10 Once a Caian...
by James Howell (2009)
Expressing gratitude to our benefactors is a vital part of the College’s DNA
O
ur name acknowledges two of our three founders, who are further commemorated in the courts that bear their names. Statues of Stephen Perse (1565) and Bartholomew Wortley (1671) still survey Tree Court. Gifts from William Drosier (1835), William Tapp (1877) and Comyns Berkeley (1883) are acknowledged in named Fellowships and Studentships and inscribed on the Benefactors’ Wall in the Great Gate. Also in the Great Gate is the memorial to Francis Crick (1950) who discovered the
structure of DNA. This year, Crick has been further celebrated by the completion of funding for a College Lectureship in his name. Three more lectureships have been funded and named for outstandingly distinguished Caians, Joseph Needham (1918), Tun Suffian (1936), and Iain Macpherson (1959). All of these Lectureships have been completed through the generosity of many contemporary benefactors. More than 80 Caians contributed to the Crick Lectureship, which has also been supported by the Caius Fund and our telephone campaigns. The new Francis Crick Lecturer is Dr Julian Sale (1986) who works at the MRC Laboratory in Cambridge on DNA replication. The Needham and Tun Suffian Lectureships began as geographically focused appeals. In March 2014, Nick Sallnow-Smith (1969) Lora Sallnow-Smith (2012), Ray Leung
(1986) and Julia Ford (1995) helped to organise a magnificent dinner, attended by Professor Sir Alan Fersht (1962) and Dr Anne Lyon (2001), generously hosted by the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Administrative Region of the time, CY Leung and his wife, Regina, at Government House. Proceeds from the sale of tickets for the dinner and an auction kick-started the funding for a lectureship to commemorate former Master, Joseph Needham (1918). As recorded in earlier issues of Once a Caian… Needham’s fame in China has only increased since his death. He was the first international scholar to open the eyes of the West to China’s scientific and cultural achievements since ancient times. Following the Hong Kong launch of the appeal, further funds have been raised through the Caius Fund to complete the endowment of this Lectureship.
Victoria Bateman (1998) was fortunate to have the legendary Iain Macpherson (1959) as her Director of Studies in Economics. Now, Victoria is continuing the Caius tradition of excellence in Economics as both Director of Studies and the Iain Macpherson Lecturer
Dan White
Investing in Teaching
