjoyable, and motivating environment that nurtures global citizenship and enables its members to grow intellectually and socially. I am also seeing evidence that we are, for the most part, living our cornerstone values of respect, trust, responsibility, fairness, integrity, humility, open-mindedness, and objectivity. All of these things make Ustinov a great place, and I am proud to be associated with Ustinov. We are truly lucky to be in such a good place, figuratively and literally speaking.

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50 Anniversary Preview th

Rebecca Bouveng

June 2015 sees the 50th anniversary of Ustinov College. Some of you will recall that we celebrated our 10th anniversary only in 2013, and may wonder how we have become such a remarkably progressive institution, jumping four decades in two years.

The explanation to this phenomenon is that Ustinov College is the successor of the Graduate Society.

The Graduate Society was established in 1965 to cater for the ever-increasing numbers of postgraduate students coming to Durham. In

2003 the Society became a College, named after Durham’s world-famous Chancellor Sir Peter Ustinov, also a writer, actor, director, commentator on world affairs, and Ambassador-at-Large for UNICEF. And now this special postgraduate community is turning fifty!

To celebrate this special milestone in our history, the whole College will embark on a two-week jubilee, beginning with a spectacular 50th anniversary formal dinner, and culminating in the annual GCR Summer BBQ.

In between there will be music, films, walks, talks, sports, dance, drink, art exhibitions, parties, all by and for all the groups and societies which make up our diverse community.

A number of special guests are joining us for the jubilee, including the University’s Chancellor Sir Thomas Allen. Whatever your plans are for the summer, we hope you too will set aside time in June to join in! Here is a preview of the packed programme, with something for everyone.

(Ustinovian photo)

WEEK ONE

WEEK TWO

Friday, 12 June Formal 50th Anniversary Dinner

Friday, 19 June College Honours Party Ustinov Live!

Saturday, 13 June Ustinov Seminar: ‘Is Global Citizenship Possible?’

Saturday, 20 June Family Fête

Sunday, 14 June College History Walk GCR Brunch

Sunday, 21 June Ustinov Sports Day

Monday, 15 June GCR Film Night: Sir Peter Double-Feature

Monday, 22 June GCR Film Night: ‘The Value of Ustinov Values’

Tuesday, 16 June Mentor Dinner: 50 Years of the North East

Tuesday, 23 June Café Scientifique

Wednesday, 17 June Kids Film Night at Keenan House: Robin Hood

Thursday, 25 June Graduands Reception

Thursday, 18 June Café des Arts: Music & Dance

Friday, 26 June Café Politique and Race, Crime & Justice Conversations Sunday, 28 June GCR Summer BBQ The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

GCR President’s Report

GCR NEWS

Marc Owen Jones

Fellow comrades. A lot has happened in the GCR. We have had the Burns Night Formal, the Valentine’s Party, the ‘Antiish-Valentine’ Movie Marathon, the Graduate Bash, various general meetings, and many regular GCR events, such as the pub quiz and movie night.

In addition to this, many of you have just returned from a GCR-organized trip to Manchester for their Chinese New Year celebration. I heard the weather was atrocious, but I hope substantial enjoyment was derived nonetheless.

With the end of term fast approaching, we are preparing already for some of our biggest events next year, including the Ustinov Summer BBQ and the Summer Ball. These are always wonderful affairs, and I know for a fact that Committee members are already working hard to make the -themed Summer Ball [Unfortunately, theme information is still highly classified—Ed.] an unforgettable occasion (unforgettable in a good way). The

(Photo: Lara Maria Velho)

BBQ will be a day that is fun for students and family alike, with plenty of grub, games, music, and mirth. If that’s too long to wait, we have an upcoming End of Term Party (Yes, it’s almost that time), and the Ustinov Castle Formal.

On the more administrative side of things, the Ustinov GCR are changing from an unincorporated organization to a charitable incorporated organization. This was approved by the GCR (you) at the General Meeting, and the Trustees at their most recent meeting.

Essentially this means the University will be happier with us, since becoming a CIO allows us to retain our current independence, but with a more accountable governing structure.

In addition to this, the standing orders were amended to include

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guidelines on student-led events. This stemmed from students requesting to put on events but not having a set of guidelines that laid out the responsibilities of both parties. The new addition also provides students with a resource that will clarify any questions they might go about putting on an event.

The guidelines grew out of an excellent Diwali Party, an event organized by students, and facilitated by the GCR and the UIF. Recently, for example, we were approached by the Durham Friends of Palestine society who wanted to put on a cultural event, and they are now organising an event with Café des Arts—and the Kurdish Society also hope to present something for you.

In the meantime, I hope everyone has a splendid rest of term, despite all the work. Remember, too, to take a break, and please enjoy all the facilities and provisions provided wholly or in part by the GCR, including the DVD collection, the gym, contraceptives and lube, the pool tables, darts, the XBox, Sky Television, the projector, sofas, vending machine items, foosball, the big screen TV, and the many clubs and societies funded by GCR members. See you around!

One does not simply walk into Manchester’s...oh, you do? Quite pedestrian-friendly, in fact? (Photo: Michael Baker) The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

GCR NEWS

GCR Treasurer’s Report Jesper L. Pedersen

We’re now almost halfway through the academic year, and the GCR committee have been working together for several months now. It’s been a lot of hard work, even a little frustrating at times, but mostly it’s been great fun and an absolute joy. So I’d like to start this report by saying a big thank you to my fellow committee members.

You should, too! If you see one around Fisher House, give them a big hug.

They deserve it!

Now, an update on what has happened since the last edition. First, the bike shelters are finally up! As you may know, thanks to the hard work carried out by last year’s exec, we were able to convince the university to set up bike shelters around Ustinov, co-funded

by Estates and Buildings, the College, and the GCR. At long last, our bikes are safe from the elements.

In GCR finances, the most exciting thing is the Clubs & Societies funding round that took place earlier this year.

This is a chance for our sports teams and other societies to ask for money to run their clubs, and give all Usti-

novians a chance to weigh in on their requests.

The newly founded Ustinov Brewers’ Guild asked for £420 towards the initial cost of equipment, which includes a lot of plastic tubes and hoses, boilers and buckets, glasses and thermometers, et cetera. The Jazz Band were looking for £121 worth of microphones to improve the sound quality of their already brilliant live performances in Fisher and around Durham.

In sports news, the tennis club wanted £79 for new balls and a bit of equipment, while the cricket club asked for £95 for some new indoor balls and a contribution towards renting the nets in Maiden Castle once a week this term. The Ultimate Frisbee club asked for £140 towards some new discs and a trophy for the cabinet in the Fisher Café, to celebrate finishing

Shiny new bike shelters! Probably haunted. (Ustinovian photo) The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

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the first semester as Second Division champions. The badminton society asked for £329 for eight new rackets, a few dozen shuttlecocks, a new net, and a bag to keep it all in. And finally, the basketball club, one of the most successful in recent years, asked for £559 for a set of kit for the men’s second team, six new basketballs, and a bit of other equipment.

The clubs and societies are one of the greatest assets in the GCR and in college, and one of the easiest ways for you to get involved in college life. Therefore we in finance committee were more than happy to suggest accepting all of these funding requests, which you did at the General Meeting on 21 January. All in all, we approved £1,744 in spending on clubs and societies. If your club missed out this time around, there will be another funding round in the new term, so be ready.

Finally, the Summer Ball and Summer BBQ plans are well underway!

They’re still in the early stages, but you can expect a lot from both events. I can’t give away too many details here, but they’re guaranteed to be absolutely unmissable events. Be excited, very excited! And mark these dates in your diary: Sunday, 28 June, for the Summer BBQ, and Sunday, 5 July, for the Summer Ball.

GCR Ecology Rep’s Report

GCR NEWS

Miriah Reynolds

The trees may lack a more vibrant colour in winter, but there is no shortage of ways to stay green! As your Eco Rep, I’ve been promoting campaigns sponsored by Greenspace and working on a few initiatives for Ustinov. I’ll expand on these and more below.

As Jesper mentioned, the most noticeable change in facilities—and here you thought the day would never come—are the fabled bike shelters!

The half-dome shelters provide protection for up to 30 bikes. Shelters are located by Fisher House, Elm, and Alder blocks. (If you’d like to see about buying a bike to put in them, check out Recyke Y’Bike on 25 North Road in Durham.)

As for other facility matters, I have a bit of bad news and good news respectively. I pursued the idea of solar panels for Ustinov with the College Environment Committee. However, hoisting panels onto the taller modern blocks costs a great deal and the older blocks lack a sufficient roof pitch.

With a current lack of funding for this venture, solar panels must wait. As for good news, more cigarette disposal bins should pop up around the site in the near future. I am also liaising with Greenspace, requesting Durham County Council weigh our general waste and recycling output.

consciously reducing our energy usage matters in a big way no matter what the margin. February sees us focusing on waste reduction and the nationally recognised Fairtrade Fortnight. Do have a look at Greenspace’s respective web pages for University events on each of these campaigns.

within the University to see the Sale reinstated in some form. Recently the University facilitated talks with the local charity that received the items donated to last year’s Green Move Out. The charity enthusiastically supported various options set forth, which included a return to the original format. Even so, nothing is set in stone yet as we need to develop a realistic plan involving the University, College, and the charity. In other words, stay tuned!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Greenspace campaigns (Environment Week and the Inter-Collegiate Energy Competition) during Michaelmas Term! Our litter pick performed a thorough riverside clean up, and I hope you enjoyed Wall-E with some lovely Fairtrade granola. Ustinov didn’t win the Energy Competition— we came in eleventh place, sadly—but

If you’re a longtime Ustinov resident, you have either heard about or experienced the now-defunct Green Move Out Sale. I met with various parties

Lastly, I’d like to bring awareness to the Divestment Movement at Durham, which aims to remove the University’s investments in fossil fuels. If you would like to know more about this campaign, which is sponsored by People & Planet (an external organisation), check the Facebook page ‘Durham Divest’.

The green, green graph of shame The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

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GCR Welfare Officer’s Report

GCR NEWS

Steph Orswell

How’s your stress level? Mental health and other forms of welfare are incredibly important for everyone at every time in their lives. Especially as students, we’re particularly vulnerable to many risk factors for a variety of health-related problems. Friends, relationships, family issues, enormous assignments with deadlines looming, peer pressure, and money are all common stressors for students. They create anxiety, can lead to depression, or may even instigate medical problems.

With this in mind, there are plenty of tools that we can use to combat these mental health issues. As clichéd as it is to say, time management is huge. Regarding assignments, creating a planned timeline can help reduce the stress of the assignment by breaking it into chunks and preventing all-nighters, which allows us to get the sleep that we all definitely need!

Time management doesn’t just relate to work, but also to various relationships. Don’t seclude yourself from people. Even if you have an enormous assignment due, make sure you give yourself breaks to spend time with your friends and relax. Even an hour or so can make a huge difference.

Your friends are also some of your greatest allies here. Not only does spending time with them help you by just generally having fun or relaxing, but they also provide you with a first line of help if something happens that you are worried about or if you are having an issue with something. Confiding in a close friend may be easier than going to see a counsellor. Don’t be afraid to turn to someone you trust if you have concerns.

Obviously, we may not get along with our friends all the time and sometimes they may do something to make us upset—we’re all only human, after all. If this happens, don’t keep everything bottled up, as it may add to the tension, strain friendships, or even create stress resulting in mental or physical symptoms. Be as upfront with someone as you feel you can comfortably be.

Some of you may not like this last prescription, but the best thing you can do is limit how much alcohol you drink and/or how much you smoke or take other drugs. Not only are these habits terrible for your health, but the effects they have on your brain can bring forward or exacerbate any mental or physical health problems. In the moment, they may seem to help reduce stress, but they are in fact stressors on your body themselves. (You’ll also be surprised how much time and money you save!)

One thing you could do to try to relieve stress is by exercising, as the chemicals created in your body while doing this actually help you focus better and feel incredible! If you want something a little more low-key, yoga or meditation are wonderful.

Finally, if you or anyone you know is having issues regarding mental health or welfare issues of any sort, don’t be afraid to ask myself, your welfare officer, or Brenda Ryder, the student support officer. To contact me or Brenda, email one of us at welfare. ustinovgcr@durham.ac.uk or brenda. ryder@durham.ac.uk.

The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

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Taking steps for safety. As you are all probably aware, there have recently been two recent incidents in which students have fallen into the River Wear after nights out. One night ended tragically, and only through luck did the second end on a much less terrible note. The University and its students have done their best to spread awareness of river safety and how to remain safe after a night in town. Most importantly, walking alone at night should be avoided if possible.

Be aware of your surroundings.

Keep an eye out for the terrain you are walking on and what is going on around you. Sometimes you may not be able to do this for yourself, which is also where walking with a buddy or in groups comes into play. If you can, it may be best to simply avoid the river after sunset, as the path can be incredibly dark.

Despite Durham being a relatively safe city, we know that women are considerably more often the targets of street harassment; this may be verbal harassment, which has the potential to wind up, sadly, as sexual harassment.

(Sidebar: When a woman is sexually harassed, it has nothing to do with her.

It is not what she wears. It is not how she is acting. None of those are excuses for harassment of any sort.)

To sum up, when you go out into town, know and keep to your limits when it comes to alcohol, always walk with a friend, be aware of what is going on around you, and be cautious and respectful with others. You can still have an incredible night out while still staying safe, healthy, and happy.

The DSU Nightbus picks students up at night and drops them at all colleges and some residential areas in Durham.

Hours: 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., Mon through Sat; 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Sun. Fare: £1 per student per trip.

Tel: 07922 648802.

THE SOCIAL LIFE—BURNS NIGHT

Burns Night 2015: a Wee Retrospective Catherine (Aikaterini) Apokatanidou

David Harper, Principal of Van Mildert College, addresses the haggis as Principal McGregor looks on. (Photo: Brian D. Taylor)

My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here; My heart’s in the Highlands a-chasing the deer; A-chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe, My heart’s in the Highlands wherever I go.

It was the first time I had ever drunk whisky, so my impression of the beverage is, quite frankly, that it tastes like liquid fire (a pleasant realisation, don’t get me wrong!). Scottish flags and tartan bunting were hung around the room, and thistles adorned each table (another Scottish symbol).

(Excerpt from ‘My Heart’s in the Highlands’, by Robert Burns)

After finding our table and listening to the customary opening speech from the Principal of Ustinov College, we expected the first course to be served.

However—and this is another element of the uniqueness of the night— the ritual stabbing of the haggis was in order. It reminded me a little of ancient libations, with the ceremonious procession that preceded and followed the actual stabbing, as well as the address to the haggis itself.

I have always thought that to really understand a culture, one must try that culture’s signature dish as well as its signature dance—and that is exactly what Ustinov’s Burns Night formal dinner was all about. Commemorating the life of Scottish bard (poet) Robert Burns, we had a chance to immerse ourselves in everything Scottish.

The usual meeting-up place was in Fisher House bar. From there, we were led to the dining hall by a bagpiper in a procession unique to the Burns Night formal. With the strong and powerful music sounding, we made our way across the road towards the Howlands Building, and after entering the dining room, everyone was offered a glass of the oh-so-famous Scottish whisky.

In my honest opinion (and to my surprise!), the haggis tasted really good, and that seemed to be the general consensus around the room. Coupled with the whisky, it really was telling of what the Scots are all about. Of course, a night in honour of a poet would fall short without any actual poetry, and so, contributing to the one-of-a-kind night, we had the pleasure of enjoying a number of speeches throughout the The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

dinner by our fellow Ustinovians, who so artfully prepared a few heartfelt (yet hilariously scandalous) words for us.

After the dinner was over, the party at Fisher House commenced, with a slight twist this time, for we had the chance to participate in a traditional ceilidh dance, complete with a very nice (and extremely patient) instructor and all the traditional musical instruments. My knees are still recovering from the rigorous dance moves I pulled, trying (and failing) not to show my ‘rookie’-ness too much, but the fun part was no one cared what they looked like!

That was the beauty of the dance; even if you hadn’t ever tried it before, you could easily keep up with everyone, learning the steps and having a really good time all the while. By the end we were all completely out of breath, but we didn’t want it to end!

It was a night to remember, and I think I speak for everyone when I say thank you to Ustinov College and everyone involved for yet again organising such an exciting event. And for those of you who couldn’t attend, do try and get involved in future Ustinov events—they never fail to deliver!

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THE SOCIAL LIFE—BURNS NIGHT

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Toast to the Lassies Cameron Fairweather

Hello, Ladies and Gentlemen! This is my first ‘Toast to the Lassies’ so I hope you’ll be forgiving. Ladies, you’re looking lovely tonight.

Before I get into it, I thought I’d start with a quick note. I was talking to a friend a few weeks back, who told me a very high percentage of people at Durham meet their life partner here, a higher percentage than most dating agencies I’m told (and obviously a lot more expensive).

Now as a PhD student, I’m actually paid to be here, this is where your money went. So ladies, while I’m up here for all to see, ask yourself, have you ever spent a better £9,000 in your whole life?

Now upon agreeing to do this toast, I checked out a few websites. The ‘Toast to the Lassies’ was traditionally a toast to thank the women who prepared the Burns Night supper. However, nowadays it’s more of humorous speech. One of the websites actually said, ‘The challenge is to deliver a balanced, witty, and sincere toast; without causing offence’. Well, at this point, I thought, ‘They’ve definitely got the wrong person’. But here goes nothing.

Rabbie Burns, Scotland’s favourite son, was a remarkable man. Born to a farming family in Ayrshire, Rabbie grew up in poverty with little education and spent much of his time working hard on the family farm. At the age of 15, he started writing poetry. By the time of his death Burns had written hundreds of songs and poems, much of it inspired by his love of drink, Scotland, and, of course, women.

Now this is usually the part where the speaker complains about his wife or ex-girlfriends, and so as in keeping with tradition I made a list: things like not turning up on time, clogging the shower drain up with hair, et cetera.

However, women’s greatest crime is of course their inability to keep secrets.

But for every yin there is a yang.

Women can’t keep secrets, men can’t hold in a fart. What are we to learn from this? If you want a woman to keep a secret, whisper it up her behind.

But what about Ustinov? While it would be a foolish man who tries to make a general comment about such a diverse collection of women, I thought I’d give it a go anyway. Because one thing the ladies of Ustinov all have in common is wisdom. And I have a story to demonstrate.

Some of you may know that I am a committed member of the Ustinov salsa class. Now, one week we were learning the batchata. Sheri, our long-suffering dance teacher says, ‘Now, everybody watch and I’ll show you the basic steps’. The sequence went: 1, step, 2, step, 3, step, hip.

She said ‘hip’, but what followed can only be described as a bum wiggle. Now, Sheri never did the batchata with me, and that’s probably for the best, because if she did, I think my head would have exploded. I said to myself, ‘Cameron, today is going be a good day’.

But no, the moment of joy was short-lived, when she turns and says, ‘And guys, you have to do the hip as well’. Now guys, I don’t know if you have ever tried to wiggle your bum, but personally I had never tried to voluntarily move my bum up until this point, and let me assure you it is no easy feat. Pretty much all the women got the hang of this instantly.

I had to give up on moving; instead I just stood on the spot and tried to wiggle my bum in synchronisation with the rest of the class. I apologised profusely to each lady I danced with. It was one of those ladies who bestowed upon me, the greatest wisdom I had ever heard. She told me, ‘Bum wiggling is an essential life skill’.

But returning to Burns, what of The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

the women in his life? Burns only ever married once, to Jean Armour. Her father initially forbade their marriage, and upon Jean’s first pregnancy outside of wedlock he sent Jean to live in Paisley—which, as punishments go, I feel is a bit harsh.

However, after Burns had achieved a degree of success, and due to the fact that Jean kept getting pregnant with twins, he eventually gave in. Burns loved all women and what’s more they loved him. ‘An hour in the dark with Rob is worth a lifetime with any other lad’, is what the ladies of Ayrshire used to say about him.

He had many, many, affairs, and wrote a great deal of poetry inspired by the women. Each word carefully chosen, every line masterfully crafted, as this, one of his most famous poems demonstrates: O my Luve’s like a red, red rose, That’s newly sprung in June: O my Luve’s like the melodie, That’s sweetly play’d in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonnie lass, So deep in luve am I; And I will luve thee still, my dear, Till a’ the seas gang dry.

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear, And the rocks melt wi’ the sun; And I will luve thee still, my dear, While the sands o’ life shall run.

And fare-thee-weel, my only Luve!

And fare-thee-weel, a while!

And I will come again, my Luve, Tho’ ’twere ten thousand mile!

And on that note, gentlemen, will you please be upstanding.

I am told by religious people that God created man before woman. And as we all know, you always make a rough draft before you create a masterpiece.

To the Lassies!

THE SOCIAL LIFE—BURNS NIGHT

Toast to the Lads Siobhan Harper

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and thanks to Cameron for that rousing toast. I hope you’ll excuse the fact that neither Cameron nor I are actually Scottish—however, I’m half-Scottish, with red hair, pale skin, and a penchant for deep-fried chocolate, and Cameron went to university in Aberdeen. If that’s not sufficient to make one whole Scot then I don’t know what is!

It seems that this toast is meant to make extensive jokes about the flounderings and failings of the unfair sex, but personally I don’t go in for gender stereotypes—not that I don’t have the material. Don’t worry though, I’m not prejudiced—some of my best friends are men. But I’m determined to do this toast right, so in an attempt to tick all the boxes, here’s a joke: ‘What’s the difference between government bonds and men? Bonds mature!’

Yeah, I know that was terrible, but at least it didn’t last very long. That’s what she said.

Robert Burns himself, as Cameron’s already mentioned, had a very interesting and fairly complicated relationship with women. He was bit of a desperate Romantic, and had twelve children with four women in 13 years; Wikipedia reliably informs me that he has over 600 living descendants as of 2012, and Wikipedia must be trusted at all times.

Siobhan Harper, speaking for the lassies, and Cameron Fairweather, demonstrating a ‘bum wiggle’.

(Photos: Brian D. Taylor) The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

(Incidentally, Wikipedia also informs me that, in 1996, a musical about Burns’ life called Red Red Rose won third place in a competition for new musicals in Denmark, with Robert Burns being played by John Barrowman. But even this is still nowhere near as disturbing as the musical version of Wuthering Heights that exists, called simply Heathcliff, starring none other than Cliff Richard as Heathcliff.

Heathcliff Richard, if you will. That discovery took some getting over.)

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Hand-in-hand with Burns’ many love affairs is a bit of an argument about whether or not he was a feminist—a ‘closet feminist’ was one writer’s description. It seems that he may have been, since he wrote a poem in 1792 called ‘The Rights of Woman’, which declares that ‘The Rights of Woman merit some attention’.

He believed that there were three rights of woman. Firstly, he thought that women should have the right of ‘protection’. That’s fair enough—the GCR Committee wholeheartedly endorses the use of protection, so help yourself to what our President delightfully refers to as ‘rubber johnnies’ from outside the GCR office.

The second right of woman deserves to be quoted in full: Our second Right—but needless here is caution, To keep that right inviolates the fashion; Each man of sense has it so full before him, He’d die before he’d wrong it—‘tis decorum.— There was, indeed, in far less polish’d days, A time, when rough rude man had naughty ways, Would swagger, swear, get drunk, kick up a riot, Nay even thus invade a Lady’s quiet.

Now, thank our stars! those Gothic times are fled; Now, well-bred men—and you are all well-bred— Most justly think (and we are much the gainers) Such conduct neither spirit, wit, nor manners.

THE SOCIAL LIFE—BURNS NIGHT Which even the Rights of Kings, in low protestation, Most humbly own—‘tis dear, dear admiration!

Now, of course, this version of the ‘rights’ of women seems pretty patronising to us now. I obviously can’t speak for every woman—I’m not Chaka Khan—but I’m not as fussed about protection, decorum, and admiration as Burns seems to think I should be.

But gimme some of that equal rights any day. While of course it’s nice to be admired and not have guys drunkenly throw up on your shoes, I’d happily forego that if it would mean equality for all women and an end to patriarchal bullshit. That said, boys, please don’t take that as a cue to throw up on my shoes; these bad-boys are from Marks and Spencers, and you don’t mess with M&S. But this poem was revolutionary in 1792, and probably just laughable to the blokey-blokes that Burns hung around with. Gender equality wasn’t a big issue, which makes him pretty ahead of his time and clearly very well in with the lassies.

Of course, this may have been because he was also a very charming and charismatic fellow—and I feel it’s my duty to inform you all that he wrote a poem in 1786 that is called ‘Come Rede Me Dame’ but is more commonly known by the line: ‘Nine inch will please a lady’. That’s not even a euphemism—the poem is literally about coitus, and includes the phrases

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‘It’s not the length that makes me loup but it’s the double drivin’ and ‘lug your battering ram’.

So, laddies. That poem aside, I can’t really recommend the Rabbie Burns method of wooing, which goes like this: impregnate your mother’s servant while you’re dating someone else, marry the second one and have some kids, fall in love with someone else and consider moving to Jamaica with her, have an affair with someone else, move on to her servant, then another servant, and then go back to your wife, safe in the knowledge that your seed has been sown. It may have worked for him, but it’s slightly impractical these days, not to mention expensive. Really, when it comes to the ladies, and life, don’t be a dick and you’ll go far. Lassies, that goes for you too.

We lasses know that you can find us frustrating sometimes. In fact, sometimes we even do it deliberately for a laugh. But, in the words of Dick Solomon, ‘Women. Can’t live with them, can’t have heterosexual sex without them.’ So thanks for the times you put up with us, and we hope that you enjoy our company as much as we do yours.

So, on behalf of the lassies assembled here this eve, We accept your toast gents and now take our leave; But first, ladies, I ask that you please raise your glasses, And join me in giving a Toast from the Lassies.

Totally with Burns on this one— thank God that there aren’t any men these days swaggering, swearing, getting drunk, and kicking up a riot.

Lucky we’re in 2015 not 1792, I guess, right laydeez?! Lucky us.

Moving on, For Right the third, our last, our best, our dearest, That right to fluttering female hearts the nearest; When the piper pipes, ye’ll follow, if there is a dinner involved. (Photo: Brian D. Taylor) The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

THE SOCIAL LIFE

Super Bowl XLIX: A Ustinov Commentary Steph Orswell

On Sunday, 1 February, Super Bowl XLIX kicked off close to midnight. It is one of the most watched sporting events in the world, with over 114 million viewers in the U.S. alone, and the highlight of the year for the National Football League. This year, the contest was between two teams that were ranked number one in their conference, the New England Patriots of the American Football Conference and the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football Conference.

Despite the kick off being at 11:30 p.m., Fisher House was full of Ustinovians and other members of the Durham community. The bar had deals on a few choice American beers as well as some classic American football snacks (and some free pizza) for people to sample. Upwards of 100 people found seats in Fisher Bar, making moving around difficult, but this led to a fun, busy Super Bowl party. I’d say that most people were cheering for the Seahawks, but both teams had plenty of supporters in the crowd.

Throughout the game, both teams were evenly matched and both scored two touchdowns in the first half for a halftime score of 14-14. It was anyone’s game at that point.

One feature that makes the Super Bowl stand out from other major sporting events is the ever-campy halftime show. This year, the performance was by Katy Perry with guest performers Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott. It might not have been the most amaz-

ing performance compared with recent Super Bowl halftime shows, but it was definitely one that will be talked about.

Pretty much everyone watching in Fisher Bar was glued to the screen in what appeared to be part-confusion and part-entertainment. Perry’s multiple costume changes floored some people, and everyone seemed to enjoy the hilarious dancing sharks and palm trees when she The only Snapchat we’re legally allowed to show you. (Photo: Mike Appels) hawks were closing in on scoring a performed ‘Teentouchdown to win the game. age Dream’ and ‘California Gurls’.

With 26 seconds left, the Seahawks The halftime show could only last ran a pass play that Patriots rookie so long, and soon it was back to the Malcolm Butler intercepted in the football. For Patriots supporters, the end zone, securing the victory, and third quarter was upsetting, as the the fourth Super Bowl in team histeam struggled on both offense and tory, for the Patriots. The remaining defence. Seahawk fans, on the other Patriots fans were jumping for joy as hand, were quite pleased as the team the Seahawk fans looked at the screen went into the fourth quarter with a in shock that what had seemed like an 10-point lead over the Patriots. assured victory had been taken from It was about 2:30 a.m. when the them. fourth quarter began, and at this point, Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady the majority of people had decided it was named the Super Bowl MVP for was time to head off to bed. Then, the the third time in his career, but the Patriots managed to take charge, and real hero of the evening was the porter, suddenly were up 28-24 with two or who saved the projector from going so minutes left. into Stand-By mode twice so we could Patriots fans at this point seemed watch the whole game. to be a bit happier than before, but From all the GCR, we thank him remembering past Super Bowls, were and everyone who joined us for an still reluctant to get too excited. They absolutely fantastic and exciting were definitely right to feel nervous, as evening! with under a minute to go, the SeaThe Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

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THE SOCIAL LIFE

Cricket World Cup: It’s Happening Jesper L. Pedersen

What it is, why you should watch it, why England will lose, and why you should be cheering for Afghanistan.

shot at the title.

The inevitable disappointments: England, India. England always go into the World Cup expecting to win. They never do. Following a string of poor results, which ended with their captain being dropped from the team, this won’t be their year. India may be defending champions, having won at home in 2011, but in Australian conditions and with the team they’ve got this year, they won’t be able to repeat that feat.

On Friday, 13 February, the biggest sporting event of the year, in terms of global viewers, kicked off. I am of course referring to the Cricket World Cup, which over the next month will have seen fourteen teams from around the world battle it out in Australia and New Zealand. The World Cup, which happens every four years, is the biggest event in the cricket calendar, and will be watched by hundreds of millions of people around the world. (And one of the places you can catch all the action is in Fisher House, where we are showing the games on the big screen.)

Due to the time difference, the games will mostly be on in the middle of the night, but with the international crowd here in Ustinov there’s no doubt many of the games will still be electric—none more so than the match-up between India and Pakistan in the group match on 15 February. That game took place after I wrote this, but the atmosphere will be incredible. If those two teams meet again in the knockout stage, however, you really have to come watch it with us in Fisher. It’ll be amazing. The same goes, of course, for the finals on Sunday, 29 March, from 4:30 in the morning until about noon.

What is cricket?

Cricket is the second most popular sport in the world, after football. But as it is pretty much only played between British Commonwealth countries, and you may not be familiar with it, here are the basics. Two teams of eleven players compete to score the most runs within 50 overs (six balls by the same bowler), in successive innings. Two batsmen are ‘in’ at a time and score runs by hitting the ball away from the fielders and running between the wick-

Also starring: UAE, Ireland, Bangladesh, West Indies, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Scotland, Sri Lanka.

ets. The bowlers will try and get them ‘out’, usually by knocking over their stumps (the three sticks behind them), or by getting them ‘caught out’, if one of the fielders catches the ball before it hits the ground. When a batsman is out, he’s replaced by a teammate, until the batting team have no players left or they run out of overs. The teams then switch places, and they do it all again until there’s a winner.

The feel-good underdog that you should cheer for: Afghanistan. If the Hollywood executives knew anything about cricket the story of the Afghan national team would have won the Oscar for Best Picture by now.

Before the 1990s cricket was virtually unknown there, but it spread through the refugee camps in Pakistan, and when people started returning home after 2001 they brought the game back with them. Most of the team grew up

Your handy guide to the teams The likely winners: South Africa, Australia, New Zealand. On neutral ground the South Africans would be favourites, but Australia have home advantage so they probably have the edge. The Aussies are not the team they were ten years ago, when they were arguably the greatest cricket team of all time, but they’re still more than capable of going all the way. The New Zealand co-hosts are arguably better than they ever been, and on home soil they could be in with an outsider’s The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

in camps and trained without proper equipment for most of their lives, yet somehow they’ve managed to become one of the best non-Test playing teams in the world. While they’re extremely unlikely to make it out of the group stage, the fact that they’re even here is amazing, and they deserve all our support.

So there you have it! Most of the World Cup games will be shown live in Fisher, and it’s bound to be a great tournament.

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Mentor Dinner Yashodhara Trivedi

THE SOCIAL LIFE

Valentine’s Weekend Alice Chadwick

The mentor system at Ustinov College is a fantastic opportunity for students to meet new people at various events, receive pastoral support whenever required, and make the most of their college experience. Social events may range from daytrips to picturesque locales in and around Durham, visits to museums, beaches, and even sports stadiums, to enjoying a hearty meal hosted by the college.

The first mentor dinner of the Epiphany Term was held on the twelfth of February in the Howlands Building. Drinks were served at half past six and dinner followed shortly.

The main course was a choice between Cajun chicken and beef curry, with rice on the side and an assortment of vegetables, while spinach-and-cheese puff pastry replaced the meat options for vegetarian diners.

Love was in the air at Ustinov over the weekend of 14–16 February this term—everything kicked off with the mid-term party, well attended by many of our dear Ustinovians, who boogied their way down to Fisher House for the occasion. Many even made special effort to attire themselves in all red (a special mention for the light-up heart necklace cannot be forgotten—best accessory ever), and the lovely staff on the bar even whipped up some tempting love potions (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, of course).

Save the Dates!

Alice Chadwick

19 March: the Castle Formal Students at Ustinov College are privileged in many ways—a strong and diverse international community of people, access to fantastic student facilities, and platforms for discussing our work with those from a wide range of disciplines. However, in one aspect Ustinov may seem lacking, mainly due to its comparative youth—yes, that’s right, the ‘Harry Potter factor’. In spite of the many advantages of modern buildings, we unfortunately don’t have our own traditional dining hall. For this reason, Ustinov GCR is proud to maintain our annual tradition of treating you all to a formal dinner in the beautiful surroundings of the Castle Great Hall! [I’m going to let you finish, Alice, but the Formal is sold out—Ed.]

Probably haunted (Photo: Marc Owen Jones)

The incredibly talented student band The Funkyard regaled the guests with an impressive blend of funk, soul, Motown, and R&B music, while a choice of desserts (chocolate cake with cream and apple or raspberry tart) provided a sweet finish to the delightful evening.

Many also joined us on the Sunday afternoon to feel the love with our marathon of classic love-themed films in Fisher House bar: Pride and Prejudice, Brokeback Mountain, Pretty Woman, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Dirty Dancing featured, with the prize of ‘Worst Line Ever’ going to Four Weddings and a Funeral (‘Is it still raining? I hadn’t noticed.’).

The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

On Thursday, 19 March, we will make our way through the beautiful surroundings of Durham to one of the true historic gems of the city, to be received in the quirky (and slightly underground) Castle bar. Of course, as this will be just after the end of term we postgraduates will be stretching our legs in relief as the undergraduates gradually disappear, so this merits

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THE SOCIAL LIFE

No one is sacrificed in the Great Hall at midnight. That is a horrid rumour. (Photo: Marc Owen Jones)

everyone putting on their best formal dress for the occasion! After one or two drinks from the bar, we will take our seats in the Great Hall—a wonderful wood-panelled room, adorned with portraits of Durham alumni— at the traditional long wooden tables beneath High Table.

away with all of your friends. Tickets are always extremely popular for this particular formal, and we anticipate a particularly speedy selling period— look out for the GCR newsletter for details of when tickets will be available, to be sure of securing yourself a spot!

Tickets will be £12 for GCR members and £17 for non-members (as always, GCR members can purchase tickets for only one guest each).

Besides all of the splendour and excitement of the dressing up and location, the menu alone should be enough to entice you.

Honey-roasted butternut squash soup will be followed by either a panfriend sirloin steak with slow roasted tomatoes, sweet potato wedges, buttered fine beans with a green peppercorn sauce, or a pea and courgette risotto cake with confit tomatoes, asparagus, and hollandaise sauce for those of the ‘vegetable-tarian’ persuasion. Of course, dessert is really the main course At the BBQ, sunshine is ‘guaranteed’! (Ustinovian photo) of any meal, as all wise people know, and a raspberry brulée 28 June: with white chocolate ice cream will undoubtedly please all—I honestly the Ustinov BBQ can’t wait!

Often said to be the gem of the UstiOnce our fine dining experience nov social calendar, and famous has finished, the Castle bar will once throughout the University, the Ustimore be available to us; once that nov GCR Summer Barbecue returns closes everyone has the opportunity to this year on Sunday, 28 June! Mark make their way to other Bailey college your calendar now. As ever we will bars or establishments in town for an be providing lots of delicious barbeafter-party, so you can dance the night cue food, and fun and games for all.

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Special musical guests (TBA) will be performing on our mainstage, and we’ll have fairground rides, a kids’ fun corner, an adult bouncy castle, and lots, lots more. (We don’t want to spoil all of the surprise!) After the main afternoon of food and fun, the music will continue into the evening, moving inside to a DJ party, celebrating another fantastic year at Ustinov.

Indeed, this year’s barbecue will be the culmination of the fortnight of 50th Anniversary celebrations of Ustinov as the Graduate Society—so this year will be even bigger than before! We can’t wait to see you there!

5 July: the Summer Ball On Sunday, 5 July, Ustinov GCR is incredibly excited to present…the Ustinov Summer Ball! We’re keeping specifics under wraps for the time being, but we might go so far as to say that the evening will have a distinctively Ustinovian flavour (Hmm…!), and we can tell you that this much-awaited event of the year will be hosted at the stunningly beautiful 12-century estate house, Beamish Hall.

Coaches will transport you from college in the early evening to the Hall, where you will be received with a traditional drinks reception. Guests will have the opportunity to explore the magnificent grounds, and sample the entertainment and delights that will be on offer around every corner, before sitting down to a delicious three-course dinner. The evening will continue with more entertainment and fantastic music for you to dance the night away with your friends.

Watch out for more hints coming soon from your very excited GCR committee. Tickets will go on sale in the summer term!

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Go, greased photovoltaic cells! (Photo: DU Solar Car Project)

Rain, Sleet, and Shine: Durham’s Solar Car Andrew Messenger ‘A solar car, in Durham!’ I can almost hear the scoffing laughter as I write.

Those that saw me at the ‘Solar Revolution’ Café Scientifique event earlier this term [see p. 29] will perhaps be more willing to believe me, along with those that saw the car itself in front of the Bill Bryson Library last term.

There has been a solar car project in Durham since 2002, based in the School of Engineering and Computer Sciences. The car has been in constant development since then, competing in the North American Solar Challenge in 2008 where it won the best newcomer prize and the World Solar Challenge in Australia in 2011. In 2013 the team joined forces with the Formula Student team to create a bigger and better resourced team. The team even have a website (www.duem.org) for those of you who still want proof!

I mentioned the ‘solar challenges’ in Australia and America, but what actually happens in these contests, I hear you say? The typical solar challenge event is a multi-day endurance race usually 2,500 to 3,000 miles long.

During the day, the cars travel between checkpoints and try to cover the distance in the shortest time possible. The leaving order is decided by a qualifying round on a track.

I joined the team at the beginning of my third year as an undergraduate on the Aeronautics course here at Dur-

ham, just after the car got back from Australia in 2011. I was a member of the mechanical team, primarily looking at the new car’s steering and suspension designs. From 2014, I have been in charge of the team as we gear up to competing in the World Solar Challenge for a second time. This sees me move away from a purely technical role to one involving sponsorship and finance, which is not to forget team motivation, something I have attempted with a mixture of fear and excitement. The focus has now shifted from developing the old solar car to designing and developing a complete new car to compete this October.

In terms of design, there are many constraints on a solar car. Since there is comparatively little energy available from the solar cells compared to a petrol engine, the car has to be as efficient as possible. This means the aerodynamic shape has to have the minimum amount of drag, the electric motor has to as efficient as possible, and the rolling resistance must be minimised.

The main component of the solar car is the solar array on the upper surface of the car. This is made from 392 flexible silicon photovoltaic solar cells.

The car itself is made from carbon fibre, just like an F1 car, and has an aerofoil shape to reduce drag. The car also has an electric motor inside just one of the rear wheels, designed by the team, which is optimised for the The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

car and achieves over 94 per cent efficiency. Housing the motor inside the wheel reduces the transmission losses of the motor and allows the car to be packed tighter to reduce aerodynamic drag even further.

On the face of it, the environmental credentials of a solar car in Durham are fairly weak. Unsurprisingly, solar cars work best when there is plenty of sunshine for the car. Whilst on occasion there are fine sunny days in Durham that would power the car, the technology is at its most potent in faraway remote and sunny places. The Northern Territory of Australia is a prime example, where there are long distances between settlements and plenty of sunshine (look at Top Gear when they were in Australia).

The advantage of a solar car compared to other forms of transport is that the car will work without any form of fuel, and so there would be no limits to the distance that could be travelled. New technologies such as chargeable electric cars and hydrogen-powered cars suffer from short operating ranges and a lack of infrastructure for refuelling.

One day it should be possible to charge the batteries of a solar car during the day while driving, so the car would be able to continue driving during the night. That is the goal we are aiming for.

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My Debate in the Houses of Parliament

(Photo courtesy author)

Sneha Roy

In 2015, the UK is celebrating the quintessence of the Magna Carta, and its contemporary relevance in political realms and beyond. To honour this historic event, a conference was held in the Houses of Parliament from the third to the fifth of February, to commemorate and celebrate the document.

I was very fortunate to have been chosen to be a part of the same.

The conference on ‘Magna Carta to Commonwealth Charter: Human Rights in the Modern Day Commonwealth’ opened with a lecture delivered

by Rt Hon. John Bercow MP, Speaker of the House of Commons and Rt Hon. Baroness Scotland of Asthal, former Attorney-General, on the modern legacy of Magna Carta.

Mr Speaker took the opportunity to urge his Commonwealth parliamentary colleagues in attendance to take inspiration from the spirit of the authors of Magna Carta and continue to develop and distil the principles of democracy it outlines. This was followed by speeches and debates from parliamentarians from across the globe.

The second day continued with a discussion of the Commonwealth Charter, before moving on to explore specific fundamental human rights

later in the day. Splitting into smaller groups, the delegates then explored two specific areas of human rights infringement: early and forced marriage, and obstruction of the right to education.

Concluding the day’s programme for parliamentarians and scholars in a stirring final plenary address, Hon. Angelo Farrugia MP, Speaker of the Parliament of Malta, gave his and his country’s unequivocal support for the continued relevance of the Commonwealth as a force for good.

anthropologist, I am aware that the very notion of ‘morality’ is subjective.

Both morals and human rights have varied meanings in different communities and are inextricably linked. I suggested that the modern tendency to see morality in shades of grey, rather than in black and white absolutes, could leave individuals’ rights open to erosion through interpretation, and I urged the parliamentarians present to create meaningful legislation by directing their power in the right direction.

The final day of conference saw the current leaders and legislators of the Commonwealth arguing issues of morality and human rights with those of the future. The parliamentarian participants and Commonwealth Scholars debated the motion, ‘Can you legislate for a moral issue?’

It was overwhelming when the parliamentarians from South Africa, Malta, and Jersey came up to me during the informal sessions to congratulate me on my viewpoint and encouraged me to work for the well-being of people by giving voice to those who have been hushed or unheard.

Opening the debate, with Baroness Hooper in the chair, South African Deputy Speaker Hon. Solomon Lechesa Tsenoli MP highlighted the complexity of the issue, and suggested that moral values will often conflict with human rights as morality is subjective, and may be derived from a religion or another specific community. He urged legislators to keep the private (morals) and public (law) separate.

A prominent theme of the discussion was what ‘morality’ is. The majority argued that it is subjective, being derived from personal, cultural, or religious values. This view was summarised by Hon. Raymond Pryce MP of Jamaica, who asked ‘Whose right is right?’. To be a part of this noble gathering and discuss social issues that are hovering around us has given me an enlightening experience that I shall forever cherish.

I was of the opinion that morals should be legislated but being an The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

FEATURES

A Ustinov Graduate in Moscow, Idaho Cat Edgeley

There are only so many times you can hide your surprise and respond politely to bizarre questions instead of bursting out laughing. I’ve been at the University of Idaho, USA, for just over a month now, and since my arrival I have had to answer to these pressing concerns from Americans: ‘Have you ever eaten a pizza before?’, ‘Have you ever seen a bus that wasn’t a red double-decker?’, and ‘Is it “scons” or “scoh-nes”?’.

I was also flattered to be told, ‘I’m so pleased I can understand you, even though you have such a strong accent!’ (I’m from Hampshire, which I originally thought was fairly simple to understand.) There have also been blank stares when I ask where the ‘loo’ is, and if we should meet at ‘half three’, and horrified glances when I say I have only driven cars with manual gearboxes.

I studied for both my undergraduate and Master’s in Durham’s Geography department, so flying out here this January I was nervous to be starting in a brand new education system, and without a game plan for the next four years. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the UI campus has a lot of similarities with Durham.

There is a path on campus called ‘Hello Walk’, where tradition requires you to greet everyone you walk past— much like wandering through Ustinov bar on Friday nights and chatting with everyone! I am always reminded of the communities that the Durham collegiate system creates, and how it enhanced my experience in such a small town—so much so that I am already involved in societies and department activities here to try and recreate those positive environments.

In particular, I think of Ustinov’s international community, and how fortunate I am to have shared a year

The author in typical hiking attire and a snowy view of Kamiak Butte. (Photos courtesy author)

living with people from all across the globe. Seeing those friends adapt to UK life gave me the confidence to do the same in the U.S., and like them I now look forward to using my weekends to travel the area and embrace my new surroundings, by shooting guns in the backcountry, being embarrassed on Katy Perry’s behalf during the Super Bowl, and eating a lot.

Ustinov is in some ways a microcosm of the world. People from differ-

ent backgrounds, countries and faiths are all trying to make the most of their time, and explore the different paths their futures hold. My time at Ustinov was part of a journey that led me to project my positive experiences on to new environments, and to see the bigger picture in everything I work towards. My only problem—I have yet to find a pub quiz worthy of my Thursday nights over here!

Bonus: watching Idaho basketball teaches you how to spell ‘Idaho’. (Photo courtesy author) The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

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FEATURES

Epilogue to a Year in Durham Jennifer Bergevin

The morning of Congregation felt oddly ordinary. I didn’t have the seemingly obligatory butterflies that seem to accompany huge life events. Rather, I woke, dressed, had a quick bite to eat and packed my bag with things I would need for the rest of the day and headed out to Palace Green.

After I was sufficiently robed and my lilac hood was pinned into place, I found myself wondering across Palace Green. It wasn’t very crowded yet, just a few people in robes and their entourages. I thought back to a year ago when I had seen last year’s crop of graduates and wouldn’t have been surprised had I seen ‘Past Jen’ staring at me across the green.

It felt so normal when I finally ran into my friends, as though we were just meeting for a quick cup of tea before heading off to a lecture. We tried to account for everyone on our course.

We were anxious to hear everyone’s news and hoping to see as many of our motley crew as possible. We began sharing stories of the past four months as we were directed into the Great Hall from where we would process.

Never have I more keenly felt the effects of the fourth dimension. Time’s tide had once again reunited us, but even as I stood there smiling and chatting, I felt it pushing us ever further from that shore which we had once shared. Never again would that group of people be assembled in this place.

Even now we were missing friends and our circle wasn’t complete without them.

I began thinking about the people I used to see in passing and realised that even if I returned to Durham, it wouldn’t be the same. It could never be the same. The people of the Durham I knew wouldn’t be there. A place just isn’t the same if the people you knew and loved aren’t there.

Eventually we were sorted into the processional order. It was almost Hogwartian the way each of our names we called out.

We stood outside, awaiting the moment when we would begin our short journey to the cathedral.

Congregation is a rather odd event. Well, graduation ceremonies in general are odd events. You wear On a winter day, happiness is a warm gown! (Photo courtesy author) a funny costume, The next morning as I headed march into a grand building before the toward the station and drank in Marimportant people in your life, listen to ket Square for the last time that Durelders speak about the future and your ham would ever be the Durham of obligations to society, then you shake my recollections, I found that I was hands with a presiding official as your ready to start my new chapter. I wasn’t name and degree are read out for all to sad this time either. I was really quite hear, and when you march out again, happy. you are somehow transformed.

How could I be sad when I looked You have gone from student to on the year I spent in Durham? It alumna; from graduand to graduate; had been the best year I had known. from Bachelor to Master. All because There were ups and downs and terriyou shook someone’s hand and had ble points, but there were also amazing your name read out. Well, I suppose things that happened, triumphs, and the year of work had something to do I had found myself feeling closer to with it as well. people than I had ever had before. The The rest of the day seemed a blur. tide had brought us all together for an I remember going to my department incredible year and now it was taking and picking up my dissertation and us off in different directions. We were speaking with some of our professors. all changed though. We had changed I remember having a nice long lunch each other and we had left our mark, at New Inn with friends, I remember even if only in our hearts, on Durham. moving on to the Nine Altars for tea For a fuller account on my year in and coffee and finally to the Slug and Durham, stop by my blog: ‘An AmeriLettuce for some drinks. I remember can in Durham’ at http://anamericansaying a lot of goodbyes. If I had had indurham.blogspot.co.uk. my way, that day would have stretched on into eternity so I wouldn’t have had to say goodbye at all.

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FEATURES

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From Graduand to Graduate Mizah Kholil

For some people, the thought of having to fly half-way across the world for a handshake might be a bit of a chore, especially in wintry January.

The day I reached Durham, I was greeted by the familiar sights of the cathedral, the quaint little cafes, and even the same infamous cat prowling [Molly!—Ed.] around Ustinov College. In spite of all this, it was strange to be back. It’s the same place, but with different people. It hit me then that I have arrived Durham as a graduand.

Despite the freezing wind blowing our robes (and my hijab) in all direction, I was excited! The Winter Congregation was attended by fewer guests than I expected, making it feel even more private and special.

While sitting with fellow graduands, I realised that the last time I properly sat in the cathedral was for Matriculation, a ceremony that initiated our status as a student of Durham Univer-

sity. And here we all were again, for the personal handshake to mark the successful completion of our studies.

Congregation is a day to celebrate our accomplishments with friends who struggled alongside us and with family who supported us from a great distance.

It is a moment for Ustinovians to reminisce our good old days in college. Most of all, it is the time to Author and family and reusable tote bag! (Photo courtesy author) close our chapter person I am today, certainly made flywith Durham. Being reunited with ing halfway across the world for that dear friends, and getting to show my handshake so worth it! family the place that has made me the

Meet a ‘January Starter’

Fortunately, the night bus started running again this week, which is going to make the whole Durham experience safer and more enjoyable.

Every year in January, new faces appear in Fisher House and it can be hard to tell if someone is just venturing out of their room for the first time in three months, or if they have just arrived.

We spoke with Anna, an actual January starter.

What has been the best surprise benefit to living at Ustinov?

What’s your little-known secret to ‘fitting in’ at Ustinov?

Talking to ‘strangers’ proves to be invaluable to fit in. As William Butler Yeats put it: ‘There are no strangers here; only friends you haven’t yet met’.

Anna Kranz, PhD candidate in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at the School of Government and International Affairs

I did my MA degree back in 2010– 11 at DU and was a member of Ustinov College. I also lived at Howland’s Farm...in Redwood, to be precise.

to be like that.

Now, I live at Elm and sometimes I have the feeling like nothing has changed at all but the people. I knew what living in College would be like but I was still surprised by the free Wi-Fi everywhere now. It didn’t used

That the University stopped running the night bus in 2013. I was asking people about contacting the night bus to go to town and was met with bewilderment as they had never heard of it.

What was your most annoying discovery upon arrival?

The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

What do you wish you had brought with you that you didn’t pack?

I only brought two pair of winter boots with me; I wish I would have taken along some sneakers as well.

Also, I should have brought along a sleeping bag.

FEATURES

Alumni Corner: Where are they now?

We decided to ask some recent graduates to look back on their time at Ustinov and give us an insight into their life out there in what some people insist on calling ‘the real world’.

societies and even the GCR. There’s always something else to try, and it’s easy to work too hard! That, and get up earlier.

What would you tell someone graduating from Ustinov now?

Joshua Bull, 2013–14

Make sure you keep in touch with as many people as possible—and get one of the teddy bears to remind you of Durham! Take lots of photos, and make sure you’re following the Molly the Cat tumblr, for nostalgia’s sake!

What are you doing and where (roughly) are you living now?

Joshua Bryant, 2012–13 What are you doing and where (roughly) are you living now?

Living in Exeter and working on a PhD in Archaeology.

I’m doing a DPhil (PhD) applying mathematical techniques to biomedical science (e.g., modelling, protein structure, drug discovery) in a DTC scheme in Oxford.

What’s your favourite Ustinov memory?

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned recently?

My favourite Ustinov memory is all the mundane, ‘exploding salmon’-type moments with the amazing friends that I made while there! There was always someone great to talk to in the bar and working with the crowd in the cafe was always great.

The Tower of London was refortified

by Wellington.

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned recently?

If you had your time at Ustinov again, what would you do differently?

The most interesting thing I’ve learned recently is that, with a bit of care, we (as a species) have the ability to trigger or suppress individual neurons just by shining specific frequencies of light onto them. There are people right now studying how much faster/slower animals memorise things while shining light on particular brain cells. How amazing is that—both the fact we can do it and the fact that something as amazing as memory emerges from these electrical impulses?!

What’s your favourite Ustinov memory?

Pub quizzes or pool with my friends.

I would drink less and make time to do more with my close friends.

What would you tell someone graduating from Ustinov now?

You’ll be back, everybody comes back.

If you had your time at Ustinov again, what would you do differently?

I’d get involved with even more clubs, The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

Varun Monteiro, 2012–13 What are you doing and where (roughly) are you living now?

I’m working full time as an Accounts Assistant, living in London (Stratford).

What’s your favourite Ustinov memory?

The huge snow fight that winter.

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned recently?

Forex Trading.

If you had your time at Ustinov again, what would you do differently?

‘Try’ to study a bit more than I did.

What would you tell someone graduating from Ustinov now?

Enjoy your time there, specifically if you’re a MSc student, as you have only a year and it will pass quicker than you know.

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FEATURES

Gillian Carnegie, 2012–13

Hatty James, 2013–14

What are you doing and where (roughly) are you living now?

What are you doing and where (roughly) are you living now?

Looking after the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London. London!

I am working part time, volunteering, and applying for work in the third sector! I just had two interviews for a position in Great Ormond Street, so fingers crossed. [Since submitting this response, Hatty secured an internship at Great Ormond Street!—Ed.]

What’s your favourite Ustinov memory?

Too many to choose from. All the nights that started with ‘I’m just nipping to the bar for one…’, rowing in a hail storm, walking into Fisher House on my first night and the first two people I spoke to becoming friends for life, to name a few.

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned recently?

The Tower of London was used as a prison until relatively recently. The famous London gangsters, the Kray twins, were among the last prisoners to be held in 1952, for failing to report for national service.

If you had your time at Ustinov again, what would you do differently?

Get up early for more Saturday morning Ustinov Seminars! They were great, well worth struggling through a hangover for, and I wish I’d gone to more of them.

What would you tell someone graduating from Ustinov now?

Enjoy it—if you’re doing a Master’s, it’s over far too quickly!

What’s your favourite Ustinov memory?

I have so many! Pub quizzes are a definite, Castle Formal, singing in the choir, and the last couple of days where my group of friends and I spent a lot of time together.

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned recently?

That Great Ormond Street has 240,000 patients annually? Or that it is the western world’s leading cancer centre for children? Or that it has 50 different specialities (the most of any hospital in the UK)? Interview on the brain!

If you had your time at Ustinov again, what would you do differently?

I don’t think I would do anything differently. I loved my time there completely and utterly. If I could do it again there may be some different things I’d do in terms of my course, but not really anything to do with Ustinov. Maybe I would have joined the choir earlier, or run for something on the GCR Committee?

The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

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How to Participate in a Ustinov Seminar or Café The Ustinov Seminars; Volunteering; Race, Crime & Justice; and Café Politique, Café Scientifique, and Café des Arts projects are all designed to give Ustinov members the opportunity to present (and perform) in a public environment, frequently with colleagues more established in their disciplines.

Organisers are always willing to hear ideas and themes for presentations (although they do try to plan a term in advance). You can contact them at the emails below: • ustinov.seminar@durham.ac.uk • ustinov.cafesci@durham.ac.uk • ustinov.cafedesarts@durham. ac.uk • ustinov.cafepol@durham.ac.uk • ustinov.rcj@durham.ac.uk • ustinov.volunteering@durham. ac.uk • ustinov.uif@durham.ac.uk

What would you tell someone graduating from Ustinov now?

Live in the moment. That year, or three years, will go by so quickly you don’t want to miss out on the fun, especially as so many of your friends may be international (or yourself!) and seeing them again might be hard/ impossible. Cherish the friendships you have made and respect the people around you.

OFF THE HILL

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Exploring ‘Nearby’ Edinburgh Michael Baker

Enjoy Arthur’s view from Arthur’s Seat before you try some of his Scotch. (Photo: Michael Baker)

Before arriving in Durham a year-anda-half ago, I pictured myself scampering down to London for weekend getaways to a ‘big’ city. But just as often, I’ve taken the East Coast train line north, to Edinburgh. Admittedly, I am a fan of the Scottish national beverage, and the Royal Mile is lined with shops and drinking establishments that attest to Scotch whisky’s popularity, but Edinburgh is a genuinely inviting place, no matter your interests.

For the traveller from Durham, Edinburgh is just under two scenic hours away, which makes it a worthwhile day trip if you can’t spare an entire weekend. Trains are cheaper than to London; prospecting for tickets two weeks in advance can net you a return trip for less than £30, and that’s without a rail card discount.

(But do get a rail card: www.railcard.co.uk; the College will help you provide proof of your student status,

and it’s a thirty-per-cent discount.)

On arrival, you have your choice of what to do next: stroll the Royal Mile’s shops, tour the Castle (admission is a bit steep at £16 per adult, but you can spend hours exploring the rooms and exhibits), visit Greyfriar Church’s cemetery to see where J. K. Rowling browsed for character names, take a hike up Calton Hill for the view, or try the more substantial ascent to Arthur’s Seat for an even more encompassing city-to-sea view. There’s also the Scottish National Gallery and Portrait Gallery, and the mad-uncle’s-attic that is the National Museum of Scotland.

All the walking about—I haven’t even mentioned the Royal Botanic Garden or Princes Street Gardens— will leave you peckish. From little sandwich shops like Oink (‘delicious hog roasts’), to pub fare (Lebowskis leaves fans of the movie contented on all fronts), to more gourmet repasts The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

from Michelin-starred venues, Edinburgh will feed you well. You’re spoiled for choice on the drinks front, so I won’t bother to do much other than point detective fiction readers to the Oxford Bar (aka: The Ox), which is where author Ian Rankin (and DI John Rebus, fictionally) like to hoist a pint.

I haven’t been on one yet, but I am told that Edinburgh’s many ghost tours—advertised as ‘not for the faint-hearted’—are in fact not for the faint-hearted as they do deliver the spine-chilling paranormal goods.

I tend to spend my later evening hours hunting out Edinburgh’s justly praised cocktail places; two I will leave you with are Bramble Bar and the Lucky Liquor Co., sister bars just down the street from each other but quite different in atmosphere. Downstairs at Lucky’s, for instance, there’s a pool table. Try your luck!

OFF THE HILL

The Edinburgh Festival: 7–31 August 2015 Chris Kerr

The Edinburgh Festival is actually not one festival but two, and that’s two more reasons to visit the city. There’s the Edinburgh International Festival, with its concerts and plays, which are all very well and good, but the Festival Fringe is where the real fun is. The Fringe also happens to be much kinder on student budgets.

Despite the name, the fringe is at the heart of the city.

Every imaginable nook and cranny of Edinburgh, from churches to hidden back rooms and from pubs to warehouses, is filled with an equally limitless range of art and performance for three ridiculous weeks in August.

I’ve been to the Festival five or six times (it’s easy to lose count) and it never fails to surprise me. A random selection of highlights include a hilarious midnight improv show, the self-confessed worst comedian in the world, and the confusing experience of hearing a military jet fly past from a cosy corner of an Edinburgh café.

If you’re thinking of going, it is a good idea to book accommodation well in advance as the city does get overrun by tourists. The largest arts festival in the world just happens to be less than a two hour train-ride away, so don’t miss out!

(Clockwise from top) Edinburgh Castle, residents of its National Museum, and where the Dude abides, or at least a White Russian (Photos: Michael Baker) The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

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OFF THE HILL

Three Weeks in Bayern Saleh Jawa

On the steps of the Walhalla Hall of Fame (Photo courtesy author) The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

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‘Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbour.

Catch the trade winds in your sails.

Explore. Dream. Discover.’ —Mark Twain Setting off from Pancras International, I spent the night in Brussels then boarded a Munich-Frankfurt bound train. But I alighted at the ‘city of the greatest trial in history’, Nürnberg, because it was closer to my destination—Regensburg. One of the few medieval cities not destroyed during World War II, Regensburg is important to both Bavarian and German heritage. I was lucky to have a native Regensburger as a host who was more than enthusiastic to show me around her World Heritage city and beyond.

Our first outing was to the old city where we had a sip of hot non-alcoholic traditional Bavarian punch at the Christmas market as a prelude to my Bayern experience.

And then sightseeing began in earnest. Regensburg’s medieval buildings have very thick walls, narrow alleyways and a patchwork of towers—the taller the tower, the richer the owner. Daylight had given way to dusk by time we arrived at the Regensburg Cathedral, yet I could not fail to notice how imposing the Gothic edifice was. Nearby were the remains of the Roman East Tower, and little farther away, the Town Hall dating back to the fourteenth century.

OFF THE HILL

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at Kelheim—a rotunda built by King Ludwig to commemorate the heroes of War of Liberation.

Next we visited Walhalla Hall of Fame—a Greek revival cenotaph akin to the Parthenon— which displays a constellation of marble busts of some famous European luminaries, including King Ludwig, Kant, Erasmus, Mozart, Grotius, Goethe, Bach, Luther, Bismarck, and Mendel among others. Our outing culminated in a visit to the magnificent Palace of the Prince of Thurn und Taxis—a princely and entrepreneurial family that contributed greatly to modern postal system.

Bavaria was, indeed, a great place to be!

Snow and Regensburg Cathedral (Photo courtesy author)

Inside was a bust. More than one, in fact. Walhalla Hall of Fame (Photo courtesy author) Befreiungshalle (Hall of Liberation) at Kelheim (Photo courtesy author)

The Danube River is both beautiful and scary: scary because trying to swim across it could mean an invitation to suicide. Ancient Regensburgers attributed that mystery to evil spirits dragging swimmers down the river. Today scientists explain its force through the prism of physics.

On the longest day of our outing, my indefatigable host took me to three historic places. First, we visited the Befreiungshalle (Hall of Liberation) The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

Ustinov Volunteering

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RT Projects

Anna Serke and Lucy Gardner On Saturday, 24 January, some keen Ustinovians gathered early in the morning to participate in the first volunteering project of the new term. We spent the day with RT Projects, a great local charity, learning about the techniques they use to promote mental wellbeing. We got to create something arty to take home, and in return we helped them by sorting and cataloguing their storeroom, and by working on a mosaic.

RT Projects believes that creativity and social activity are fundamental to a fulfilled life and contribute towards good mental health. If you want to learn more about them, visit www. facebook.com/ RTProjects, and you will also get to see some photos of us!

people with, mental health issues was so inspiring. Actually being able to experience the magic was something else! The art activity we did was unlike anything I’ve ever done before. I didn’t have to worry about my work being judged. It was a safe environment to express what I was feeling, and the journey through it was fun and insightful.

‘Everyone’s end-product was marvellous, and each and every volunteer

In a nutshell, our wonderful volunteer experience can be summed up by this inspiring quote, spotted at the centre by Ya Lun Chuang: ‘It is nice to be important, but it is more important to be nice.’

But since we have more space than a nutshell, we thought we would let our volunteers tell you about the experience:

‘I

wait to go back and volunteer, and strongly recommend the experience to anyone looking for a creative way to engage with the community.’

—Lara Maria Velho

‘W

orking with RT Projects is the first volunteering I have completed in the UK, and it is different from all the volunteer work I have done before. The aim is to help people with mental health issues through art.

‘I was shocked when I opened the door: the house is beautifully decorated with all the colourful products people have created, and it had a really home-like feel.

After the brief introduction of the project, we shared our experience of the sea, the theme for the day, and started to paint.

‘At first I was a little bit nervous and anxious; I seldom paint.

When I started to draw with the candle (an interesting idea, isn’t it?) I calmed down and concentrated on my

Artists at work (Photos courtesy Volunteer Project)

had a fantastic day with Beano and Emma from RT Projects.

Just hearing about the work they do to spread awareness about, and help

was committed to the idea that all of us are artists, if only we broaden our idea of what an artist is. I can’t The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

feelings of the sea.

‘I think that’s why art is a comfort and can help people with mental

health issues. I saw a message left by a person who benefits from the project, who said that art can let her forget all other things and that she enjoys drawing. At some moments, I felt that I was not a volunteer but a patient undertaking art therapy. In modern life, mental health problems are more common than we think, and may be caused by climate, lack of sunshine, not enough company, work pressure, financial problems, and so on.

‘RT Projects give you the time and place to relax and you can also chat with others since they run regular activities. Being a business student, sometimes I just concentrate too much on my own affairs and this volunteering work just gave me the chance to make some contribution to society. We need to overcome selfishness and care more about others.’

—Xiaopei Fang

‘H

ave you ever thought about the all things you can do in half a day? I joined RT projects with other lovely volunteers. We arrived at the RT projects centre in Gilesgate in the morning. It was a cold and blustery day, but Beano and Emma gave us a very warm welcome. They showed us around the centre and introduced to us a lot of artworks.

COLLEGE PROJECTS

Café Scientifique ‘Solar Revolution’

Stefan Kemp The first Café Scientifique of the Epiphany term took place on Tuesday, 20 January, investigating the solar revolution.

In this two-speaker seminar we learnt from Durham’s Andrew Messenger all about the challenges of building and running a solar racing car, while Marc Etherington from Cambridge

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University talked about his research on organic solar cells.

Andrew kicked off proceedings, providing an overview of his role as team principal of the Durham Solar Car project. In Andrew’s talk we learnt all about the aerodynamics of an efficient solar racer, but how compromises must be made in order for the car to be structurally sound and for the electrical components to fit inside. We found out just how fast a car can travel when powered by the sun alone, as well as the physical demands of racing across the Australian outback.

Marc discussed how technology has moved on in the field of solar cells, and how organic molecules may be deposited on a substrate to form organic solar cells. We learnt the advantages and disadvantages of using such technology, with the major limitation being the cost of fabrication.

The niche markets for flexible and transparent solar cells were discussed, and how the future use for these cells is in display technology.

‘Surprisingly we found that “waste” (such as broken glass pieces, used plastic bottles, scraps of paper) can be changed into beautiful art objects.

Indeed, we were amazed to see the beauty and creativity presented on these arts and crafts.

‘When Beano told us that some of these items were made by people suffering from mental illness, we suddenly realized how helpful and meaningful the art project could be. Painting and drawing are the outlet for these peoples’ talents, and a gateway to their happiness. I was very pleased to discover the magic and power of art!’

—Weixian Huang Andrew Messenger (top), and Marc Etherington (Ustinovian photos) The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

‘NASA Tested, Household Approved’

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Lucy Gardner

Café Scientifique hosted its second event of the term, titled ‘NASA Tested, Household Approved’, in Fisher House on Tuesday, 10 February. This talk was given by Dr Bruno Dias, who is a post-doc working in the department of astronomy at Durham.

The primary goal of astronomers is to understand how galaxies, stars, and planets form and evolve, but during this talk Bruno explained that many everyday objects also have their origins in astronomical research. For example, did you know that the CCD sensors now found in most cameras, including your iPhone camera, were originally developed for use in telescopes (including the Hubble space telescope!) to capture astronomical images? Bruno also explained during the talk that contrary to popular belief NASA didn’t invent Teflon, Velcro, barcodes, or smoke detectors—but did improve upon them.

Overall, it was a great talk and the audience remained captivated throughout. Although we weren’t able to go outside and stargaze afterwards (due to the sudden appearance of a thick fog!), Bruno has promised to give us a tour of the sky in the near future, so watch this space.

Café Politique

‘US-China Relations: Co-Existence or Conflict?’

Holly Flynn-Piercy More than sixty people turned up to listen to our panelists discuss the current state of U.S.-China relations. In the context of China’s rise and America’s turn towards the East, the question that confronted them was whether U.S.-China relations are currently defined by co-existence or conflict?

Each speaker offered a different perspective that explained why conflict or co-existence was more appropriate.

David Kerr from the School of Government and International Affairs offered a geopolitical approach that discusses America’s rebalancing towards China. Doctoral student Philip Gater-Smith gave us a strategic triangle between China, the U.S. and the Middle East in which he examined the importance of the Middle East region and energy security for the U.S.-China relationship. Finally, Dr Dylan Sutherland from the Business School provided an overview of the increasing number of Chinese investments in American companies that demonstrated the extent of cooperation.

At the end, the panelists concluded that it’s really a combination of the

Philip Gater-Smith (Ustinovian photo)

co-existence and conflict across different areas. In many areas in politics and international relations, it seems that it can almost never be either/or, it is usually both, and so too is the case with U.S.-China relations. In politics, despite President Obama’s ‘pivot to Asia’, the relationship seems to be defined by a mutual suspicion and a subtle clash of history and cultural values, thus creating the potential for conflict in the future. In economics, it is a different story, where the relationship is one of general co-existence based on mutual benefit.

Bruno Dias, exploding myths (Ustinovian photo) The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

‘Islam, Radicalisation, and Terrorism: Instability and Uncertainty in the Middle East’

COLLEGE PROJECTS

‘Arab Spring’.

Instead he showed that there are a large number of power plays occurring, with AQAP being just one of many groups vying for power in Sana’a.

He proceeded to give a fantastic view about the future for Yemen addressing how foreign powers (primarily the U.S., Iran and Saudi Arabia) will act in Yemen.

Dr Christopher Davidson followed Clive’s presentation with a discussion on the ‘Islamic State’. He started by elaborating on what the ‘Arab Spring’ has done to the Middle East, with the petro-states of the Gulf surviving through large-scale welfare spending; regimes without such resources are now stuck in civil war or facing a return to authoritarianism.

Robert Fisher On Tuesday, 17 February, the second Café Politique of term discussed radicalism and terrorism in the Middle East. It was a controversial topic, but the key speakers for the event, Prof. Clive Jones and Dr Christopher Davidson of SGIA (Durham University), both gave superb presentations.

Prof. Clive Jones’ presentation on the Houthi rebellion and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula provided an insight into current events in Yemen, a part of the world not many of us can claim to know much about. He portrayed the situation in Yemen as not just another land racked by the ‘War on Terror’ nor a failed case of the spread of democracy following the

As an example, he identified Libya, the state many hoped would become stable after the fall of Gaddafi. But since ‘Western’ states and their Arab allies allowed arms to flow into the country to fight Gaddafi, they have ended up in the hands of extremist factions. He drew comparisons between Libya and the current situation in Iraq and Syria, and discussed how the ‘Islamic State’, capitalising on being one of the few successful anti-Assad forces, has gained materiel and supplies to fight the regime and strengthen their position.

Questions from the audience ranged from Jordan’s counter-terror campaign to discussing what draws disenfranchised youths go to fight in Iraq and Syria as foreign fighters.

Robert Fisher, Prof. Clive Jones, and Dr Christopher Davidson (Ustinovian photo) The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

‘Reflecting on Obama’s Legacy: Expectations vs.

Reality’ Holly Flynn-Piercy

President Obama’s State of the Union speech in January suggested that with only two years left in office his mind had turned to thoughts of his legacy.

Obama was not the only one with legacy on his mind as a recent New York Times Magazine article asked historians, political scientists, and journalists to speculate on that very subject. Taking up this questionThursday, 26 February, at Ustinov was an all-Durham panel: John Dumbrell (Professor of Government) and Harris Dousemetzis (PhD candidate) both from the School of Government and International Affairs and Dr Jennifer Luff from the Department of History.

The event was well-attended and the audience was attentive and engaged for each of the three areas discussed by our speakers. As the project leader of Café Politique, I stepped in for Harris Dousemetzis to who was unable to attend, delivering a presentation on Obama’s achievements in gay rights.

The conclusion suggested that this area has the potential to be Obama’s biggest legacy, perhaps even more significant than his signature health care legislation, the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act. Indeed, Eric Marcus, Obama’s gay rights adviser called Obama ‘transformative’ and said he had ‘led the way’ in helping LGBT Americans achieve marriage equality and other rights.

Dr Jennifer Luff followed with a discussion of Obama’s campaigns, concluding that he had changed the process and art of campaigned in unprecedented ways, especially in his effective use of social media and grassroots politics. Indeed, Obama was the first candidate ever to raise over

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$1 billion for a presidential campaign.

Finally Professor Dumbrell offered some reflections on Obama’s foreign policy approach, notably the successful withdrawal of troops from Iraq, the pivot to Asia and the current tension with Iran and Israel over Iran’s nuclear programme.

Overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening, conversation continued well after the Q&A, where questions ranged from the continued relevance of the Tea Party, the importance of Obama’s race, and the impact of the health care bill as part of his legacy, as well as looking ahead to 2016.

[NB: ‘Crowdsourcing a Constitution: The Icelandic Experiment in the Aftermath of the 2008 Financial Crisis’ (Thursday, 5 March) took place as this edition was going to press. Look for coverage in the online Ustinovian—Ed.]

Race, Crime & Justice

‘Deconstructing the lived experiences of Islamophobia in the United Kingdom’

Jason Haynes and Valentina Amuso On Tuesday, 3 February, the Race, Crime, and Justice Network played host to its second event, a seminar held

COLLEGE PROJECTS

under the theme, ‘Deconstructing the lived experiences of Islamophobia in the United Kingdom’ at Fisher House.

The event, organised under the aegis of Ustinov College’s Global Citizenship Programme, was attended by over 80 people from Durham and elsewhere. In view of contemporary, and often emotive, debates surrounding the continued relevance of ‘Islamophobia’ in the context of the United

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lived experiences of Muslim women in the UK. Citing empirical data collected in the context of recently concluded field interviews, Dr Allen’s central contention was that Islamophobia is, indeed, a real phenomenon in the UK, evidenced not least by the numerous reports of violence and discrimination, as well as stereotypical and xenophobic speech meted out against Muslim

Talking ‘Islamaphobia’ (Ustinovian photo)

Kingdom, the Race, Crime, and Justice Network sought to investigate several key questions of interest: What exactly is ‘Islamophobia’? Is the term ‘Islamophobia’ still a relevant and accurate articulation of the experiences of Muslims living and working in the UK? How is ‘Islamophobia’ experienced on a day-to-day basis in the UK? What is the way forward?

Four speakers made thought-provoking presentations on various aspects of ‘Islamophobia’ in the UK. Firstly, Dr Chris Allen, a Lecturer at the University of Birmingham and one of the leading authorities on Islamophobia in the UK, presented on the The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

women, in particular. Against this backdrop, Dr Allen called for policy action, both at the community and wider societal level, so as to ameliorate the ongoing concerns that Muslim women face in the UK. Secondly, Mr Andrew Telford, a PhD candidate in the Department of Geography at Durham University, provided a different perspective on the issue of Islampohobia, relying primarily on empirical research that explores the interconnections between the ongoing climate security discourse, racialisation, and national identity. By carefully mapping and de-constructing his findings, Andrew was able to present a nuanced picture of how racial connotations, and, in particular, anti-Muslim discourses, feature heavily in both the policy and practice of climate change. Given that Muslims, according to Andrew, have been painted in a largely negative manner in the existing climate security discourse, the time is ripe for a re-conceptualisation of the relationship between this increasingly important discourse and the issues of race and national identity.

Thirdly, Mr Amir Darwish, an MA Student in the School of Government and International Relations at Durham University, provided a historical account of the experiences of Muslims in the UK. By comparing and contrasting the lived experiences of Jews, on the one hand, with Muslims, on the other, Amir concluded that the treatment of both groups, throughout history, has been one of discrimination, hatred, and, in some instances, outright hostility.

In contemporary discourse, however, Amir argued that there has been a re-conceptualisation of anti-Semitism, whereby it is now largely classified as hostile and unwelcome, whereas the ‘other’—Muslims—remain subjected to myriad forms of anti-Muslim sentiments, attitudes and even conduct. In this context, Amir argued that the tenuous distinction between anti-Semitism and Islamophobia—based largely on a false dichotomy between race and religion—needs to be abandoned, in favour of a more nuanced approach.

The final speaker, Mr Ehsan Abdoh-Tabrizi, a PhD candidate in the School of Government and International Affairs at Durham University, concluded the main segment of the event by making a timely and intriguing presentation on the need to reconceptualise ‘Islamophobia’.

Ehsan’s central argument, in this connection, is that ‘Islamophobia’ has been appropriated in such a way that any legitimate criticism of Islam has largely been precluded, which does not augur well when viewed in light of the need for democratic governance, transparency, and accountability. While accepting that the lived experiences of Muslims are real and should not be trivialised, Ehsan was, however, insistent that an appropriate balance must be struck between critical anti-Muslim sentiments and the need for legitimate criticism.

COLLEGE PROJECTS

Café des Arts

Propaganda: The Art of Lying?

‘Ethnomusicology: Illness, Death, and Celebration’

Chris Kerr

Ariadne Schulz

The first Café des Arts event of the year was ‘Propaganda: the Art of Lying?’, on Thursday, 22 January. Two Durham academic speakers offered strikingly different perspectives on the relationship between art and propaganda.

First to present was Dr Paolo Fortis, a social anthropologist. Paolo offered a fascinating insight into the crossover between U.S. military symbols and indigenous art in Panama. Historian Professor Jo Fox rounded off the evening with a provocative presentation on cinematic propaganda in Nazi Germany. Jo demonstrated that the best propaganda has little to do with lies and that the films of the Third Reich were more complex than we might think.

Café des Arts’ ‘Ethnomusicology: Illness, Death, and Celebration’ featured two speakers, Joanna Heath and Giorgio Scalici, two PhD students who gave very different but equally fascinating presentations on their respective research.

Giorgio, who studies the Wana people, explained how music is integral to the continuation of shamanic ritual.

With a number of videos and sound tracks he showed how music and ritual of this type could bring the community together ostensibly to heal illness of various members of the community, but also to reinforce a sense of belonging.

Joanna who studies the Mizo of India was more focused on theory.

The Baptist hymns she studies have been appropriated, restructured, and rewritten by the Mizo to suit their way of worship and mourning. However, due to the incursion of Christian missionaries into the community and longstanding conflict in the area Mizo identity must be carefully navigated.

As the first truly ethnomusicology event Café des Arts has offered, ‘Illness, Death, and Celebration’ set the standard for hopefully many more excursions into the fascinating subject.

Prof. Jo Fox speaking on film and propaganda (Ustinovian photo) The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

Cont’d next page

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COLLEGE PROJECTS

Ustinov Intercultural Forum (UIF)

Cont’d from previous page

This term, the Language Café returned! One of the most popular UIF events, on Saturday, 14 February, the GCR’s Stephan Wojtowytsch and the UIF’s Ruoxi Fu set up language tables in Ustinov Café, so that everyone could brush up on their favourite—but, alas!, seldom-practised—second language.

You may have heard about Chinese New Year; perhaps some of your friends celebrated, and you might even know that New Year’s Eve fell on Wednesday, 19 February. The UIF, in collaboration with the Chinese Students Association (CSSA), organised a one-hour crash course on all anyone needed to know about this traditional event. The event covered the origins of Chinese New Year, what it is about, how Chinese people celebrate it, and some of the tasty food that is eaten during the festivities. Attendees learned why Chinese people set off firecrackers, paste red papers with Chinese word ‘Fu’ on doors, and have a dragon and lion dance in the Spring Festival.

Besides English, German, French, Italy, Korean, and Chinese, this time there was also a Hindi table. It is great to see more languages becoming part of this event. If you attend the Language Café, you will meet people who will help you improve so that you know your gauche from your droite or your zuo from your you, and you can also learn about some interesting and totally different forms of etiquette from other nations from your table partners. People had a cheerful and

Our biggest event of the season will have taken place on Saturday, 28 February: the International Party! It starts with an art exhibition and takes a tour around the world via music and dance.

(People wear their traditional costumes to the party, too.) We have a treat for the feet with salsa and tango dancing, along with a performance of traditional Chinese music, plus many other acts. All this culminates in a disco to the beat of international electronica and other exciting styles of music.

Cesare Aloisi and UIF Team

Coming up!

In the coming months we also have a University-wide dance competition to look forward to. The winners will be featured in Ustinov College’s 50th anniversary celebrations in June.

Look out also for some photography exhibits and lectures, a possible talk on nineteenth-century literature, and, as always, our dance classes within the College and greater University.

Although it is now a separate entity, Café des Arts is very happy to announce that we are supporting the creation of the Ustinov Choir for this year. Maybe they’ll perform at the 50th Anniversary, too?

As always, if you want to participate in the arts we have a range of auditions and competitions, classes, and justfor-fun events we can link you to.

And if you just want to appreciate the arts, we have plenty of opportunities for you as well.

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relaxing time during the Language Café: it’s a fantastic opportunity for them to practice their second language and make new friends. We hope to be holding a third Language Café sometime soon, so keep your eyes peeled!

Keep your eyes open and your ears perked for our upcoming events!

Dance Party UIF (Ustinovian photos) The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

ACADEMIC TRAVEL AWARDS

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Norman Richardson Postgraduate Research Award Report Minako Asakura, School of Government and International Affairs My fieldwork took place in the Republic of Uganda, East Africa, during the months of August and September 2014 with the support of Norman Richardson Postgraduate Research Fund. This project constitutes a part of my doctoral research, which analyzes two areas: specificities of Ugandan-led community policing initiatives in Kampala (the capital) and in towns bordering with South Sudan, and the way in which the Ugandan model of community policing is exported to the police force of conflict-torn South Sudan.

Nearly 60 semi-structured interviews were conducted with the Uganda Police Force (UPF) personnel, Local Council members, government representatives and civilian populations who are involved in community policing in Kampala, and two towns in northern Uganda, namely Elegu and Adjumani.

Overall, the findings from this field research indicate that the UPF has been increasingly emphasizing the importance of the implementation of community-oriented policing programs over the past few years. Due to these efforts in part, many of my civilian informants in all three locations expressed their gradually improving perceptions—although to differing

pervasive throughout the country and he therefore does not fully trust the police.

degrees—of the police or their community security at large.

These findings are of significance given the notorious reputations that the UPF has had for decades, such as for the use of coercion. Similar positive accounts were heard in Elegu and Adjumani, but people were still sceptical about the effectiveness of police as they believed that police were helpless against witchcraft and ritual murder, which were one of their primary security concerns (!).

One day in Kampala, I selected at random one male motorcycle rider in his early 30s who makes his living by this transportation business (locally called ‘boda boda’).

He explained to me that in his opinion, the recent increase in police-community joint patrols With a female superintendent, Kampala (Photo courtesy author) In sum, this fieldwork allowed me in his area resulted in a reduction in motorcycle theft and found this com- to undertake the first phase of my munity policing initiative helpful for research to document some characteristics and challenges of recent comhis business. munity policing programs led by the However, he also noted that police UPF. This empirical data will be able corruption in relation to traffic is still to support my thesis in demonstrating new trends in community policing in the developing world, particularly in East Africa, and will hopefully bridge to the analysis on how this knowledge is transferred from a country in the Global South (Uganda) to a post-conflict country (South Sudan) on the African continent.

Morning rush hour at the border, Elegu (Photo courtesy author) The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

I would like to express my appreciation once again to the Ustinov College for awarding me this grant. Hopefully, my research will be able to contribute to shaping the rapidly expanding international research community of Ustinov at its 50th anniversary.

Basketball Club, Men and Women

CLUBS & SOCIETIES

Sercan Hamza Bağlama and Rose Simnett

Ustinov is the only college that has two basketball teams in the Premiership League, and we are really proud of it. We have dedicated, devoted, social, and friendly basketball players, which we hope will make us champions this year.

The club has had a packed social calendar this term with the Women’s new monthly DVD night-in, nightsout, house parties and a trip to see the Durham Wildcats coming up. At this point, Ustinov A has won all of their games, while the performance of Ustinov B is average. In fact, this was exactly what we aimed for at the beginning of this academic year so that we could represent Ustinov College with two teams in the league.

came to Durham University this year, and Ustinov A has been able to win all the games easily. The funny thing is that the toughest game for Ustinov A was versus Ustinov B. Ustinov A will hopefully represent Durham University in the Varsity Games again, and this time we are sure that we will win the cup! As the captain of Ustinov Basketball Teams, I would like to thank Ustinov College for the opportunities it has provided us. We are really proud to be a part of such a great college sport community!

This year, we have much stronger teams thanks to the great guys who

The Women’s team has continued to develop and improve throughout

Everyone has high hoops for Ustinov Women’s team. (Photo: Arūnas Miasojedovas) The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

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this season. There were lots of new faces at the start of the term who have since become regular players on court.

With great defensive performances from the guards, Fran and Arin, and strong performances from Zarja and Dani, to name but a few, Ustinov is a difficult team to beat this year.

There has been only one defeat this year and a solid top table finish; this has been another great year for everyone. We’d like to thank our coach Laurence for all his hard work, time, and effort this season. His guidance and knowledge has brought the whole team forward, and we look forward to building on this in the future.

If you want to get involved, please get in touch at r.e.simnett@durham.ac.uk.

We have regular training sessions at Hilde Bede, Maiden Castle, Howlands and Freeman’s Quay, and a variety of regular social events as well.

Cricket Club Jesper L. Pedersen

The Ustinov Cricket Club is in full gear for another season, with players from all over the world—India, Pakistan, the West Indies, Denmark, Spain, and Gibraltar—representing the College. This term we’re playing in the indoor tournament in Freeman’s Quay. Indoor cricket is a really fun, fast-paced, six-a-side game where you score points not only by running between the wickets, but also hitting different parts of the wall. At this point we’ve played two games, with another four to go. Sadly, we were on the losing side of both matches, but we played well and put in a good effort.

I’m sure we’ll be able to claim victory soon enough.

CLUBS & SOCIETIES

The Frisbee season doesn’t end with the close of play in the college league. In Epiphany term Ustinov has been taking part in the college cup: a tournament contested by all 24 college teams. Ustinov were handed a tough opening group with mid-table premiership side St Johns A, Division 1 champions St Cuthberts A, and Division 2 rivals St Chads A. The cup kicked off on the first weekend of February and the challenges of the term ahead were immediately clear. St Cuthberts A demonstrated how they have achieved promotion for two successive seasons with a crushing

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grit and desire to get to the disc first.

Unfortunately, Ustinov finished fourth in the group, and will now play in a round-robin tournament to decide the rankings of the bottom seven teams in the cup. This gives us the opportunity to work on our tactics and improve in time for the upcoming college festival of sport.

Spin Doctors have continued to represent the college outside of the University with frequent trips to indoor tournaments in nearby Eaglescliffe. In these tournaments we have played against a mixture of club, college, and university sides, giving us the

In the summer we’ll be playing ‘proper’ outdoor cricket in the intercollegiate T20 tournament, and we’ll be taking on local clubs and the SCR and MCR teams of other colleges in summer friendlies.

We’re always looking for new players, and anyone is welcome. So whether you used to open the batting for England or you’ve never hit a ball with a stick and run between some other sticks before, we’d love to hear from you. This term we’re training every Saturday 8 to 9:30 p.m. in Maiden Castle, and Sunday 5 to 7 p.m. in Howlands.

Ultimate Frisbee Stefan Kemp

Ustinov Ultimate Frisbee club, the Spin Doctors, finished the league season in dominant fashion. A convincing 12-4 victory against St Chads A, shortly followed by a close win over league leaders St Cuthberts B clinched the Division 2 title for Ustinov on points difference. This gives Ustinov promotion to Division 1 for the next academic year, where we will be playing against considerably stronger opposition.

Stefan demonstrating how to set down a Frisbee properly (Photo: Ustinovian)

13-0 victory over the Spin Doctors.

Injuries and missing players were a key factor in a 13-4 loss to a resurgent St Chads A, featuring a junior national team player. Despite the loss, Ustinov produced one of their best team performances of the year and the result really didn’t reflect the quality of the Frisbee played. The following weekend our hard work paid off with an 8-6 victory over premiership team St Johns A. Despite appalling pitch conditions, the Ustinov offense really hit the ground running; every player showing The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

opportunity to hone our skills against established opposition. We are also looking into the possibility of going to a fun outdoors tournament in Lancaster during the summer term.

Ustinov Ultimate are always looking for new recruits and can virtually guarantee a fun and injury-free environment.

Even GCR VIP Siobhan Harper claims she ‘didn’t hate’ the experience. If you are interested in joining the club, please contact stefan.kemp@durham.ac.uk.

Alex Papadopoulos:

CLUBS & SOCIETIES

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A rags to catches story

This term has seen the improbable rise of Alex ‘Naughty Paps’ Papadopoulos as a ‘key’ player for Ustinov Spin Doctors. Alex, 21, from Bromley, was a player seemingly destined to be the club’s immobile cheerleader for the entirety of the Michaelmas term.

However, Alex emerged from the winter break rejuvenated, with knee support that could compete with his enthusiasm, and has since scored three points for the team in the cup season.

To truly understand the scale of this meteoric rise to prominence, we need to go back to the beginning of his story.

‘Alpha Papa’ arrived at the 2014 Clubs and Societies Fair fresh and in good fitness. After a long discussion weighing up the respective benefits of Ultimate Frisbee and rowing, Alex decided to play Frisbee after being promised a fun environment with relatively little chance for injury. How wrong I was.

Making his first appearance for the club against Hild Bede B back in October, Alex pulled his ‘that muscle’ in his first-ever foray onto the pitch. Establishing his warrior-like reputation, Alex gritted his teeth, straightened his eye mask, and continued to play. The injury severely hampered Alex’s performance, though it ultimately left no mark on the game. ‘That muscle’ continued to ache but the rest of the team didn’t know at the time; Alex doesn’t like to talk about these things.

Unfortunately Alex’s second game was as eventful as the first. Whilst leaping for what would have been the first point he ever scored, Alex managed to trip over his own feet in mid-air and land on his wrist, dropping the disc in the process. Again the team didn’t know the extent of the injury; Alex doesn’t like to talk about these things.

Despite the dodgy wrist and ‘that muscle’ still playing up, Alex then rep-

‘Papa’, preparing to send the disc to a new postcode (Ustinovian photo)

resented Spin Doctors at the Eaglescliffe indoor tournament. With Lucy ‘Diddy D’ Gardner, 22, from High Wycombe, on the receiving end of a shoulder to the face and near-certain concussion during the last match of the evening, Alex was feeling sympathetic and took a bump to the knee for the team. Serious discussions followed as to whether it would be better for Alex to take an ambulance or the X1 bus back to Ustinov.

In what was to be the lowest point of his Frisbee career, Alex was seen on numerous occasions hobbling into Fisher House whilst carrying crutches, because his wrist hurt too much whilst using them. On one such occasion, Tom ‘Burton’ Burton, a normally proper and well-mannered young lad, told Alex to ‘shut up about his injuries’. The rest of the team were baffled at such an outburst because, as has been noted, Alex doesn’t like to talk about these things.

The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

A faint glimmer of hope was observed at Ustinov’s match against St Chads A. With the match almost won, a crippled Alex wandered into the endzone unmarked and had the good fortune for the disc to drop into his hands: a first point for our injury-prone talisman.

That glimmer turned into a brightly burning star following the Christmas break. Throughout the cup campaign Alex continued to land butter-side-up, and has taken his career points tally to four (at one stage, the team’s leading scorer). Once more against St Chads A, Alex put in a career-defining performance, which led to him being voted the game’s most valuable player. In this match Alex pulled off numerous spectacular catches and regularly beat his defender with the slipperiness of a well-oiled eel. With performances like this, Alex is now a genuine contender for the MVP at the team’s inaugural AGM later this term.

Salsa Dance Society

Sherihan Al-Akhras This is our first year establishing our Salsa Society, and it has been amazing!

Throughout the year we have aimed to organise classes in collaboration with professional and advanced dancers, such as Chris Storey and Richard Asquith. We were also happy to receive classes from Alex Webb, a salsa teacher of previous years, and Nury Moreira, a very talented dancer and current student at Durham University.

We asked our dancers to describe their experience in one word: Rowland Fraser chose the word ‘sick’;

CLUBS & SOCIETIES

Bruno Dias thinks ‘fun’ would be the best description; Hoa Duong says the classes are ‘energetic’; Corey Davis feels they are ‘challenging, fun, and provocative (in a good way)’; Martin Sherman adds salsa has been a good way to ‘try something new that was outside of [his] comfort zone’; for Amelia Warm Eichengreen ‘sexy (with a winky-face)’ is her chosen description of the classes.

To provide an interesting variety of Latin dance we are keen on introducing other dances, in addition to salsa, such as bachata, kizomba, and merengue. At the moment, we are assembling a performance team and we are looking forward to future events. Our classes are for people of all levels and abilities, and we aim to provide a fun and welcoming environment. Dancing is not only about moving in time with the music, it is also about expression, confidence, and communication. In the words of Martha Graham: ‘Dance is the hidden language of the soul’.

For information, get in touch with us at s.s.al-akhras@dur.ac.uk or add our group on Facebook: Salsadictos - Durham University Salsa Team: Past and Present Members.

Ustinov Choir Sings Into Life!

Sam Jackson On Wednesday, 28 January, the Ustinov Choir held its first rehearsal of this academic year. Forming a choir not only allows us to come together in unity with each other in our song, but also allows for the meeting of new friends who share a common interest.

There should be a real sense of ‘team play’ in a choir, and I hope that this being achieved in Ustinov.

The repertoire of the choir, which includes but is not limited to folk songs, pop ballads, choral music, and gospel songs, aims to be as diverse as possible and include something for everyone. Everyone is encouraged to join: if you enjoy singing, then it is for you. And don’t be put off by thinking that you might not be good enough or by the fact that you have never sung in a choir before: the main thing is to come along and have fun!

There are also many personal and physical benefits to singing: singing is relaxing, stress-relieving, good for your heart, breathing and lungs, a great way to express yourself, and releases endorphins which put you in a good mood.

I hope that this has persuaded you to join Ustinov college choir and have a great time singing with us. If it has (and why wouldn’t it?) we meet on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. in Keeper’s Cottage—so come along!

Salsa: not just for dipping. (Photo: Salsa Dance Society) The Ustinovian Epiphany Term 2015

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THE BACK PAGE

‘Snow Day’ (Photo: Michael Baker)

The Ustinov Memorial Tree Over the winter, the Ustinov SCR arranged the purchase of a tree to keep in memory the Ustinov students who have passed away during their studies.

Alexander Williams Sargeant

Porter Jonathan Brown planted the tree (right).

The memorial markers around the Josephine Butler tree (left) will eventually be moved to surround the Ustinov tree.

Neal Smith Brodsky Alex Matteo Paolo Cicchino Rachael Ann Muirhead

(Ustinovian photos)