William Charnley Scholarships William Charnley’s generous donation will support two annual Law Scholarships for the next five years, worth £1000 each. They are open to all LLM and PhD law candidates who name Hughes Hall as their first choice of College, though preference will be given to applicants resident, or intending to practise, in the United Kingdom. The College is anticipating an excellent pool of candidates over the coming years. The first two William Charley Law Scholars will join Hughes Hall for the 2008-09 academic year.
Nigel Brown, OBE Nigel Brown, Hughes Hall City Fellow, was awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours list for services to business and the community in Cambridgeshire. Last year he received an individual Queen’s award, and he will be High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire for 2010/2011.
Research success Hughes Research Fellow, Sovan Sarkar, is part of a team researching a new drug for the neurodegenerative disease known as Huntington’s. The team have identified for further investigation a number of candidate drugs which encourage cells to ‘eat’ the malformed proteins that lead to the disease. This initial success was reported in the journal Nature Chemical Biology.
Fellowship Congratulations to recent Hughes student, Dr Mohammed El-Shafie, on being elected a Fellow of Robinson College.
Roll of Honour The following elections have been made:
New Fellows Honorary Fellow
Judge Evan Wallach
Pfieffer Fellow
Dr Johnny Hon
Fellow
Professor Theresa Marteau
Research Fellow
Dr Rafael Dinner
Fellow Commoner Annemarie Young Quondam Fellow
Stephen Allott
Hughes Hall University of Cambridge Hughes Hall Cambridge CB1 2EW Tel: +44 (0)1223 334898 Fax: +44 (0)1223 311179 Email: contact@hughes.cam.ac.uk Web: www.hughes.cam.ac.uk
June 2008 Issue 8
Nigel Brown, OBE
Hughes Hall Boat Club Black Tie Dinner Rowers are a strange lot, writes Jeff Cook These men and women spend whole winters sitting on a contraption called an ‘erg’, punishing their bodies in order to develop enough stamina to race in a sport where the body’s absorbed oxygen is usually exhausted within the first 500 metres. Why would any intelligent person intentionally pursue such misery? For the parties. Think about it. Misery loves company. Company loves a party. Rowing then really is only a great party waiting to happen. It must follow that the best rowing parties are thrown by those crews which suffered the most misery during the race season. Hughes Hall (with Lucy Cavendish) had an embarrassment of riches last season, having won the Pegasus Cup as the highest achieving College club. Clearly then, the Annual Black Tie Dinner on 7 March, born of misery, sustained by wins, and fuelled by champagne, was a testament to the suffering of the respective crews, and was a smashing success. The Hughes Hall Boat Club is grateful to Jeff Cook for his recent donation of an erg machine and a welcome injection of cash. The women’s crew would also like to thank HSBC for sponsoring their training kit.
Pat Story pays tribute to…
Professor Richard D’Aeth, President of Hughes Hall 1978–84, Honorary Fellow 1984–2008 When Richard (Dick) D’Aeth was elected President, he found a College which had already begun to expand and diversify. However, the future of the College remained uncertain: the phasing-out of the one year BEd course meant the immediate loss of 20 students out of a total of 110; and, in the longer term, if Hughes Hall was ever to become a full College of the University, it had first to proceed from its insecure status as an Approved Society of the University to that of an Approved Foundation. The criteria were not altogether clear, but the College certainly had to demonstrate high academic standards in a variety of subjects and continuing financial viability. Dick D’Aeth proved to be an inspired choice to carry out this daunting agenda. The immediate problem of replacing the BEd students was solved by recruiting students entering the new Clinical School, and LLM students. By also admitting students studying for higher degrees in a variety of subjects, Dick both raised the academic standing of the College and continued the process of diversification. He also enhanced the research profile of the College by acquiring further funding for the influential medical project on the early years of parenthood, and promoting a trail-blazing study of the care of the elderly in the community. A cause dear to his heart was the future of small rural schools. He not only secured the necessary funding for a research project, but was personally involved in writing the report published in conjunction with the Ministry of Education. His previous experience in universities abroad had given him an international perspective and led to his encouragement of overseas students and academics to study in Britain. This interest, and his friendships with many scholars abroad, continue to enrich the life of Hughes Hall to this day. By 1983 it was felt that sufficient progress had been made to enable the College to
Margaret Wileman turns 100! Hughes Hall is helping Margaret to celebrate her centenary on the 19 July, 2008.
Calling all Alumni Dick D’Aeth in his garden
submit an application for Approved Foundation status. Here Dick’s powers of clear thinking and organisation, his meticulous attention to detail and capacity for sheer hard work were invaluable. Because of his expertise he was asked to continue as President for a year longer than his original appointment. An initial application was unexpectedly turned down on grounds that the original constitution of the College did not allow for full selfgovernance. So Dick and his colleagues immediately undertook the onerous task of devising a new constitution. By the time Dick retired in 1984, the revised application was complete, and the status of Approved Foundation was granted the following year. Dick spent a long and happy retirement in Devon, in close touch with his daughters, Gillian and Nicki, and his grandchildren. After his death in February this year Gillian wrote, ‘His time at Hughes Hall was one of the happiest and most fulfilling of his life, and he derived huge pleasure in knowing that it became a full College, and moved from strength to strength. He was always delighted to hear that scholars from abroad had such affection and respect for the College, and kept in touch.’ We owe a great debt to Dick D’Aeth and it is good to know that he lived to see his work come to fruition.
We will soon have a new database, enabling us to keep in touch with you more effectively. There will no longer be a separate Hughes Hall Society website, so no need to remember a pin number. Everyone who has been a student at Hughes Hall continues to be a member of the College. Just make sure we have your address so that we can invite you to events and generally keep in touch. Contact us on development@hughes.cam.ac.uk or +44(0)1223 334895
Help Hughes as you buy books You can help Hughes by shopping at Amazon through the Hughes Hall website. Go to the Library page of the Hughes Hall website and click on the link at the top of the page (http://www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/?section=abo ut&page=library). 4% of the purchase price comes back to the College as a general donation – at no expense to you!
News from Hughes June 2008
Issue 8
Space to Study Enthusiasm for the new library … … from the Librarian I can’t wait to see Hughes Hall’s students benefiting from the new library. It will provide a much needed increase in student study spaces. In the existing library, only ten study carrels are available; the new library will provide a total of seventy study spaces spread over two storeys. There will also be a variety of different study spaces to suit students’ personal preferences, including a quiet study area on the ground floor, computer Artist’s impression of the new library. Building work starts in earnest workstations, and a group study area with IT facilities on the on the 16 June and the new library will be open in January, 2009. first floor. Computer network facilities will be available. The new library will provide an essential increase in available shelving, to allow for future expansion of the book stock. This is also a pressing, immediate need: the library is full to capacity, and for the past three years the required expansion space for our growing stock has only been obtained by removing study spaces from the library. There will be floor to ceiling windows overlooking the garden. The building has been designed to provide a comfortable, well insulated and well ventilated working environment which is wheelchair accessible. An environmentally controlled archives and rare books room will accommodate the valuable and unique Ohtake collection, a collection of rare books and fine bindings generously donated by Professor Masatsugu Ohtake, and the College Archives, which go back to the nineteenth century. Items from the Ohtake collection will be displayed in the library. All in all, the new library will provide the pleasant study area and improved facilities which are urgently required by Hughes Hall’s students, and which will be enjoyed by students for years to come. Diana Hutchison, Under Librarian
… the MCR representative
… the students
The new library will benefit all students. One particularly useful element of the design is the group study area, where students can have valuable discussions, with learning resources close at hand.
It will be brilliant to have improved library facilities. I feel lucky that it’s happening during my time at the College. Lydia Keen, Social and Political Sciences undergraduate
It will be brilliant to have a large library dedicated to study, designed especially for students. The new library will make a big impact on students’ lives and what they get out of being at Hughes. Emily MacDonald, Graduate Medic
It’s good that Hughes Hall will get the library it deserves. I particularly appreciate the quiet study area, and the group study space and the storage for anatomical models will be great. The new library promises to bring Hughes Hall into the 21st century. Adam Newson, Graduate Medic
Students will really enjoy having a larger, well-lit library. Having the computer facilities and the book stacks linked will be much more convenient for students. Lovely, really nice. Natasha May, Classics undergraduate
Rhodri Mansell, PhD student
Hughes Hall is an Associate of amazon.co.uk
News from Hughes is edited by Annemarie Young Design by Andy Wilson (andy@andywilson.biz) Contact us with your news at Hughes Hall, Cambridge CB1 2EW; by email at development@hughes.cam.ac.uk Photographs courtesy Michael Derringer, Sophie Pickford, Ray Godwin, and contributors Printed in England
Newsletter for Hughes Hall members
Rhodri Mansell, Diana Hutchison and Assistant Librarian, Lorraine Scannell, look at the new plans.
I’ll be really pleased to have more study space and WiFi access. Zhanna Rakitina, MPhil in Management
The new library looks spacious with an excellent amount of work space. It’s a very exciting development, well designed and thought out. Faye Sharpley, Graduate Medic
The new library is able to go ahead because of the generous contributions of alumni and friends of the College, but further support is still needed.
June 2008
Issue 8
The Hughes Hall Centre for Biomedical Science and Society
Professor Theresa Marteau, of King’s College, London, recently appointed Director of the Centre
MUSIC AT HUGHES
Lent term saw a varied schedule of concerts from the Margaret Wileman Music Society. For the first concert of the term, Huguette treated us to a programme of traditional and popular French songs. On Valentine’s Day, Senior Member Ian de Massini demonstrated his love of Bach with a passionate and skilled performance of the Goldberg Variations. The term ended with a very successful concert from Hughes Hall student chamber groups. The packed Pavilion Room was treated to the marvellous music of Beethoven, Dvorak and Rachmaninoff. Amy Klohr will continue to run the Hughes Hall vocal class on Tuesday evenings in the Pavilion Room. Ella Kaye If you’d like to contribute to College music, please get in touch with Peter Britton at p.britton@ntlworld.com
Ian de Massini with Margaret Wileman
June 2008 Issue 8
The last few decades have seen great advances in biomedical knowledge. However, the translation of this knowledge into medical care and public health policy raises difficult questions. How does talk of individual genetic risk factors relate to the population-level concerns of public health? Just because we can diagnose illnesses, are we obliged to do so? How do the complexities of genetic causation relate to criminal and civil law? Which social factors influence how and what researchers study, and what are the social dimensions of new technologies? The new Centre aims to engage in high quality research into these issues. It was founded in October, 2007 with a donation from the PHG foundation (whose executive director, Dr Ron Zimmern, is a Fellow of Hughes), and employs a legal scholar (Amit Pundik), a social scientist (Adam Bostanci) and a philosopher (Stephen John). The hope is that, under the guidance of part-time director, Professor Theresa Marteau of King’s College, London, this initiative will ensure that Hughes becomes a centre of excellence within Cambridge, nationally and internationally, for inter-disciplinary research into some of the most important questions of today.
Gill Reid, Hughes mainstay Gill Reid, who is retiring in 2009, has been a distinctive College presence since January, 1975. Her laugh is unique and unforgettable, known to generations of students. Gill came from Lincolnshire and first trained as a nursery nurse, working for a number of families, including the Duke of Marlborough, and in the hotel and catering business, before getting married and moving to London, where she worked for a banking firm. But Gill became tired of the grime of London, and when she saw an ad for Hughes, she decided to move ‘north’. And here she has stayed, seeing the College change greatly over the years.
What were your first impressions of Hughes? The people – staff and students – were charming, but the place was in a bad state. My first task was to make 60 pairs of curtains as the old ones were in rags. And there was no money. What’s the biggest change since you started? We were a small team and used to work a 52 hour week, with one Sunday off a fortnight. We all covered for each other: I painted
Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport Rough rowing …
Daring Darts
On a stormy weekend in March, the Hughes Hall and Lucy Cavendish Combined Women’s Boat Club team flew to Galway, Ireland, to take part in their first race off the Cam, in the Tribesmen Head of the River. Despite rowing in an unfamiliar men’s boat and rough Irish weather, the team put up a good performance and did well, finishing third in their division.
This year saw the inaugural season for the Hughes Hall Darts Team. Defeat in their opening match highlighted the need for a steep learning curve. After enduring a winter of cold training sessions in the back of a local pub, their effort was repaid with an undefeated march to a nailbiting final round match for the league title. Despite a valiant effort they went down to a strong Robinson line-up. With the MCR now having its own dartboard, the team looks forward to welcoming many new members, and to more success next year!
… brighter days Since the beginning of term the crew have been working hard to prepare for the climax of the racing season – May Bumps. The Head of the Cam presented an ideal opportunity to get back into racing mentality. A great result showed that things are well on track for an exciting Bumps week. And both the men’s and women’s crews will be capitalising on their excellent form by entering the Henley Regatta at the end of June.
Paul Meredith
The Hughes’ton Rockets Congratulations to the Hughes Hall Basketball Team for reaching the University Cup Finals for the first time, after eliminating the League Champions! They lost to Downing, and although they didn’t pull off the ultimate prize, they more than fulfilled the objectives of the season. Special thanks go to the team captain and coach, Elias Mouchlianitis, without whom the team would have not been able compete at this high level. Finally, thanks to the supporters who lifted their spirits in defeat as well as success.
Success at the Lent Bumps
What have you most enjoyed? The people. Those I’ve worked with and the students over the years. One of the nicest things is that people come back to see us, we get invited to weddings, and then they bring their children to see us. What memories stand out? Cricketers practising their bowling along the corridors; altering trousers for a student fancy dress party; being entertained by international medics late one night; the strong character of one particular MCR president; the rugby players’ leg inspections! What will do when you retire? I’ll keep on doing something – some voluntary work probably. And I shall wear purple, and be as awkward as I can be!
Hughes and the 154th Boat Race
Co the Hume and sup May B ghes crews port umps durin 11 – 14, taking plac g e June.
After the success of our Rugby Blues at Twickenham in December, we all had high hopes for extensive Hughes participation on the Tideway in March. Three of our students, John Clay, Tom Ransley and Shane O’Mara had all made the final twenty, but in the end only Ransley was aboard the Blue Boat. Sadly, Shane O’Mara, though selected as stroke, had a medical problem at the last moment and was forced to pace the balcony of the boathouse like a caged lion, while his comrades toiled in vain to defeat the Dark Blues.
Rugby
Hughes Fellows and guests watched the race in style in the Boathouse of Dulwich College – which lies directly between those used by Cambridge and Oxford – through the good offices of our Undergraduate Admissions Tutor, Dr Franklin, an Old Alleynian. The event was most enjoyable, despite the disappointment of the race result. The College is grateful to the DCBC for making possible what we hope will become a regular occasion.
Cambridge were victorious in the 126th Varsity Rugby match against Oxford in December, under the captaincy of Hughes Hall’s Ross Blake, who received the well-deserved Lehman Brothers ‘Man of the Match’ award. It was an exciting and exhilarating match from start to finish, and Ross and his four fellow Hughesians, John Blaikie, James Lumby, Ross Broadfoot, and Trevor Boynton, were instrumental in making it so.
Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport
Events Diary
The Blaikie family’s connection with Hughes has been almost continuous since 2001. It started with current student John Blaikie’s younger brother Duncan.
The Margaret Wileman Music Society – in the Pavilion Room
2001–02/2004 Duncan had heard good things about Hughes from Life Fellow and University Rugby coach, Tony Rodgers. Duncan was a professional rugby player completing a medical degree; he came to Hughes to read law, returning to Dunedin in 03 to complete his medical qualification. He captained Cambridge to a win in 2004. Duncan now works for Slaughter and May in London. 2001/2005 Judge Oke Blaikie came as a Visiting Fellow in 2001 and returned for a full term in 2005, researching youth justice and family law. 2005–2008 John Blaikie, not wishing to miss out on the Hughes experience, came to Hughes with his wife, Tara. He has been reading Economics for a full BA degree, and playing successful rugby along the way (as captain in 2006). John will join Lehman Brothers in July. Lent term 2008 Unable to stay away, Judge Blaikie and his wife Helen have returned to Hughes this year. They greatly enjoy the generosity of Hughes and the friendships developed with Fellows and staff, and intend to continue returning!
Contact Kathy Hardy for the programme (kh343@cam.ac.uk)
Hat Club Research Seminars Contact Kathy Hardy for programme and details (kh343@cam.ac.uk)
May Bumps 2008 Wednesday, 11th June 2008 to Saturday, 14th June 2008 River Cam
College Reception Friday, 13th June 2008, 4.00 to 6.30 pm Peter Richards Room
Artists in Residence AT HUGHES HALL Bettina Furnee Kyp Kyprianou
May Ball
The City Lecture 2008 The 2008 City Lecture, The Innovation Imperative, was given to a packed audience by Dr Hermann Hauser, Honorary Fellow of Hughes and founder and partner of Amadeus Capital. Dr Hauser has a long and distinguished history as a successful entrepreneur across a wide range of technology sectors, and has been a major force behind the success of the Cambridge phenomenon and ‘Silicon Fen’.
What laugh?
cupboards, picked apples, peeled vegetables. Now we have separate catering, maintenance and cleaning staff. And the student body is different too; we have students from all over the world, studying lots of different subjects.
Blaikies at Hughes
The Kathleen Hughes Memorial Lecture 2008 The Bodmin Manumissions: Slavery in Saxon Cornwall was delivered by Dr Oliver Padel, Honorary Research Fellow, Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic, to a large and enthusiastic audience.
The Hughes Hall Graduate Law Society Dinner was held on Friday 25 April.
Wedding plans?
Saturday, 14th June 2008, Dusk to Dawn Hughes Hall
The College is pleased to announce that Japanese summer schools the Master and Fellows of Emmanuel Meiji University 2–30th August College have agreed that members Tokyo Women’s University 6–30th August of Hughes Hall (so all alumni) may be married in the Chapel of Emmanuel College. Requests should be directed to the Dean – 4.00 pm Friday 26 September, 2008 2:30pm of Chapel at Emmanuel College. Building Peter Richards Room, Fenner’s Anyone seeking to be married in
Alumni Weekend 2008
the Chapel will need to meet the usual conditions. We look forward to being able to offer facilities for receptions at Hughes in the not-toodistant future!
Hughes student fund raising success Mitzi Huang successfully organised the V-DAY (‘until the violence stops’) Cambridge University 2008 Campaign, raising £1900 for the Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre. The team staged a benefit production in February. The performances sold out and drew in over 800 people. The campaign was aimed at raising awareness of violence towards women, and started a much needed dialogue within the Cambridge community.
hes’s death, this Marking the 10th anniversary of Ted Hug broke features joint event between Hughes Hall and Pem e. The speaker a talk about the poet’s time at Cambridg will be Colin Wilcockson of Pembroke. Part of Hughes Hall’s Ohtake collection (first editions, fine illustrated editions and signed editions of Ted Hughes’ work) will also be on display. Alumni returning to College are very welcome to join us for lunch in the College Dining Hall at 1pm (no charge, but please make a booking). re
ersity Cent Transport is provided, leaving the Univ at 2.00 pm. Contact: Hannah Fogg (hcf27@cam.ac.uk or 01223 334895)
June 2008
Issue 8
The Hughes Hall Centre for Biomedical Science and Society
Professor Theresa Marteau, of King’s College, London, recently appointed Director of the Centre
MUSIC AT HUGHES
Lent term saw a varied schedule of concerts from the Margaret Wileman Music Society. For the first concert of the term, Huguette treated us to a programme of traditional and popular French songs. On Valentine’s Day, Senior Member Ian de Massini demonstrated his love of Bach with a passionate and skilled performance of the Goldberg Variations. The term ended with a very successful concert from Hughes Hall student chamber groups. The packed Pavilion Room was treated to the marvellous music of Beethoven, Dvorak and Rachmaninoff. Amy Klohr will continue to run the Hughes Hall vocal class on Tuesday evenings in the Pavilion Room. Ella Kaye If you’d like to contribute to College music, please get in touch with Peter Britton at p.britton@ntlworld.com
Ian de Massini with Margaret Wileman
June 2008 Issue 8
The last few decades have seen great advances in biomedical knowledge. However, the translation of this knowledge into medical care and public health policy raises difficult questions. How does talk of individual genetic risk factors relate to the population-level concerns of public health? Just because we can diagnose illnesses, are we obliged to do so? How do the complexities of genetic causation relate to criminal and civil law? Which social factors influence how and what researchers study, and what are the social dimensions of new technologies? The new Centre aims to engage in high quality research into these issues. It was founded in October, 2007 with a donation from the PHG foundation (whose executive director, Dr Ron Zimmern, is a Fellow of Hughes), and employs a legal scholar (Amit Pundik), a social scientist (Adam Bostanci) and a philosopher (Stephen John). The hope is that, under the guidance of part-time director, Professor Theresa Marteau of King’s College, London, this initiative will ensure that Hughes becomes a centre of excellence within Cambridge, nationally and internationally, for inter-disciplinary research into some of the most important questions of today.
Gill Reid, Hughes mainstay Gill Reid, who is retiring in 2009, has been a distinctive College presence since January, 1975. Her laugh is unique and unforgettable, known to generations of students. Gill came from Lincolnshire and first trained as a nursery nurse, working for a number of families, including the Duke of Marlborough, and in the hotel and catering business, before getting married and moving to London, where she worked for a banking firm. But Gill became tired of the grime of London, and when she saw an ad for Hughes, she decided to move ‘north’. And here she has stayed, seeing the College change greatly over the years.
What were your first impressions of Hughes? The people – staff and students – were charming, but the place was in a bad state. My first task was to make 60 pairs of curtains as the old ones were in rags. And there was no money. What’s the biggest change since you started? We were a small team and used to work a 52 hour week, with one Sunday off a fortnight. We all covered for each other: I painted
Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport Rough rowing …
Daring Darts
On a stormy weekend in March, the Hughes Hall and Lucy Cavendish Combined Women’s Boat Club team flew to Galway, Ireland, to take part in their first race off the Cam, in the Tribesmen Head of the River. Despite rowing in an unfamiliar men’s boat and rough Irish weather, the team put up a good performance and did well, finishing third in their division.
This year saw the inaugural season for the Hughes Hall Darts Team. Defeat in their opening match highlighted the need for a steep learning curve. After enduring a winter of cold training sessions in the back of a local pub, their effort was repaid with an undefeated march to a nailbiting final round match for the league title. Despite a valiant effort they went down to a strong Robinson line-up. With the MCR now having its own dartboard, the team looks forward to welcoming many new members, and to more success next year!
… brighter days Since the beginning of term the crew have been working hard to prepare for the climax of the racing season – May Bumps. The Head of the Cam presented an ideal opportunity to get back into racing mentality. A great result showed that things are well on track for an exciting Bumps week. And both the men’s and women’s crews will be capitalising on their excellent form by entering the Henley Regatta at the end of June.
Paul Meredith
The Hughes’ton Rockets Congratulations to the Hughes Hall Basketball Team for reaching the University Cup Finals for the first time, after eliminating the League Champions! They lost to Downing, and although they didn’t pull off the ultimate prize, they more than fulfilled the objectives of the season. Special thanks go to the team captain and coach, Elias Mouchlianitis, without whom the team would have not been able compete at this high level. Finally, thanks to the supporters who lifted their spirits in defeat as well as success.
Success at the Lent Bumps
What have you most enjoyed? The people. Those I’ve worked with and the students over the years. One of the nicest things is that people come back to see us, we get invited to weddings, and then they bring their children to see us. What memories stand out? Cricketers practising their bowling along the corridors; altering trousers for a student fancy dress party; being entertained by international medics late one night; the strong character of one particular MCR president; the rugby players’ leg inspections! What will do when you retire? I’ll keep on doing something – some voluntary work probably. And I shall wear purple, and be as awkward as I can be!
Hughes and the 154th Boat Race
Co the Hume and sup May B ghes crews port umps durin 11 – 14, taking plac g e June.
After the success of our Rugby Blues at Twickenham in December, we all had high hopes for extensive Hughes participation on the Tideway in March. Three of our students, John Clay, Tom Ransley and Shane O’Mara had all made the final twenty, but in the end only Ransley was aboard the Blue Boat. Sadly, Shane O’Mara, though selected as stroke, had a medical problem at the last moment and was forced to pace the balcony of the boathouse like a caged lion, while his comrades toiled in vain to defeat the Dark Blues.
Rugby
Hughes Fellows and guests watched the race in style in the Boathouse of Dulwich College – which lies directly between those used by Cambridge and Oxford – through the good offices of our Undergraduate Admissions Tutor, Dr Franklin, an Old Alleynian. The event was most enjoyable, despite the disappointment of the race result. The College is grateful to the DCBC for making possible what we hope will become a regular occasion.
Cambridge were victorious in the 126th Varsity Rugby match against Oxford in December, under the captaincy of Hughes Hall’s Ross Blake, who received the well-deserved Lehman Brothers ‘Man of the Match’ award. It was an exciting and exhilarating match from start to finish, and Ross and his four fellow Hughesians, John Blaikie, James Lumby, Ross Broadfoot, and Trevor Boynton, were instrumental in making it so.
Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport
Events Diary
The Blaikie family’s connection with Hughes has been almost continuous since 2001. It started with current student John Blaikie’s younger brother Duncan.
The Margaret Wileman Music Society – in the Pavilion Room
2001–02/2004 Duncan had heard good things about Hughes from Life Fellow and University Rugby coach, Tony Rodgers. Duncan was a professional rugby player completing a medical degree; he came to Hughes to read law, returning to Dunedin in 03 to complete his medical qualification. He captained Cambridge to a win in 2004. Duncan now works for Slaughter and May in London. 2001/2005 Judge Oke Blaikie came as a Visiting Fellow in 2001 and returned for a full term in 2005, researching youth justice and family law. 2005–2008 John Blaikie, not wishing to miss out on the Hughes experience, came to Hughes with his wife, Tara. He has been reading Economics for a full BA degree, and playing successful rugby along the way (as captain in 2006). John will join Lehman Brothers in July. Lent term 2008 Unable to stay away, Judge Blaikie and his wife Helen have returned to Hughes this year. They greatly enjoy the generosity of Hughes and the friendships developed with Fellows and staff, and intend to continue returning!
Contact Kathy Hardy for the programme (kh343@cam.ac.uk)
Hat Club Research Seminars Contact Kathy Hardy for programme and details (kh343@cam.ac.uk)
May Bumps 2008 Wednesday, 11th June 2008 to Saturday, 14th June 2008 River Cam
College Reception Friday, 13th June 2008, 4.00 to 6.30 pm Peter Richards Room
Artists in Residence AT HUGHES HALL Bettina Furnee Kyp Kyprianou
May Ball
The City Lecture 2008 The 2008 City Lecture, The Innovation Imperative, was given to a packed audience by Dr Hermann Hauser, Honorary Fellow of Hughes and founder and partner of Amadeus Capital. Dr Hauser has a long and distinguished history as a successful entrepreneur across a wide range of technology sectors, and has been a major force behind the success of the Cambridge phenomenon and ‘Silicon Fen’.
What laugh?
cupboards, picked apples, peeled vegetables. Now we have separate catering, maintenance and cleaning staff. And the student body is different too; we have students from all over the world, studying lots of different subjects.
Blaikies at Hughes
The Kathleen Hughes Memorial Lecture 2008 The Bodmin Manumissions: Slavery in Saxon Cornwall was delivered by Dr Oliver Padel, Honorary Research Fellow, Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic, to a large and enthusiastic audience.
The Hughes Hall Graduate Law Society Dinner was held on Friday 25 April.
Wedding plans?
Saturday, 14th June 2008, Dusk to Dawn Hughes Hall
The College is pleased to announce that Japanese summer schools the Master and Fellows of Emmanuel Meiji University 2–30th August College have agreed that members Tokyo Women’s University 6–30th August of Hughes Hall (so all alumni) may be married in the Chapel of Emmanuel College. Requests should be directed to the Dean – 4.00 pm Friday 26 September, 2008 2:30pm of Chapel at Emmanuel College. Building Peter Richards Room, Fenner’s Anyone seeking to be married in
Alumni Weekend 2008
the Chapel will need to meet the usual conditions. We look forward to being able to offer facilities for receptions at Hughes in the not-toodistant future!
Hughes student fund raising success Mitzi Huang successfully organised the V-DAY (‘until the violence stops’) Cambridge University 2008 Campaign, raising £1900 for the Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre. The team staged a benefit production in February. The performances sold out and drew in over 800 people. The campaign was aimed at raising awareness of violence towards women, and started a much needed dialogue within the Cambridge community.
hes’s death, this Marking the 10th anniversary of Ted Hug broke features joint event between Hughes Hall and Pem e. The speaker a talk about the poet’s time at Cambridg will be Colin Wilcockson of Pembroke. Part of Hughes Hall’s Ohtake collection (first editions, fine illustrated editions and signed editions of Ted Hughes’ work) will also be on display. Alumni returning to College are very welcome to join us for lunch in the College Dining Hall at 1pm (no charge, but please make a booking). re
ersity Cent Transport is provided, leaving the Univ at 2.00 pm. Contact: Hannah Fogg (hcf27@cam.ac.uk or 01223 334895)
June 2008
Issue 8
The Hughes Hall Centre for Biomedical Science and Society
Professor Theresa Marteau, of King’s College, London, recently appointed Director of the Centre
MUSIC AT HUGHES
Lent term saw a varied schedule of concerts from the Margaret Wileman Music Society. For the first concert of the term, Huguette treated us to a programme of traditional and popular French songs. On Valentine’s Day, Senior Member Ian de Massini demonstrated his love of Bach with a passionate and skilled performance of the Goldberg Variations. The term ended with a very successful concert from Hughes Hall student chamber groups. The packed Pavilion Room was treated to the marvellous music of Beethoven, Dvorak and Rachmaninoff. Amy Klohr will continue to run the Hughes Hall vocal class on Tuesday evenings in the Pavilion Room. Ella Kaye If you’d like to contribute to College music, please get in touch with Peter Britton at p.britton@ntlworld.com
Ian de Massini with Margaret Wileman
June 2008 Issue 8
The last few decades have seen great advances in biomedical knowledge. However, the translation of this knowledge into medical care and public health policy raises difficult questions. How does talk of individual genetic risk factors relate to the population-level concerns of public health? Just because we can diagnose illnesses, are we obliged to do so? How do the complexities of genetic causation relate to criminal and civil law? Which social factors influence how and what researchers study, and what are the social dimensions of new technologies? The new Centre aims to engage in high quality research into these issues. It was founded in October, 2007 with a donation from the PHG foundation (whose executive director, Dr Ron Zimmern, is a Fellow of Hughes), and employs a legal scholar (Amit Pundik), a social scientist (Adam Bostanci) and a philosopher (Stephen John). The hope is that, under the guidance of part-time director, Professor Theresa Marteau of King’s College, London, this initiative will ensure that Hughes becomes a centre of excellence within Cambridge, nationally and internationally, for inter-disciplinary research into some of the most important questions of today.
Gill Reid, Hughes mainstay Gill Reid, who is retiring in 2009, has been a distinctive College presence since January, 1975. Her laugh is unique and unforgettable, known to generations of students. Gill came from Lincolnshire and first trained as a nursery nurse, working for a number of families, including the Duke of Marlborough, and in the hotel and catering business, before getting married and moving to London, where she worked for a banking firm. But Gill became tired of the grime of London, and when she saw an ad for Hughes, she decided to move ‘north’. And here she has stayed, seeing the College change greatly over the years.
What were your first impressions of Hughes? The people – staff and students – were charming, but the place was in a bad state. My first task was to make 60 pairs of curtains as the old ones were in rags. And there was no money. What’s the biggest change since you started? We were a small team and used to work a 52 hour week, with one Sunday off a fortnight. We all covered for each other: I painted
Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport Rough rowing …
Daring Darts
On a stormy weekend in March, the Hughes Hall and Lucy Cavendish Combined Women’s Boat Club team flew to Galway, Ireland, to take part in their first race off the Cam, in the Tribesmen Head of the River. Despite rowing in an unfamiliar men’s boat and rough Irish weather, the team put up a good performance and did well, finishing third in their division.
This year saw the inaugural season for the Hughes Hall Darts Team. Defeat in their opening match highlighted the need for a steep learning curve. After enduring a winter of cold training sessions in the back of a local pub, their effort was repaid with an undefeated march to a nailbiting final round match for the league title. Despite a valiant effort they went down to a strong Robinson line-up. With the MCR now having its own dartboard, the team looks forward to welcoming many new members, and to more success next year!
… brighter days Since the beginning of term the crew have been working hard to prepare for the climax of the racing season – May Bumps. The Head of the Cam presented an ideal opportunity to get back into racing mentality. A great result showed that things are well on track for an exciting Bumps week. And both the men’s and women’s crews will be capitalising on their excellent form by entering the Henley Regatta at the end of June.
Paul Meredith
The Hughes’ton Rockets Congratulations to the Hughes Hall Basketball Team for reaching the University Cup Finals for the first time, after eliminating the League Champions! They lost to Downing, and although they didn’t pull off the ultimate prize, they more than fulfilled the objectives of the season. Special thanks go to the team captain and coach, Elias Mouchlianitis, without whom the team would have not been able compete at this high level. Finally, thanks to the supporters who lifted their spirits in defeat as well as success.
Success at the Lent Bumps
What have you most enjoyed? The people. Those I’ve worked with and the students over the years. One of the nicest things is that people come back to see us, we get invited to weddings, and then they bring their children to see us. What memories stand out? Cricketers practising their bowling along the corridors; altering trousers for a student fancy dress party; being entertained by international medics late one night; the strong character of one particular MCR president; the rugby players’ leg inspections! What will do when you retire? I’ll keep on doing something – some voluntary work probably. And I shall wear purple, and be as awkward as I can be!
Hughes and the 154th Boat Race
Co the Hume and sup May B ghes crews port umps durin 11 – 14, taking plac g e June.
After the success of our Rugby Blues at Twickenham in December, we all had high hopes for extensive Hughes participation on the Tideway in March. Three of our students, John Clay, Tom Ransley and Shane O’Mara had all made the final twenty, but in the end only Ransley was aboard the Blue Boat. Sadly, Shane O’Mara, though selected as stroke, had a medical problem at the last moment and was forced to pace the balcony of the boathouse like a caged lion, while his comrades toiled in vain to defeat the Dark Blues.
Rugby
Hughes Fellows and guests watched the race in style in the Boathouse of Dulwich College – which lies directly between those used by Cambridge and Oxford – through the good offices of our Undergraduate Admissions Tutor, Dr Franklin, an Old Alleynian. The event was most enjoyable, despite the disappointment of the race result. The College is grateful to the DCBC for making possible what we hope will become a regular occasion.
Cambridge were victorious in the 126th Varsity Rugby match against Oxford in December, under the captaincy of Hughes Hall’s Ross Blake, who received the well-deserved Lehman Brothers ‘Man of the Match’ award. It was an exciting and exhilarating match from start to finish, and Ross and his four fellow Hughesians, John Blaikie, James Lumby, Ross Broadfoot, and Trevor Boynton, were instrumental in making it so.
Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport
Events Diary
The Blaikie family’s connection with Hughes has been almost continuous since 2001. It started with current student John Blaikie’s younger brother Duncan.
The Margaret Wileman Music Society – in the Pavilion Room
2001–02/2004 Duncan had heard good things about Hughes from Life Fellow and University Rugby coach, Tony Rodgers. Duncan was a professional rugby player completing a medical degree; he came to Hughes to read law, returning to Dunedin in 03 to complete his medical qualification. He captained Cambridge to a win in 2004. Duncan now works for Slaughter and May in London. 2001/2005 Judge Oke Blaikie came as a Visiting Fellow in 2001 and returned for a full term in 2005, researching youth justice and family law. 2005–2008 John Blaikie, not wishing to miss out on the Hughes experience, came to Hughes with his wife, Tara. He has been reading Economics for a full BA degree, and playing successful rugby along the way (as captain in 2006). John will join Lehman Brothers in July. Lent term 2008 Unable to stay away, Judge Blaikie and his wife Helen have returned to Hughes this year. They greatly enjoy the generosity of Hughes and the friendships developed with Fellows and staff, and intend to continue returning!
Contact Kathy Hardy for the programme (kh343@cam.ac.uk)
Hat Club Research Seminars Contact Kathy Hardy for programme and details (kh343@cam.ac.uk)
May Bumps 2008 Wednesday, 11th June 2008 to Saturday, 14th June 2008 River Cam
College Reception Friday, 13th June 2008, 4.00 to 6.30 pm Peter Richards Room
Artists in Residence AT HUGHES HALL Bettina Furnee Kyp Kyprianou
May Ball
The City Lecture 2008 The 2008 City Lecture, The Innovation Imperative, was given to a packed audience by Dr Hermann Hauser, Honorary Fellow of Hughes and founder and partner of Amadeus Capital. Dr Hauser has a long and distinguished history as a successful entrepreneur across a wide range of technology sectors, and has been a major force behind the success of the Cambridge phenomenon and ‘Silicon Fen’.
What laugh?
cupboards, picked apples, peeled vegetables. Now we have separate catering, maintenance and cleaning staff. And the student body is different too; we have students from all over the world, studying lots of different subjects.
Blaikies at Hughes
The Kathleen Hughes Memorial Lecture 2008 The Bodmin Manumissions: Slavery in Saxon Cornwall was delivered by Dr Oliver Padel, Honorary Research Fellow, Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic, to a large and enthusiastic audience.
The Hughes Hall Graduate Law Society Dinner was held on Friday 25 April.
Wedding plans?
Saturday, 14th June 2008, Dusk to Dawn Hughes Hall
The College is pleased to announce that Japanese summer schools the Master and Fellows of Emmanuel Meiji University 2–30th August College have agreed that members Tokyo Women’s University 6–30th August of Hughes Hall (so all alumni) may be married in the Chapel of Emmanuel College. Requests should be directed to the Dean – 4.00 pm Friday 26 September, 2008 2:30pm of Chapel at Emmanuel College. Building Peter Richards Room, Fenner’s Anyone seeking to be married in
Alumni Weekend 2008
the Chapel will need to meet the usual conditions. We look forward to being able to offer facilities for receptions at Hughes in the not-toodistant future!
Hughes student fund raising success Mitzi Huang successfully organised the V-DAY (‘until the violence stops’) Cambridge University 2008 Campaign, raising £1900 for the Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre. The team staged a benefit production in February. The performances sold out and drew in over 800 people. The campaign was aimed at raising awareness of violence towards women, and started a much needed dialogue within the Cambridge community.
hes’s death, this Marking the 10th anniversary of Ted Hug broke features joint event between Hughes Hall and Pem e. The speaker a talk about the poet’s time at Cambridg will be Colin Wilcockson of Pembroke. Part of Hughes Hall’s Ohtake collection (first editions, fine illustrated editions and signed editions of Ted Hughes’ work) will also be on display. Alumni returning to College are very welcome to join us for lunch in the College Dining Hall at 1pm (no charge, but please make a booking). re
ersity Cent Transport is provided, leaving the Univ at 2.00 pm. Contact: Hannah Fogg (hcf27@cam.ac.uk or 01223 334895)
June 2008
Issue 8
William Charnley Scholarships William Charnley’s generous donation will support two annual Law Scholarships for the next five years, worth £1000 each. They are open to all LLM and PhD law candidates who name Hughes Hall as their first choice of College, though preference will be given to applicants resident, or intending to practise, in the United Kingdom. The College is anticipating an excellent pool of candidates over the coming years. The first two William Charley Law Scholars will join Hughes Hall for the 2008-09 academic year.
Nigel Brown, OBE Nigel Brown, Hughes Hall City Fellow, was awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours list for services to business and the community in Cambridgeshire. Last year he received an individual Queen’s award, and he will be High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire for 2010/2011.
Research success Hughes Research Fellow, Sovan Sarkar, is part of a team researching a new drug for the neurodegenerative disease known as Huntington’s. The team have identified for further investigation a number of candidate drugs which encourage cells to ‘eat’ the malformed proteins that lead to the disease. This initial success was reported in the journal Nature Chemical Biology.
Fellowship Congratulations to recent Hughes student, Dr Mohammed El-Shafie, on being elected a Fellow of Robinson College.
Roll of Honour The following elections have been made:
New Fellows Honorary Fellow
Judge Evan Wallach
Pfieffer Fellow
Dr Johnny Hon
Fellow
Professor Theresa Marteau
Research Fellow
Dr Rafael Dinner
Fellow Commoner Annemarie Young Quondam Fellow
Stephen Allott
Hughes Hall University of Cambridge Hughes Hall Cambridge CB1 2EW Tel: +44 (0)1223 334898 Fax: +44 (0)1223 311179 Email: contact@hughes.cam.ac.uk Web: www.hughes.cam.ac.uk
June 2008 Issue 8
Nigel Brown, OBE
Hughes Hall Boat Club Black Tie Dinner Rowers are a strange lot, writes Jeff Cook These men and women spend whole winters sitting on a contraption called an ‘erg’, punishing their bodies in order to develop enough stamina to race in a sport where the body’s absorbed oxygen is usually exhausted within the first 500 metres. Why would any intelligent person intentionally pursue such misery? For the parties. Think about it. Misery loves company. Company loves a party. Rowing then really is only a great party waiting to happen. It must follow that the best rowing parties are thrown by those crews which suffered the most misery during the race season. Hughes Hall (with Lucy Cavendish) had an embarrassment of riches last season, having won the Pegasus Cup as the highest achieving College club. Clearly then, the Annual Black Tie Dinner on 7 March, born of misery, sustained by wins, and fuelled by champagne, was a testament to the suffering of the respective crews, and was a smashing success. The Hughes Hall Boat Club is grateful to Jeff Cook for his recent donation of an erg machine and a welcome injection of cash. The women’s crew would also like to thank HSBC for sponsoring their training kit.
Pat Story pays tribute to…
Professor Richard D’Aeth, President of Hughes Hall 1978–84, Honorary Fellow 1984–2008 When Richard (Dick) D’Aeth was elected President, he found a College which had already begun to expand and diversify. However, the future of the College remained uncertain: the phasing-out of the one year BEd course meant the immediate loss of 20 students out of a total of 110; and, in the longer term, if Hughes Hall was ever to become a full College of the University, it had first to proceed from its insecure status as an Approved Society of the University to that of an Approved Foundation. The criteria were not altogether clear, but the College certainly had to demonstrate high academic standards in a variety of subjects and continuing financial viability. Dick D’Aeth proved to be an inspired choice to carry out this daunting agenda. The immediate problem of replacing the BEd students was solved by recruiting students entering the new Clinical School, and LLM students. By also admitting students studying for higher degrees in a variety of subjects, Dick both raised the academic standing of the College and continued the process of diversification. He also enhanced the research profile of the College by acquiring further funding for the influential medical project on the early years of parenthood, and promoting a trail-blazing study of the care of the elderly in the community. A cause dear to his heart was the future of small rural schools. He not only secured the necessary funding for a research project, but was personally involved in writing the report published in conjunction with the Ministry of Education. His previous experience in universities abroad had given him an international perspective and led to his encouragement of overseas students and academics to study in Britain. This interest, and his friendships with many scholars abroad, continue to enrich the life of Hughes Hall to this day. By 1983 it was felt that sufficient progress had been made to enable the College to
Margaret Wileman turns 100! Hughes Hall is helping Margaret to celebrate her centenary on the 19 July, 2008.
Calling all Alumni Dick D’Aeth in his garden
submit an application for Approved Foundation status. Here Dick’s powers of clear thinking and organisation, his meticulous attention to detail and capacity for sheer hard work were invaluable. Because of his expertise he was asked to continue as President for a year longer than his original appointment. An initial application was unexpectedly turned down on grounds that the original constitution of the College did not allow for full selfgovernance. So Dick and his colleagues immediately undertook the onerous task of devising a new constitution. By the time Dick retired in 1984, the revised application was complete, and the status of Approved Foundation was granted the following year. Dick spent a long and happy retirement in Devon, in close touch with his daughters, Gillian and Nicki, and his grandchildren. After his death in February this year Gillian wrote, ‘His time at Hughes Hall was one of the happiest and most fulfilling of his life, and he derived huge pleasure in knowing that it became a full College, and moved from strength to strength. He was always delighted to hear that scholars from abroad had such affection and respect for the College, and kept in touch.’ We owe a great debt to Dick D’Aeth and it is good to know that he lived to see his work come to fruition.
We will soon have a new database, enabling us to keep in touch with you more effectively. There will no longer be a separate Hughes Hall Society website, so no need to remember a pin number. Everyone who has been a student at Hughes Hall continues to be a member of the College. Just make sure we have your address so that we can invite you to events and generally keep in touch. Contact us on development@hughes.cam.ac.uk or +44(0)1223 334895
Help Hughes as you buy books You can help Hughes by shopping at Amazon through the Hughes Hall website. Go to the Library page of the Hughes Hall website and click on the link at the top of the page (http://www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/?section=abo ut&page=library). 4% of the purchase price comes back to the College as a general donation – at no expense to you!
News from Hughes June 2008
Issue 8
Space to Study Enthusiasm for the new library … … from the Librarian I can’t wait to see Hughes Hall’s students benefiting from the new library. It will provide a much needed increase in student study spaces. In the existing library, only ten study carrels are available; the new library will provide a total of seventy study spaces spread over two storeys. There will also be a variety of different study spaces to suit students’ personal preferences, including a quiet study area on the ground floor, computer Artist’s impression of the new library. Building work starts in earnest workstations, and a group study area with IT facilities on the on the 16 June and the new library will be open in January, 2009. first floor. Computer network facilities will be available. The new library will provide an essential increase in available shelving, to allow for future expansion of the book stock. This is also a pressing, immediate need: the library is full to capacity, and for the past three years the required expansion space for our growing stock has only been obtained by removing study spaces from the library. There will be floor to ceiling windows overlooking the garden. The building has been designed to provide a comfortable, well insulated and well ventilated working environment which is wheelchair accessible. An environmentally controlled archives and rare books room will accommodate the valuable and unique Ohtake collection, a collection of rare books and fine bindings generously donated by Professor Masatsugu Ohtake, and the College Archives, which go back to the nineteenth century. Items from the Ohtake collection will be displayed in the library. All in all, the new library will provide the pleasant study area and improved facilities which are urgently required by Hughes Hall’s students, and which will be enjoyed by students for years to come. Diana Hutchison, Under Librarian
… the MCR representative
… the students
The new library will benefit all students. One particularly useful element of the design is the group study area, where students can have valuable discussions, with learning resources close at hand.
It will be brilliant to have improved library facilities. I feel lucky that it’s happening during my time at the College. Lydia Keen, Social and Political Sciences undergraduate
It will be brilliant to have a large library dedicated to study, designed especially for students. The new library will make a big impact on students’ lives and what they get out of being at Hughes. Emily MacDonald, Graduate Medic
It’s good that Hughes Hall will get the library it deserves. I particularly appreciate the quiet study area, and the group study space and the storage for anatomical models will be great. The new library promises to bring Hughes Hall into the 21st century. Adam Newson, Graduate Medic
Students will really enjoy having a larger, well-lit library. Having the computer facilities and the book stacks linked will be much more convenient for students. Lovely, really nice. Natasha May, Classics undergraduate
Rhodri Mansell, PhD student
Hughes Hall is an Associate of amazon.co.uk
News from Hughes is edited by Annemarie Young Design by Andy Wilson (andy@andywilson.biz) Contact us with your news at Hughes Hall, Cambridge CB1 2EW; by email at development@hughes.cam.ac.uk Photographs courtesy Michael Derringer, Sophie Pickford, Ray Godwin, and contributors Printed in England
Newsletter for Hughes Hall members
Rhodri Mansell, Diana Hutchison and Assistant Librarian, Lorraine Scannell, look at the new plans.
I’ll be really pleased to have more study space and WiFi access. Zhanna Rakitina, MPhil in Management
The new library looks spacious with an excellent amount of work space. It’s a very exciting development, well designed and thought out. Faye Sharpley, Graduate Medic
The new library is able to go ahead because of the generous contributions of alumni and friends of the College, but further support is still needed.
June 2008
Issue 8
William Charnley Scholarships William Charnley’s generous donation will support two annual Law Scholarships for the next five years, worth £1000 each. They are open to all LLM and PhD law candidates who name Hughes Hall as their first choice of College, though preference will be given to applicants resident, or intending to practise, in the United Kingdom. The College is anticipating an excellent pool of candidates over the coming years. The first two William Charley Law Scholars will join Hughes Hall for the 2008-09 academic year.
Nigel Brown, OBE Nigel Brown, Hughes Hall City Fellow, was awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours list for services to business and the community in Cambridgeshire. Last year he received an individual Queen’s award, and he will be High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire for 2010/2011.
Research success Hughes Research Fellow, Sovan Sarkar, is part of a team researching a new drug for the neurodegenerative disease known as Huntington’s. The team have identified for further investigation a number of candidate drugs which encourage cells to ‘eat’ the malformed proteins that lead to the disease. This initial success was reported in the journal Nature Chemical Biology.
Fellowship Congratulations to recent Hughes student, Dr Mohammed El-Shafie, on being elected a Fellow of Robinson College.
Roll of Honour The following elections have been made:
New Fellows Honorary Fellow
Judge Evan Wallach
Pfieffer Fellow
Dr Johnny Hon
Fellow
Professor Theresa Marteau
Research Fellow
Dr Rafael Dinner
Fellow Commoner Annemarie Young Quondam Fellow
Stephen Allott
Hughes Hall University of Cambridge Hughes Hall Cambridge CB1 2EW Tel: +44 (0)1223 334898 Fax: +44 (0)1223 311179 Email: contact@hughes.cam.ac.uk Web: www.hughes.cam.ac.uk
June 2008 Issue 8
Nigel Brown, OBE
Hughes Hall Boat Club Black Tie Dinner Rowers are a strange lot, writes Jeff Cook These men and women spend whole winters sitting on a contraption called an ‘erg’, punishing their bodies in order to develop enough stamina to race in a sport where the body’s absorbed oxygen is usually exhausted within the first 500 metres. Why would any intelligent person intentionally pursue such misery? For the parties. Think about it. Misery loves company. Company loves a party. Rowing then really is only a great party waiting to happen. It must follow that the best rowing parties are thrown by those crews which suffered the most misery during the race season. Hughes Hall (with Lucy Cavendish) had an embarrassment of riches last season, having won the Pegasus Cup as the highest achieving College club. Clearly then, the Annual Black Tie Dinner on 7 March, born of misery, sustained by wins, and fuelled by champagne, was a testament to the suffering of the respective crews, and was a smashing success. The Hughes Hall Boat Club is grateful to Jeff Cook for his recent donation of an erg machine and a welcome injection of cash. The women’s crew would also like to thank HSBC for sponsoring their training kit.
Pat Story pays tribute to…
Professor Richard D’Aeth, President of Hughes Hall 1978–84, Honorary Fellow 1984–2008 When Richard (Dick) D’Aeth was elected President, he found a College which had already begun to expand and diversify. However, the future of the College remained uncertain: the phasing-out of the one year BEd course meant the immediate loss of 20 students out of a total of 110; and, in the longer term, if Hughes Hall was ever to become a full College of the University, it had first to proceed from its insecure status as an Approved Society of the University to that of an Approved Foundation. The criteria were not altogether clear, but the College certainly had to demonstrate high academic standards in a variety of subjects and continuing financial viability. Dick D’Aeth proved to be an inspired choice to carry out this daunting agenda. The immediate problem of replacing the BEd students was solved by recruiting students entering the new Clinical School, and LLM students. By also admitting students studying for higher degrees in a variety of subjects, Dick both raised the academic standing of the College and continued the process of diversification. He also enhanced the research profile of the College by acquiring further funding for the influential medical project on the early years of parenthood, and promoting a trail-blazing study of the care of the elderly in the community. A cause dear to his heart was the future of small rural schools. He not only secured the necessary funding for a research project, but was personally involved in writing the report published in conjunction with the Ministry of Education. His previous experience in universities abroad had given him an international perspective and led to his encouragement of overseas students and academics to study in Britain. This interest, and his friendships with many scholars abroad, continue to enrich the life of Hughes Hall to this day. By 1983 it was felt that sufficient progress had been made to enable the College to
Margaret Wileman turns 100! Hughes Hall is helping Margaret to celebrate her centenary on the 19 July, 2008.
Calling all Alumni Dick D’Aeth in his garden
submit an application for Approved Foundation status. Here Dick’s powers of clear thinking and organisation, his meticulous attention to detail and capacity for sheer hard work were invaluable. Because of his expertise he was asked to continue as President for a year longer than his original appointment. An initial application was unexpectedly turned down on grounds that the original constitution of the College did not allow for full selfgovernance. So Dick and his colleagues immediately undertook the onerous task of devising a new constitution. By the time Dick retired in 1984, the revised application was complete, and the status of Approved Foundation was granted the following year. Dick spent a long and happy retirement in Devon, in close touch with his daughters, Gillian and Nicki, and his grandchildren. After his death in February this year Gillian wrote, ‘His time at Hughes Hall was one of the happiest and most fulfilling of his life, and he derived huge pleasure in knowing that it became a full College, and moved from strength to strength. He was always delighted to hear that scholars from abroad had such affection and respect for the College, and kept in touch.’ We owe a great debt to Dick D’Aeth and it is good to know that he lived to see his work come to fruition.
We will soon have a new database, enabling us to keep in touch with you more effectively. There will no longer be a separate Hughes Hall Society website, so no need to remember a pin number. Everyone who has been a student at Hughes Hall continues to be a member of the College. Just make sure we have your address so that we can invite you to events and generally keep in touch. Contact us on development@hughes.cam.ac.uk or +44(0)1223 334895
Help Hughes as you buy books You can help Hughes by shopping at Amazon through the Hughes Hall website. Go to the Library page of the Hughes Hall website and click on the link at the top of the page (http://www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/?section=abo ut&page=library). 4% of the purchase price comes back to the College as a general donation – at no expense to you!
News from Hughes June 2008
Issue 8
Space to Study Enthusiasm for the new library … … from the Librarian I can’t wait to see Hughes Hall’s students benefiting from the new library. It will provide a much needed increase in student study spaces. In the existing library, only ten study carrels are available; the new library will provide a total of seventy study spaces spread over two storeys. There will also be a variety of different study spaces to suit students’ personal preferences, including a quiet study area on the ground floor, computer Artist’s impression of the new library. Building work starts in earnest workstations, and a group study area with IT facilities on the on the 16 June and the new library will be open in January, 2009. first floor. Computer network facilities will be available. The new library will provide an essential increase in available shelving, to allow for future expansion of the book stock. This is also a pressing, immediate need: the library is full to capacity, and for the past three years the required expansion space for our growing stock has only been obtained by removing study spaces from the library. There will be floor to ceiling windows overlooking the garden. The building has been designed to provide a comfortable, well insulated and well ventilated working environment which is wheelchair accessible. An environmentally controlled archives and rare books room will accommodate the valuable and unique Ohtake collection, a collection of rare books and fine bindings generously donated by Professor Masatsugu Ohtake, and the College Archives, which go back to the nineteenth century. Items from the Ohtake collection will be displayed in the library. All in all, the new library will provide the pleasant study area and improved facilities which are urgently required by Hughes Hall’s students, and which will be enjoyed by students for years to come. Diana Hutchison, Under Librarian
… the MCR representative
… the students
The new library will benefit all students. One particularly useful element of the design is the group study area, where students can have valuable discussions, with learning resources close at hand.
It will be brilliant to have improved library facilities. I feel lucky that it’s happening during my time at the College. Lydia Keen, Social and Political Sciences undergraduate
It will be brilliant to have a large library dedicated to study, designed especially for students. The new library will make a big impact on students’ lives and what they get out of being at Hughes. Emily MacDonald, Graduate Medic
It’s good that Hughes Hall will get the library it deserves. I particularly appreciate the quiet study area, and the group study space and the storage for anatomical models will be great. The new library promises to bring Hughes Hall into the 21st century. Adam Newson, Graduate Medic
Students will really enjoy having a larger, well-lit library. Having the computer facilities and the book stacks linked will be much more convenient for students. Lovely, really nice. Natasha May, Classics undergraduate
Rhodri Mansell, PhD student
Hughes Hall is an Associate of amazon.co.uk
News from Hughes is edited by Annemarie Young Design by Andy Wilson (andy@andywilson.biz) Contact us with your news at Hughes Hall, Cambridge CB1 2EW; by email at development@hughes.cam.ac.uk Photographs courtesy Michael Derringer, Sophie Pickford, Ray Godwin, and contributors Printed in England
Newsletter for Hughes Hall members
Rhodri Mansell, Diana Hutchison and Assistant Librarian, Lorraine Scannell, look at the new plans.
I’ll be really pleased to have more study space and WiFi access. Zhanna Rakitina, MPhil in Management
The new library looks spacious with an excellent amount of work space. It’s a very exciting development, well designed and thought out. Faye Sharpley, Graduate Medic
The new library is able to go ahead because of the generous contributions of alumni and friends of the College, but further support is still needed.
June 2008
Issue 8