Roll of Honour
Arts Graduate Medic
The following elections and awards have been made:
Elizabeth Ingall, after taking a First in English Language and Literature, went on to gain a distinction in the Cambridge Graduate Course in Medicine, and is now working at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
Johnny Hon Peking University Scholarships Ziyin Mai Zhibo Qiu
E. M. Burnett Prizes on the Results of University Examinations Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic Alison Bonner Katherine Miller Archaeology and Anthropology Jennifer Woodhead Education
Rita Kidd
Mathematics Luis Matos Konstantinos Koumatos Medicine
Elizabeth Ingall Udara Kularatne Alastair Proud
Philosophy
Guy Campos
Russian
Martina Bielawski
Helena Powell Prize for Religious Studies Julia Schoettl
New Fellows Life Fellow
John Raffan
Quondam Fellows Professor John MacBeath Dr Gilly Carr New appointments Dr Jeremy Toner Rev’d Dr Philip Raymont PHG (Population Health and Genomics) Foundation Lecturers Lecturer in Philosophy Dr Stephen John Lecturer in Social Sciences Mr Adam Bostanci Lecturer in Law Mr Amit Pundik Nidhi Singal, Research Fellow, has been appointed University Lecturer in Education
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
December 2007
Issue 7
Starting medicine as an arts graduate was, I found, a little like setting off on an Alpine trek only to find you’d forgotten to pack walking boots. The world of pre-clinical medicine with its logarithms, its ligaments, its bugs, and its bones, didn’t seem to accommodate someone more used to writing soul-searching essays on the social validity of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. My challenge was to adapt to this new currency of ‘factual learning’.
Clinical medicine was a different ball game and one in which I found myself much more at home. Theories could be put into practice. Complex disease mechanisms could be contextualised in a world beyond the textbook. Communication skills and the ability to empathise became paramount. I suppose you could say that it has only been through my interactions with the patients themselves that I can do two things: first, firmly applaud the definition of medicine as both art and science; and second, firmly appreciate my career change.
Hughes entrepreneurs win award Hughes Hall PhD students Shamus Husheer, Lydia Ferguson and Oriane Chausiaux were part of the winning team of four at the Cambridge University Entrepreneurs Business Plan Competition: Where Angels Dare 2007. The team pitched their business idea to a panel of local investors in a thrilling finale, winning the £10,000 Angels’ Prize and £5,000 3i Entrepreneurship Prize.
Laurence Garrett from 3i with Shamus Husheer, Lydia Ferguson, Oriane Chausiaux and Scott Mackie
Their company, Cambridge Temperature Concepts Limited, has developed a medical device for measuring body temperature accurately and conveniently over several weeks, which can be applied to a number of markets, including conception assistance and general healthcare. Shamus and Oriane, having recently completed their PhDs, are now working full time on the business. The grant, as well as other sources of funding they have obtained over the past 2 years, including the Downing Enterprise Business Plan Competition (£20,000) and an East of England Development Agency Grant (£17,000), will fund a prototype trial. If the trials are successful, funding will be sought at the start of 2008 to finance production and distribution. For more information, see www.temperatureconcepts.com
Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion Nigel Brown, Hughes Hall City Fellow, has won a Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion. Nigel was presented with the award by the Queen at Buckingham Palace in July, along with other winners.
News from Hughes
A woman of many achievements ... …who prefers to think of them as meeting challenges. Doreen Simmons, Hughes Hall, 1953–1954, was born in Nottingham in 1932. She read Classics and Theology at Girton before her PGCE at Hughes, and is now a freelance writer and editor, actress, recording artist, folksinger, percussionist, and professional sumo commentator. She likes to travel with a purpose, and has camped in Iceland, observed penguins in Antarctica, and helped to build houses in Mongolia. She has lived in Japan since 1973, and is a generous donor to Hughes. • What do you think are your greatest achievements? I don’t think in terms of achievements – I tend to think in terms of challenges, and if I get through, then I reach a new level. But the single most important life changing event was getting into Girton, and being a small part of the University of Cambridge. It was the culmination of so many experiences, so much work, and help from two teachers in particular. When I came up in 1950 women had only been admitted as full members for two years. At a different level, and many years later, I was on ‘Mastermind’. It was a challenge: the solo walk out to the black chair, and sitting there under all the lights. But I overcame fear, and came out of it feeling, “I will never be truly afraid of anything else again.” That experience cured me of my stage fright. Now, when I’m going onstage, or waiting to sing a solo, I get a pleasant excitement that sharpens me up, but not the abject state of nerves I used to get.
• What have you enjoyed most of your many experiences? Most of the really satisfying things have happened since I turned 70. The most memorable was singing with the British Embassy Choir, summer 2006, in We are the Burning Fire by Howard Goodall. The highlight for me was the final song ‘She Moved through the Fair’ which I sang as a solo, folk-style. After the ghost’s final unaccompanied line “It will not be long, love, till our wedding day”, every performance ended in complete silence. Each audience seemed to hold its breath for a minute or so, then broke into applause. That has to be one of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever had. • What advice would you give to Hughesians embarking on their careers? The best advice I can think of is: find out what you do well, and enjoy doing – then get yourself into a situation where you can do it. It took me years to get into the first of the jobs I do now; but each time I had a change I was a little nearer, or adding another skill. I didn’t have a clear, precise vision of a future career, but each step opened up new possibilities. And: if you are already in the perfect job, but somebody asks you to do something different, give it a try. • What’s next on you r agenda? Just to go on as I am now, for as long as possible. Life is so good that I can’t imagine anything better.
Calling all Alumni THE HUGHES HALL SOCIETY
Send us your up-to-date email address so that we can keep in touch with you. Everyone who has been a student at Hughes Hall is automatically a member of the Hughes Hall Society, but you need to register in order to get online access.
December 2007
Doreen Simmons, relaxing for a change
Development Office We’re very pleased to announce that Hughes now has a Development Office, with the important work of coordinating College development plans, maintaining contact with alumni and seeking donations and funding. Head of Development, Annemarie Young, is an experienced publisher who was previously Editorial Manager for Primary Publishing at Cambridge University Press. Her deputy, Hannah Fogg, is a music graduate and worked in Magdalene’s Development Office after graduating from Sidney Sussex. Contact them at development@hughes. cam.ac.uk or +44(0)1223 334895
Buy books and help Hughes! You can help Hughes every time you shop at Amazon. Go to the Alumni site (www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhs/), log on and click on the Amazon logo on the home page. 4% of the purchase price comes back to the College as a general donation – at no expense to you! Hughes Hall is an Associate of amazon.co.uk
Register online at http://www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhs/contact-form.html
Longer versions of some of the articles in this newsletter can be found on the Hughes Hall website: www.hughes.cam.ac.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; or on the web at www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhs Photographs courtesy Michael Derringer, Ray Godwin, and contributors Printed in England.
Issue 7
Newsletter of the Hughes Hall Society
Visit of the Visitor HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, College Visitor and Chancellor of the University, came to Hughes in April to mark the granting of the Queen’s Royal Charter and our transition to full College status. The visit was a splendid day, relaxed and friendly. The Duke planted a fir tree in honour of the occasion, and met 52 students who had enthusiastically signed up for the event. The Duke’s visit ended with lunch alongside the students in Hall. And the fir tree is thriving!
John Raffan Charles Moseley paid tribute to Vice President John Raffan at his retirement dinner.
John Raffan’s retirement prompts many feelings, chief of which are both admiration and regret: ‘Hamlet without the Prince’. It is very difficult to imagine Hughes Hall without John’s kindly and wise presence. John’s achievements have been huge. He had a full teaching and research life in his department, and for two decades was Senior Tutor. During that time he oversaw the momentous changes that made possible the College as we know it now. His relationship with students was excellent, and he was tireless in the furtherance of their interests as well as their good behaviour. And so, regret. I personally owe him a great debt. He was a hard act to follow, as the students told me when I arrived. We shall miss a tireless colleague who had a way of making people work together. We shall miss him as a benign and hard working Vice President. We Tutors will miss his experience, his sense of proportion and his reassuring confidence that most problems could be solved with goodwill on both sides. Let us hope we have learned from him, even if it is unlikely we can ever equal him. A bursary fund has been established in John’s honour.
HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, with the President, talking to students before lunch
Symposium for Sara Melville A symposium was held at Hughes Hall in July to honour the invaluable contribution that Vice President Dr Sara Melville has made to research into the trypanosome genome, the parasite responsible for the devastating disease known as sleeping sickness. The disease is widespread in sub Saharan Africa, affecting hundreds of thousands of people every year, in the poorest communities, and killing 100 Vice President Sara Melville each day. There are no vaccines against the parasite, and most drugs to treat the disease have dangerous side effects, or are scarce in the countries most heavily affected. The success of the genome analysis project will enable more effective treatments to be developed. Sara’s early work in the Pathology Department in the 1990s laid the foundations for the project. The African trypanosome genome network was formed in 1994 by the World Health Organisation, and Sara was instrumental in pulling the research community together into a coherent network, and securing funding. The results were published in Science in 2005, together with the Leishmania and South American trypanosome genome projects. The symposium was organised by Sara’s colleagues in the Pathology Department, and attended by senior researchers from the international network. They all paid tribute to her indefatigable and visionary role in helping to establish and nurture the network, which has led to the successful provision of data crucial to advancing a cure.
December 2007
Issue 7
The new Senior Tutor
Hughes Hall stalwart Mick Walker What do you like about Hughes Hall? The people – staff and students – and the communal spirit. The family spirit is special – it’s not the same in other colleges. Some people have worked here for up to 30 years.
Hughes is very pleased to welcome the Reverend Dr Philip Raymont as Senior Tutor. Philip, a past Master of Earl Page College in New South Wales, Australia, joined the College in August. He is a historian of education and was previously Assistant Chaplain and Bye-Fellow at Selwyn.
What have you most enjoyed? It’s so varied and the unexpected is always happening. Working for the university is different from the real world. You have to fit in, but there’s nothing else like it! I used to be short and thin…!
Mick Walker, Clerk of Works, retired in August after 15 years as the mainstay of the maintenance team. He paid tribute to his team as “the best in the University – they give 110%.” Mick had a triple bypass and has had to give up the job he loved. “There was never a dull moment, never a day that dragged.”
Ella Kaye, MPhil in Education, writes: Hughes Hall’s reputation for music was one of the main reasons I applied here, and I’ve not been disappointed. The term started on a high with a concert featuring performances from new Hughesians. As one of them, it was a great opportunity to find out who the other new musicians in college were, and as a result a few of us have formed chamber music groups. An almost entirely different collection has formed for the next concert, which will be a performance of jazz standards, under the leadership of Martin Kemp. Rehearsals are underway, and I can promise you that it’ll be a treat. If you’d like to contribute to College music, please get in touch with Peter Britton at p.britton@ntlworld.com
December 2007
Issue 7
The Boat Club celebrated its most successful season to date. Both the men’s and women’s crews won blades in the May bumps races, and the club was awarded the prestigious Pegasus Cup, sponsored by Milton Brewery, and presented to the highest achieving club.
The overall winner was Deborah Hayden (PhD in Early Irish Language) with her original and beautiful picture, Wednesday morning study session.
Two new racing VIIIs, the generous donations of Carol Seymour-Richards and Hughes Hall, made the outstanding performances possible. Success was also due to the enthusiasm and diligence of their coaches, Hayley Palmer, Ian Coveny, Jason Hayman and Bart Hallmark. Captains Lydia Ferguson and Christian Hornung were delighted with the result after all the crews’ hard work and hope this success will continue. To see a video of the Pegasus Cup presentation, go to YouTube.com and type ‘Pegasus naming ceremony’ in the search box.
The Hughes Hall
Theatre Society The Hughes Hall Theatre Society continues to thrive. This year, it produced a May Week Production of The Importance of Being Earnest, with MCR President Keir Shiels taking the role of Lady Bracknell and introducing the play in the guise of Oscar Wilde himself. A scene from the play was showcased at the College Reception to much laughter and applause, and attracted many students and alumni alike to come and see the show.
Theatre Society If you would like to get involved in the Theatre Society, please contact Keir Shiels at kas44@cam.ac.uk
Contact Kathy Hardy for the programme at kh343@cam.ac.uk
Sports during Lent Term 2008
Elizabeth Diggory, 1945–2007
Hughes Hall 1967–1968, PGCE We noted Elizabeth’s death in March with great sadness. She ended her successful career as High Mistress of St Paul’s Girls’ School. Carol Seymour-Richards with the new women’s boat
College Reception
Kickboxing champion! Congratulations to Soren Demin, who became European welterweight kickboxing champion for the second time, at the championships held at Budapest in Hungary. In his other persona, Soren is working on his PhD on the creation of a next generation glucose sensor at the Institute of Biotechnology.
Mark you r calendar s!
The May Ball 2008 – The Great Explorers – will be held on 14 June, and promises to be a legendary event. To keep in touch with all the May Ball news as it happens, join the Facebook group ‘Hughes Hall May Ball 2008’ and plan to attend Cambridge’s most exciting, most indulgent May Ball! For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Adrian Leonard, May Ball President, at ab128@cam.ac.uk
Recollections of the 2007 May Ball Committee president, David Kirkham, resplendent in a red tailcoat, set the tone for the 2007 May Ball. The musical line up was superb, particularly the excellent performances by Polly Watkin, singing swing and blues solos, and Casa Del Funk, which gave inspired performances that combined blues, Latin, swing and even television theme tunes, in highly energetic and enjoyable styles. Following his successful concert in May, the incomparable Calvin Orlando Smith gave two elegant and witty performances of a suite of songs capturing the essence of Les Nuits de Paris, to packed audiences. As midnight passed, a troupe of fire-jugglers entertained with
The Margaret Wileman Music Society – in the Pavilion Room
Contact Kathy Hardy at kh343@cam.ac.uk
Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport
May Ball 2008
Events Diary
Hat Club Research Seminars
May bumps are the highlight of the University rowing calendar and take place over four days. As the Cam is too narrow for conventional racing, boats are aligned end to end, 1½ boat lengths apart. Started by canon fire, crews race full speed down the course in an attempt to ‘bump’ the crew ahead. On subsequent days, bumped crews switch starting positions. The ultimate goal is to bump on all four days, which earns blades.
ger
MUSIC AT HUGHES
Our second College photographic competition generated many excellent entries and a pleasantly difficult judging job.
Michael Derrin
Mick had been a builder, but suffered a financial crash and lost his house. He took the job of Handyman at Hughes, and progressed to Maintenance Manager before becoming Clerk of Works four years ago.
Do you have a hobby? Making videos. It started when I bought a Super8 Cinecamera. I started filming when I was courting my wife and captured all the big occasions: engagement, wedding, holidays, children, and now our seven grandchildren. I also love nature and gardening.
2007 Photographic Competition
Boat Club wins Pegasus Cup
Photograph by
Dr John Durrell has been awarded an Academic Research Collaboration grant by the British Council and the German Academic Exchange Service. John will work with Dr Ruben Huehne of the Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research in Dresden, studying ways of enhancing the performance of superconducting materials for practical applications.
What was the stickiest moment? There have been many, several with a fire theme, but one of the most memorable was when a student set fire to his waste paper bin during a World Cup football game. He was so engrossed he didn’t notice and another student raised the alarm.
Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport
Survivors of the 2007 May Ball line up at 6.00 am
their show of juggling, acrobatics and dance, accompanied by consumption of roasted hog, exotic pancakes and doughnuts, for those who could find room after the sumptuous meal. Later, John Raffan amazed us all with his dancing stamina, putting many of the younger guests to shame with his footwork. As daylight broke, the May Ball survivors gathered for the customary photograph. After tea and pastries for the survivors, the event came to a graceful end.
Wednesday morning study session
Hughes Hall Boat Club Black Tie Dinner On 16th February Hughes Hall Boat Club was pleased to host the second annual fundraising black tie dinner. Fellows, current Boat Club members and alumni were welcomed with a champagne reception and presentation from the men’s captain Christian, followed by a three course meal, port and cheese. The party then moved on to the MCR bop. An excellent time was had by all and funds raised went towards much needed equipment for the Boat Club. This year’s event will be held on 7th March 2008 and promises to be the best yet. All proceeds raised will go towards the Boat Club’s new equipment. For information or tickets, contact Hayley McKay at hm345@cam.ac.uk
The College Reception, held on Friday, 15 June, was a most enjoyable affair. Alumni enjoyed tea and scones with the President, the Cambridge Graduate Ensemble played classical and jazz quartets in the marquee and there was a wine tasting.
The Ogden Trust
generously sponsored the 2007 PGCE Matriculation Dinner. Pat Langham, Headmistress of Wakefield Girls’ High School, was the guest speaker. Her speech was inspiring, amusing and highly memorable.
The City Lecture 2007 International Energy Security – Challenges and Responses was given to a packed audience by Nick Butler, Group Policy Advisor to BP, now setting up a new energy policy centre at the Judge Business School.
Boat Club Black Tie Dinner Friday, 7 March 2008 7:00 for 7:30 pm Lent Bumps 2008 Tuesday, 26th February 2008 to Saturday, 1st March 2008 River Cam May Bumps 2008 Wednesday, 11th June 2008 to Saturday, 14th June 2008 River Cam The Boat Race Saturday, 29 March 5:00 pm Thames London Hughes will be hosting a special event
City Lecture Thursday, 8 May 2008 6:00 pm* Pavilion Room Speaker: Dr Hermann Hauser *Check date with Kathy Hardy
The 7th annual Kathleen Hughes Memorial Lecture Monday, 28 April 2008
Pavilion Room
Dr Oliver Padel will be speaking on Slavery in Saxon Cornwall
Photo Competition Last entries 22 April 2008, Open to all students and alumni. Contact the Development Office for information development@hughes.cam.ac.uk
Graduate Law Society Dinner Contact Kathy Hardy for details at kh343@cam.ac.uk
College Reception Friday, 13 June 2008
May Ball
The Kathleen Hughes Memorial Lecture 2007 was given by Dr Paul Russell of Pembroke College, to a large audience of enthusiasts for Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic studies.
Saturday, 14 June 08
Alumni Weekend 26–28 September 2008 Come and see us at Hughes!
December 2007
Issue 7
The new Senior Tutor
Hughes Hall stalwart Mick Walker What do you like about Hughes Hall? The people – staff and students – and the communal spirit. The family spirit is special – it’s not the same in other colleges. Some people have worked here for up to 30 years.
Hughes is very pleased to welcome the Reverend Dr Philip Raymont as Senior Tutor. Philip, a past Master of Earl Page College in New South Wales, Australia, joined the College in August. He is a historian of education and was previously Assistant Chaplain and Bye-Fellow at Selwyn.
What have you most enjoyed? It’s so varied and the unexpected is always happening. Working for the university is different from the real world. You have to fit in, but there’s nothing else like it! I used to be short and thin…!
Mick Walker, Clerk of Works, retired in August after 15 years as the mainstay of the maintenance team. He paid tribute to his team as “the best in the University – they give 110%.” Mick had a triple bypass and has had to give up the job he loved. “There was never a dull moment, never a day that dragged.”
Ella Kaye, MPhil in Education, writes: Hughes Hall’s reputation for music was one of the main reasons I applied here, and I’ve not been disappointed. The term started on a high with a concert featuring performances from new Hughesians. As one of them, it was a great opportunity to find out who the other new musicians in college were, and as a result a few of us have formed chamber music groups. An almost entirely different collection has formed for the next concert, which will be a performance of jazz standards, under the leadership of Martin Kemp. Rehearsals are underway, and I can promise you that it’ll be a treat. If you’d like to contribute to College music, please get in touch with Peter Britton at p.britton@ntlworld.com
December 2007
Issue 7
The Boat Club celebrated its most successful season to date. Both the men’s and women’s crews won blades in the May bumps races, and the club was awarded the prestigious Pegasus Cup, sponsored by Milton Brewery, and presented to the highest achieving club.
The overall winner was Deborah Hayden (PhD in Early Irish Language) with her original and beautiful picture, Wednesday morning study session.
Two new racing VIIIs, the generous donations of Carol Seymour-Richards and Hughes Hall, made the outstanding performances possible. Success was also due to the enthusiasm and diligence of their coaches, Hayley Palmer, Ian Coveny, Jason Hayman and Bart Hallmark. Captains Lydia Ferguson and Christian Hornung were delighted with the result after all the crews’ hard work and hope this success will continue. To see a video of the Pegasus Cup presentation, go to YouTube.com and type ‘Pegasus naming ceremony’ in the search box.
The Hughes Hall
Theatre Society The Hughes Hall Theatre Society continues to thrive. This year, it produced a May Week Production of The Importance of Being Earnest, with MCR President Keir Shiels taking the role of Lady Bracknell and introducing the play in the guise of Oscar Wilde himself. A scene from the play was showcased at the College Reception to much laughter and applause, and attracted many students and alumni alike to come and see the show.
Theatre Society If you would like to get involved in the Theatre Society, please contact Keir Shiels at kas44@cam.ac.uk
Contact Kathy Hardy for the programme at kh343@cam.ac.uk
Sports during Lent Term 2008
Elizabeth Diggory, 1945–2007
Hughes Hall 1967–1968, PGCE We noted Elizabeth’s death in March with great sadness. She ended her successful career as High Mistress of St Paul’s Girls’ School. Carol Seymour-Richards with the new women’s boat
College Reception
Kickboxing champion! Congratulations to Soren Demin, who became European welterweight kickboxing champion for the second time, at the championships held at Budapest in Hungary. In his other persona, Soren is working on his PhD on the creation of a next generation glucose sensor at the Institute of Biotechnology.
Mark you r calendar s!
The May Ball 2008 – The Great Explorers – will be held on 14 June, and promises to be a legendary event. To keep in touch with all the May Ball news as it happens, join the Facebook group ‘Hughes Hall May Ball 2008’ and plan to attend Cambridge’s most exciting, most indulgent May Ball! For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Adrian Leonard, May Ball President, at ab128@cam.ac.uk
Recollections of the 2007 May Ball Committee president, David Kirkham, resplendent in a red tailcoat, set the tone for the 2007 May Ball. The musical line up was superb, particularly the excellent performances by Polly Watkin, singing swing and blues solos, and Casa Del Funk, which gave inspired performances that combined blues, Latin, swing and even television theme tunes, in highly energetic and enjoyable styles. Following his successful concert in May, the incomparable Calvin Orlando Smith gave two elegant and witty performances of a suite of songs capturing the essence of Les Nuits de Paris, to packed audiences. As midnight passed, a troupe of fire-jugglers entertained with
The Margaret Wileman Music Society – in the Pavilion Room
Contact Kathy Hardy at kh343@cam.ac.uk
Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport
May Ball 2008
Events Diary
Hat Club Research Seminars
May bumps are the highlight of the University rowing calendar and take place over four days. As the Cam is too narrow for conventional racing, boats are aligned end to end, 1½ boat lengths apart. Started by canon fire, crews race full speed down the course in an attempt to ‘bump’ the crew ahead. On subsequent days, bumped crews switch starting positions. The ultimate goal is to bump on all four days, which earns blades.
ger
MUSIC AT HUGHES
Our second College photographic competition generated many excellent entries and a pleasantly difficult judging job.
Michael Derrin
Mick had been a builder, but suffered a financial crash and lost his house. He took the job of Handyman at Hughes, and progressed to Maintenance Manager before becoming Clerk of Works four years ago.
Do you have a hobby? Making videos. It started when I bought a Super8 Cinecamera. I started filming when I was courting my wife and captured all the big occasions: engagement, wedding, holidays, children, and now our seven grandchildren. I also love nature and gardening.
2007 Photographic Competition
Boat Club wins Pegasus Cup
Photograph by
Dr John Durrell has been awarded an Academic Research Collaboration grant by the British Council and the German Academic Exchange Service. John will work with Dr Ruben Huehne of the Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research in Dresden, studying ways of enhancing the performance of superconducting materials for practical applications.
What was the stickiest moment? There have been many, several with a fire theme, but one of the most memorable was when a student set fire to his waste paper bin during a World Cup football game. He was so engrossed he didn’t notice and another student raised the alarm.
Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport
Survivors of the 2007 May Ball line up at 6.00 am
their show of juggling, acrobatics and dance, accompanied by consumption of roasted hog, exotic pancakes and doughnuts, for those who could find room after the sumptuous meal. Later, John Raffan amazed us all with his dancing stamina, putting many of the younger guests to shame with his footwork. As daylight broke, the May Ball survivors gathered for the customary photograph. After tea and pastries for the survivors, the event came to a graceful end.
Wednesday morning study session
Hughes Hall Boat Club Black Tie Dinner On 16th February Hughes Hall Boat Club was pleased to host the second annual fundraising black tie dinner. Fellows, current Boat Club members and alumni were welcomed with a champagne reception and presentation from the men’s captain Christian, followed by a three course meal, port and cheese. The party then moved on to the MCR bop. An excellent time was had by all and funds raised went towards much needed equipment for the Boat Club. This year’s event will be held on 7th March 2008 and promises to be the best yet. All proceeds raised will go towards the Boat Club’s new equipment. For information or tickets, contact Hayley McKay at hm345@cam.ac.uk
The College Reception, held on Friday, 15 June, was a most enjoyable affair. Alumni enjoyed tea and scones with the President, the Cambridge Graduate Ensemble played classical and jazz quartets in the marquee and there was a wine tasting.
The Ogden Trust
generously sponsored the 2007 PGCE Matriculation Dinner. Pat Langham, Headmistress of Wakefield Girls’ High School, was the guest speaker. Her speech was inspiring, amusing and highly memorable.
The City Lecture 2007 International Energy Security – Challenges and Responses was given to a packed audience by Nick Butler, Group Policy Advisor to BP, now setting up a new energy policy centre at the Judge Business School.
Boat Club Black Tie Dinner Friday, 7 March 2008 7:00 for 7:30 pm Lent Bumps 2008 Tuesday, 26th February 2008 to Saturday, 1st March 2008 River Cam May Bumps 2008 Wednesday, 11th June 2008 to Saturday, 14th June 2008 River Cam The Boat Race Saturday, 29 March 5:00 pm Thames London Hughes will be hosting a special event
City Lecture Thursday, 8 May 2008 6:00 pm* Pavilion Room Speaker: Dr Hermann Hauser *Check date with Kathy Hardy
The 7th annual Kathleen Hughes Memorial Lecture Monday, 28 April 2008
Pavilion Room
Dr Oliver Padel will be speaking on Slavery in Saxon Cornwall
Photo Competition Last entries 22 April 2008, Open to all students and alumni. Contact the Development Office for information development@hughes.cam.ac.uk
Graduate Law Society Dinner Contact Kathy Hardy for details at kh343@cam.ac.uk
College Reception Friday, 13 June 2008
May Ball
The Kathleen Hughes Memorial Lecture 2007 was given by Dr Paul Russell of Pembroke College, to a large audience of enthusiasts for Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic studies.
Saturday, 14 June 08
Alumni Weekend 26–28 September 2008 Come and see us at Hughes!
December 2007
Issue 7
The new Senior Tutor
Hughes Hall stalwart Mick Walker What do you like about Hughes Hall? The people – staff and students – and the communal spirit. The family spirit is special – it’s not the same in other colleges. Some people have worked here for up to 30 years.
Hughes is very pleased to welcome the Reverend Dr Philip Raymont as Senior Tutor. Philip, a past Master of Earl Page College in New South Wales, Australia, joined the College in August. He is a historian of education and was previously Assistant Chaplain and Bye-Fellow at Selwyn.
What have you most enjoyed? It’s so varied and the unexpected is always happening. Working for the university is different from the real world. You have to fit in, but there’s nothing else like it! I used to be short and thin…!
Mick Walker, Clerk of Works, retired in August after 15 years as the mainstay of the maintenance team. He paid tribute to his team as “the best in the University – they give 110%.” Mick had a triple bypass and has had to give up the job he loved. “There was never a dull moment, never a day that dragged.”
Ella Kaye, MPhil in Education, writes: Hughes Hall’s reputation for music was one of the main reasons I applied here, and I’ve not been disappointed. The term started on a high with a concert featuring performances from new Hughesians. As one of them, it was a great opportunity to find out who the other new musicians in college were, and as a result a few of us have formed chamber music groups. An almost entirely different collection has formed for the next concert, which will be a performance of jazz standards, under the leadership of Martin Kemp. Rehearsals are underway, and I can promise you that it’ll be a treat. If you’d like to contribute to College music, please get in touch with Peter Britton at p.britton@ntlworld.com
December 2007
Issue 7
The Boat Club celebrated its most successful season to date. Both the men’s and women’s crews won blades in the May bumps races, and the club was awarded the prestigious Pegasus Cup, sponsored by Milton Brewery, and presented to the highest achieving club.
The overall winner was Deborah Hayden (PhD in Early Irish Language) with her original and beautiful picture, Wednesday morning study session.
Two new racing VIIIs, the generous donations of Carol Seymour-Richards and Hughes Hall, made the outstanding performances possible. Success was also due to the enthusiasm and diligence of their coaches, Hayley Palmer, Ian Coveny, Jason Hayman and Bart Hallmark. Captains Lydia Ferguson and Christian Hornung were delighted with the result after all the crews’ hard work and hope this success will continue. To see a video of the Pegasus Cup presentation, go to YouTube.com and type ‘Pegasus naming ceremony’ in the search box.
The Hughes Hall
Theatre Society The Hughes Hall Theatre Society continues to thrive. This year, it produced a May Week Production of The Importance of Being Earnest, with MCR President Keir Shiels taking the role of Lady Bracknell and introducing the play in the guise of Oscar Wilde himself. A scene from the play was showcased at the College Reception to much laughter and applause, and attracted many students and alumni alike to come and see the show.
Theatre Society If you would like to get involved in the Theatre Society, please contact Keir Shiels at kas44@cam.ac.uk
Contact Kathy Hardy for the programme at kh343@cam.ac.uk
Sports during Lent Term 2008
Elizabeth Diggory, 1945–2007
Hughes Hall 1967–1968, PGCE We noted Elizabeth’s death in March with great sadness. She ended her successful career as High Mistress of St Paul’s Girls’ School. Carol Seymour-Richards with the new women’s boat
College Reception
Kickboxing champion! Congratulations to Soren Demin, who became European welterweight kickboxing champion for the second time, at the championships held at Budapest in Hungary. In his other persona, Soren is working on his PhD on the creation of a next generation glucose sensor at the Institute of Biotechnology.
Mark you r calendar s!
The May Ball 2008 – The Great Explorers – will be held on 14 June, and promises to be a legendary event. To keep in touch with all the May Ball news as it happens, join the Facebook group ‘Hughes Hall May Ball 2008’ and plan to attend Cambridge’s most exciting, most indulgent May Ball! For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Adrian Leonard, May Ball President, at ab128@cam.ac.uk
Recollections of the 2007 May Ball Committee president, David Kirkham, resplendent in a red tailcoat, set the tone for the 2007 May Ball. The musical line up was superb, particularly the excellent performances by Polly Watkin, singing swing and blues solos, and Casa Del Funk, which gave inspired performances that combined blues, Latin, swing and even television theme tunes, in highly energetic and enjoyable styles. Following his successful concert in May, the incomparable Calvin Orlando Smith gave two elegant and witty performances of a suite of songs capturing the essence of Les Nuits de Paris, to packed audiences. As midnight passed, a troupe of fire-jugglers entertained with
The Margaret Wileman Music Society – in the Pavilion Room
Contact Kathy Hardy at kh343@cam.ac.uk
Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport
May Ball 2008
Events Diary
Hat Club Research Seminars
May bumps are the highlight of the University rowing calendar and take place over four days. As the Cam is too narrow for conventional racing, boats are aligned end to end, 1½ boat lengths apart. Started by canon fire, crews race full speed down the course in an attempt to ‘bump’ the crew ahead. On subsequent days, bumped crews switch starting positions. The ultimate goal is to bump on all four days, which earns blades.
ger
MUSIC AT HUGHES
Our second College photographic competition generated many excellent entries and a pleasantly difficult judging job.
Michael Derrin
Mick had been a builder, but suffered a financial crash and lost his house. He took the job of Handyman at Hughes, and progressed to Maintenance Manager before becoming Clerk of Works four years ago.
Do you have a hobby? Making videos. It started when I bought a Super8 Cinecamera. I started filming when I was courting my wife and captured all the big occasions: engagement, wedding, holidays, children, and now our seven grandchildren. I also love nature and gardening.
2007 Photographic Competition
Boat Club wins Pegasus Cup
Photograph by
Dr John Durrell has been awarded an Academic Research Collaboration grant by the British Council and the German Academic Exchange Service. John will work with Dr Ruben Huehne of the Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research in Dresden, studying ways of enhancing the performance of superconducting materials for practical applications.
What was the stickiest moment? There have been many, several with a fire theme, but one of the most memorable was when a student set fire to his waste paper bin during a World Cup football game. He was so engrossed he didn’t notice and another student raised the alarm.
Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport
Survivors of the 2007 May Ball line up at 6.00 am
their show of juggling, acrobatics and dance, accompanied by consumption of roasted hog, exotic pancakes and doughnuts, for those who could find room after the sumptuous meal. Later, John Raffan amazed us all with his dancing stamina, putting many of the younger guests to shame with his footwork. As daylight broke, the May Ball survivors gathered for the customary photograph. After tea and pastries for the survivors, the event came to a graceful end.
Wednesday morning study session
Hughes Hall Boat Club Black Tie Dinner On 16th February Hughes Hall Boat Club was pleased to host the second annual fundraising black tie dinner. Fellows, current Boat Club members and alumni were welcomed with a champagne reception and presentation from the men’s captain Christian, followed by a three course meal, port and cheese. The party then moved on to the MCR bop. An excellent time was had by all and funds raised went towards much needed equipment for the Boat Club. This year’s event will be held on 7th March 2008 and promises to be the best yet. All proceeds raised will go towards the Boat Club’s new equipment. For information or tickets, contact Hayley McKay at hm345@cam.ac.uk
The College Reception, held on Friday, 15 June, was a most enjoyable affair. Alumni enjoyed tea and scones with the President, the Cambridge Graduate Ensemble played classical and jazz quartets in the marquee and there was a wine tasting.
The Ogden Trust
generously sponsored the 2007 PGCE Matriculation Dinner. Pat Langham, Headmistress of Wakefield Girls’ High School, was the guest speaker. Her speech was inspiring, amusing and highly memorable.
The City Lecture 2007 International Energy Security – Challenges and Responses was given to a packed audience by Nick Butler, Group Policy Advisor to BP, now setting up a new energy policy centre at the Judge Business School.
Boat Club Black Tie Dinner Friday, 7 March 2008 7:00 for 7:30 pm Lent Bumps 2008 Tuesday, 26th February 2008 to Saturday, 1st March 2008 River Cam May Bumps 2008 Wednesday, 11th June 2008 to Saturday, 14th June 2008 River Cam The Boat Race Saturday, 29 March 5:00 pm Thames London Hughes will be hosting a special event
City Lecture Thursday, 8 May 2008 6:00 pm* Pavilion Room Speaker: Dr Hermann Hauser *Check date with Kathy Hardy
The 7th annual Kathleen Hughes Memorial Lecture Monday, 28 April 2008
Pavilion Room
Dr Oliver Padel will be speaking on Slavery in Saxon Cornwall
Photo Competition Last entries 22 April 2008, Open to all students and alumni. Contact the Development Office for information development@hughes.cam.ac.uk
Graduate Law Society Dinner Contact Kathy Hardy for details at kh343@cam.ac.uk
College Reception Friday, 13 June 2008
May Ball
The Kathleen Hughes Memorial Lecture 2007 was given by Dr Paul Russell of Pembroke College, to a large audience of enthusiasts for Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic studies.
Saturday, 14 June 08
Alumni Weekend 26–28 September 2008 Come and see us at Hughes!
December 2007
Issue 7
Roll of Honour
Arts Graduate Medic
The following elections and awards have been made:
Elizabeth Ingall, after taking a First in English Language and Literature, went on to gain a distinction in the Cambridge Graduate Course in Medicine, and is now working at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
Johnny Hon Peking University Scholarships Ziyin Mai Zhibo Qiu
E. M. Burnett Prizes on the Results of University Examinations Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic Alison Bonner Katherine Miller Archaeology and Anthropology Jennifer Woodhead Education
Rita Kidd
Mathematics Luis Matos Konstantinos Koumatos Medicine
Elizabeth Ingall Udara Kularatne Alastair Proud
Philosophy
Guy Campos
Russian
Martina Bielawski
Helena Powell Prize for Religious Studies Julia Schoettl
New Fellows Life Fellow
John Raffan
Quondam Fellows Professor John MacBeath Dr Gilly Carr New appointments Dr Jeremy Toner Rev’d Dr Philip Raymont PHG (Population Health and Genomics) Foundation Lecturers Lecturer in Philosophy Dr Stephen John Lecturer in Social Sciences Mr Adam Bostanci Lecturer in Law Mr Amit Pundik Nidhi Singal, Research Fellow, has been appointed University Lecturer in Education
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
December 2007
Issue 7
Starting medicine as an arts graduate was, I found, a little like setting off on an Alpine trek only to find you’d forgotten to pack walking boots. The world of pre-clinical medicine with its logarithms, its ligaments, its bugs, and its bones, didn’t seem to accommodate someone more used to writing soul-searching essays on the social validity of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. My challenge was to adapt to this new currency of ‘factual learning’.
Clinical medicine was a different ball game and one in which I found myself much more at home. Theories could be put into practice. Complex disease mechanisms could be contextualised in a world beyond the textbook. Communication skills and the ability to empathise became paramount. I suppose you could say that it has only been through my interactions with the patients themselves that I can do two things: first, firmly applaud the definition of medicine as both art and science; and second, firmly appreciate my career change.
Hughes entrepreneurs win award Hughes Hall PhD students Shamus Husheer, Lydia Ferguson and Oriane Chausiaux were part of the winning team of four at the Cambridge University Entrepreneurs Business Plan Competition: Where Angels Dare 2007. The team pitched their business idea to a panel of local investors in a thrilling finale, winning the £10,000 Angels’ Prize and £5,000 3i Entrepreneurship Prize.
Laurence Garrett from 3i with Shamus Husheer, Lydia Ferguson, Oriane Chausiaux and Scott Mackie
Their company, Cambridge Temperature Concepts Limited, has developed a medical device for measuring body temperature accurately and conveniently over several weeks, which can be applied to a number of markets, including conception assistance and general healthcare. Shamus and Oriane, having recently completed their PhDs, are now working full time on the business. The grant, as well as other sources of funding they have obtained over the past 2 years, including the Downing Enterprise Business Plan Competition (£20,000) and an East of England Development Agency Grant (£17,000), will fund a prototype trial. If the trials are successful, funding will be sought at the start of 2008 to finance production and distribution. For more information, see www.temperatureconcepts.com
Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion Nigel Brown, Hughes Hall City Fellow, has won a Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion. Nigel was presented with the award by the Queen at Buckingham Palace in July, along with other winners.
News from Hughes
A woman of many achievements ... …who prefers to think of them as meeting challenges. Doreen Simmons, Hughes Hall, 1953–1954, was born in Nottingham in 1932. She read Classics and Theology at Girton before her PGCE at Hughes, and is now a freelance writer and editor, actress, recording artist, folksinger, percussionist, and professional sumo commentator. She likes to travel with a purpose, and has camped in Iceland, observed penguins in Antarctica, and helped to build houses in Mongolia. She has lived in Japan since 1973, and is a generous donor to Hughes. • What do you think are your greatest achievements? I don’t think in terms of achievements – I tend to think in terms of challenges, and if I get through, then I reach a new level. But the single most important life changing event was getting into Girton, and being a small part of the University of Cambridge. It was the culmination of so many experiences, so much work, and help from two teachers in particular. When I came up in 1950 women had only been admitted as full members for two years. At a different level, and many years later, I was on ‘Mastermind’. It was a challenge: the solo walk out to the black chair, and sitting there under all the lights. But I overcame fear, and came out of it feeling, “I will never be truly afraid of anything else again.” That experience cured me of my stage fright. Now, when I’m going onstage, or waiting to sing a solo, I get a pleasant excitement that sharpens me up, but not the abject state of nerves I used to get.
• What have you enjoyed most of your many experiences? Most of the really satisfying things have happened since I turned 70. The most memorable was singing with the British Embassy Choir, summer 2006, in We are the Burning Fire by Howard Goodall. The highlight for me was the final song ‘She Moved through the Fair’ which I sang as a solo, folk-style. After the ghost’s final unaccompanied line “It will not be long, love, till our wedding day”, every performance ended in complete silence. Each audience seemed to hold its breath for a minute or so, then broke into applause. That has to be one of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever had. • What advice would you give to Hughesians embarking on their careers? The best advice I can think of is: find out what you do well, and enjoy doing – then get yourself into a situation where you can do it. It took me years to get into the first of the jobs I do now; but each time I had a change I was a little nearer, or adding another skill. I didn’t have a clear, precise vision of a future career, but each step opened up new possibilities. And: if you are already in the perfect job, but somebody asks you to do something different, give it a try. • What’s next on you r agenda? Just to go on as I am now, for as long as possible. Life is so good that I can’t imagine anything better.
Calling all Alumni THE HUGHES HALL SOCIETY
Send us your up-to-date email address so that we can keep in touch with you. Everyone who has been a student at Hughes Hall is automatically a member of the Hughes Hall Society, but you need to register in order to get online access.
December 2007
Doreen Simmons, relaxing for a change
Development Office We’re very pleased to announce that Hughes now has a Development Office, with the important work of coordinating College development plans, maintaining contact with alumni and seeking donations and funding. Head of Development, Annemarie Young, is an experienced publisher who was previously Editorial Manager for Primary Publishing at Cambridge University Press. Her deputy, Hannah Fogg, is a music graduate and worked in Magdalene’s Development Office after graduating from Sidney Sussex. Contact them at development@hughes. cam.ac.uk or +44(0)1223 334895
Buy books and help Hughes! You can help Hughes every time you shop at Amazon. Go to the Alumni site (www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhs/), log on and click on the Amazon logo on the home page. 4% of the purchase price comes back to the College as a general donation – at no expense to you! Hughes Hall is an Associate of amazon.co.uk
Register online at http://www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhs/contact-form.html
Longer versions of some of the articles in this newsletter can be found on the Hughes Hall website: www.hughes.cam.ac.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; or on the web at www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhs Photographs courtesy Michael Derringer, Ray Godwin, and contributors Printed in England.
Issue 7
Newsletter of the Hughes Hall Society
Visit of the Visitor HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, College Visitor and Chancellor of the University, came to Hughes in April to mark the granting of the Queen’s Royal Charter and our transition to full College status. The visit was a splendid day, relaxed and friendly. The Duke planted a fir tree in honour of the occasion, and met 52 students who had enthusiastically signed up for the event. The Duke’s visit ended with lunch alongside the students in Hall. And the fir tree is thriving!
John Raffan Charles Moseley paid tribute to Vice President John Raffan at his retirement dinner.
John Raffan’s retirement prompts many feelings, chief of which are both admiration and regret: ‘Hamlet without the Prince’. It is very difficult to imagine Hughes Hall without John’s kindly and wise presence. John’s achievements have been huge. He had a full teaching and research life in his department, and for two decades was Senior Tutor. During that time he oversaw the momentous changes that made possible the College as we know it now. His relationship with students was excellent, and he was tireless in the furtherance of their interests as well as their good behaviour. And so, regret. I personally owe him a great debt. He was a hard act to follow, as the students told me when I arrived. We shall miss a tireless colleague who had a way of making people work together. We shall miss him as a benign and hard working Vice President. We Tutors will miss his experience, his sense of proportion and his reassuring confidence that most problems could be solved with goodwill on both sides. Let us hope we have learned from him, even if it is unlikely we can ever equal him. A bursary fund has been established in John’s honour.
HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, with the President, talking to students before lunch
Symposium for Sara Melville A symposium was held at Hughes Hall in July to honour the invaluable contribution that Vice President Dr Sara Melville has made to research into the trypanosome genome, the parasite responsible for the devastating disease known as sleeping sickness. The disease is widespread in sub Saharan Africa, affecting hundreds of thousands of people every year, in the poorest communities, and killing 100 Vice President Sara Melville each day. There are no vaccines against the parasite, and most drugs to treat the disease have dangerous side effects, or are scarce in the countries most heavily affected. The success of the genome analysis project will enable more effective treatments to be developed. Sara’s early work in the Pathology Department in the 1990s laid the foundations for the project. The African trypanosome genome network was formed in 1994 by the World Health Organisation, and Sara was instrumental in pulling the research community together into a coherent network, and securing funding. The results were published in Science in 2005, together with the Leishmania and South American trypanosome genome projects. The symposium was organised by Sara’s colleagues in the Pathology Department, and attended by senior researchers from the international network. They all paid tribute to her indefatigable and visionary role in helping to establish and nurture the network, which has led to the successful provision of data crucial to advancing a cure.
December 2007
Issue 7
Roll of Honour
Arts Graduate Medic
The following elections and awards have been made:
Elizabeth Ingall, after taking a First in English Language and Literature, went on to gain a distinction in the Cambridge Graduate Course in Medicine, and is now working at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
Johnny Hon Peking University Scholarships Ziyin Mai Zhibo Qiu
E. M. Burnett Prizes on the Results of University Examinations Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic Alison Bonner Katherine Miller Archaeology and Anthropology Jennifer Woodhead Education
Rita Kidd
Mathematics Luis Matos Konstantinos Koumatos Medicine
Elizabeth Ingall Udara Kularatne Alastair Proud
Philosophy
Guy Campos
Russian
Martina Bielawski
Helena Powell Prize for Religious Studies Julia Schoettl
New Fellows Life Fellow
John Raffan
Quondam Fellows Professor John MacBeath Dr Gilly Carr New appointments Dr Jeremy Toner Rev’d Dr Philip Raymont PHG (Population Health and Genomics) Foundation Lecturers Lecturer in Philosophy Dr Stephen John Lecturer in Social Sciences Mr Adam Bostanci Lecturer in Law Mr Amit Pundik Nidhi Singal, Research Fellow, has been appointed University Lecturer in Education
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
December 2007
Issue 7
Starting medicine as an arts graduate was, I found, a little like setting off on an Alpine trek only to find you’d forgotten to pack walking boots. The world of pre-clinical medicine with its logarithms, its ligaments, its bugs, and its bones, didn’t seem to accommodate someone more used to writing soul-searching essays on the social validity of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. My challenge was to adapt to this new currency of ‘factual learning’.
Clinical medicine was a different ball game and one in which I found myself much more at home. Theories could be put into practice. Complex disease mechanisms could be contextualised in a world beyond the textbook. Communication skills and the ability to empathise became paramount. I suppose you could say that it has only been through my interactions with the patients themselves that I can do two things: first, firmly applaud the definition of medicine as both art and science; and second, firmly appreciate my career change.
Hughes entrepreneurs win award Hughes Hall PhD students Shamus Husheer, Lydia Ferguson and Oriane Chausiaux were part of the winning team of four at the Cambridge University Entrepreneurs Business Plan Competition: Where Angels Dare 2007. The team pitched their business idea to a panel of local investors in a thrilling finale, winning the £10,000 Angels’ Prize and £5,000 3i Entrepreneurship Prize.
Laurence Garrett from 3i with Shamus Husheer, Lydia Ferguson, Oriane Chausiaux and Scott Mackie
Their company, Cambridge Temperature Concepts Limited, has developed a medical device for measuring body temperature accurately and conveniently over several weeks, which can be applied to a number of markets, including conception assistance and general healthcare. Shamus and Oriane, having recently completed their PhDs, are now working full time on the business. The grant, as well as other sources of funding they have obtained over the past 2 years, including the Downing Enterprise Business Plan Competition (£20,000) and an East of England Development Agency Grant (£17,000), will fund a prototype trial. If the trials are successful, funding will be sought at the start of 2008 to finance production and distribution. For more information, see www.temperatureconcepts.com
Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion Nigel Brown, Hughes Hall City Fellow, has won a Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion. Nigel was presented with the award by the Queen at Buckingham Palace in July, along with other winners.
News from Hughes
A woman of many achievements ... …who prefers to think of them as meeting challenges. Doreen Simmons, Hughes Hall, 1953–1954, was born in Nottingham in 1932. She read Classics and Theology at Girton before her PGCE at Hughes, and is now a freelance writer and editor, actress, recording artist, folksinger, percussionist, and professional sumo commentator. She likes to travel with a purpose, and has camped in Iceland, observed penguins in Antarctica, and helped to build houses in Mongolia. She has lived in Japan since 1973, and is a generous donor to Hughes. • What do you think are your greatest achievements? I don’t think in terms of achievements – I tend to think in terms of challenges, and if I get through, then I reach a new level. But the single most important life changing event was getting into Girton, and being a small part of the University of Cambridge. It was the culmination of so many experiences, so much work, and help from two teachers in particular. When I came up in 1950 women had only been admitted as full members for two years. At a different level, and many years later, I was on ‘Mastermind’. It was a challenge: the solo walk out to the black chair, and sitting there under all the lights. But I overcame fear, and came out of it feeling, “I will never be truly afraid of anything else again.” That experience cured me of my stage fright. Now, when I’m going onstage, or waiting to sing a solo, I get a pleasant excitement that sharpens me up, but not the abject state of nerves I used to get.
• What have you enjoyed most of your many experiences? Most of the really satisfying things have happened since I turned 70. The most memorable was singing with the British Embassy Choir, summer 2006, in We are the Burning Fire by Howard Goodall. The highlight for me was the final song ‘She Moved through the Fair’ which I sang as a solo, folk-style. After the ghost’s final unaccompanied line “It will not be long, love, till our wedding day”, every performance ended in complete silence. Each audience seemed to hold its breath for a minute or so, then broke into applause. That has to be one of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever had. • What advice would you give to Hughesians embarking on their careers? The best advice I can think of is: find out what you do well, and enjoy doing – then get yourself into a situation where you can do it. It took me years to get into the first of the jobs I do now; but each time I had a change I was a little nearer, or adding another skill. I didn’t have a clear, precise vision of a future career, but each step opened up new possibilities. And: if you are already in the perfect job, but somebody asks you to do something different, give it a try. • What’s next on you r agenda? Just to go on as I am now, for as long as possible. Life is so good that I can’t imagine anything better.
Calling all Alumni THE HUGHES HALL SOCIETY
Send us your up-to-date email address so that we can keep in touch with you. Everyone who has been a student at Hughes Hall is automatically a member of the Hughes Hall Society, but you need to register in order to get online access.
December 2007
Doreen Simmons, relaxing for a change
Development Office We’re very pleased to announce that Hughes now has a Development Office, with the important work of coordinating College development plans, maintaining contact with alumni and seeking donations and funding. Head of Development, Annemarie Young, is an experienced publisher who was previously Editorial Manager for Primary Publishing at Cambridge University Press. Her deputy, Hannah Fogg, is a music graduate and worked in Magdalene’s Development Office after graduating from Sidney Sussex. Contact them at development@hughes. cam.ac.uk or +44(0)1223 334895
Buy books and help Hughes! You can help Hughes every time you shop at Amazon. Go to the Alumni site (www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhs/), log on and click on the Amazon logo on the home page. 4% of the purchase price comes back to the College as a general donation – at no expense to you! Hughes Hall is an Associate of amazon.co.uk
Register online at http://www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhs/contact-form.html
Longer versions of some of the articles in this newsletter can be found on the Hughes Hall website: www.hughes.cam.ac.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; or on the web at www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhs Photographs courtesy Michael Derringer, Ray Godwin, and contributors Printed in England.
Issue 7
Newsletter of the Hughes Hall Society
Visit of the Visitor HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, College Visitor and Chancellor of the University, came to Hughes in April to mark the granting of the Queen’s Royal Charter and our transition to full College status. The visit was a splendid day, relaxed and friendly. The Duke planted a fir tree in honour of the occasion, and met 52 students who had enthusiastically signed up for the event. The Duke’s visit ended with lunch alongside the students in Hall. And the fir tree is thriving!
John Raffan Charles Moseley paid tribute to Vice President John Raffan at his retirement dinner.
John Raffan’s retirement prompts many feelings, chief of which are both admiration and regret: ‘Hamlet without the Prince’. It is very difficult to imagine Hughes Hall without John’s kindly and wise presence. John’s achievements have been huge. He had a full teaching and research life in his department, and for two decades was Senior Tutor. During that time he oversaw the momentous changes that made possible the College as we know it now. His relationship with students was excellent, and he was tireless in the furtherance of their interests as well as their good behaviour. And so, regret. I personally owe him a great debt. He was a hard act to follow, as the students told me when I arrived. We shall miss a tireless colleague who had a way of making people work together. We shall miss him as a benign and hard working Vice President. We Tutors will miss his experience, his sense of proportion and his reassuring confidence that most problems could be solved with goodwill on both sides. Let us hope we have learned from him, even if it is unlikely we can ever equal him. A bursary fund has been established in John’s honour.
HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, with the President, talking to students before lunch
Symposium for Sara Melville A symposium was held at Hughes Hall in July to honour the invaluable contribution that Vice President Dr Sara Melville has made to research into the trypanosome genome, the parasite responsible for the devastating disease known as sleeping sickness. The disease is widespread in sub Saharan Africa, affecting hundreds of thousands of people every year, in the poorest communities, and killing 100 Vice President Sara Melville each day. There are no vaccines against the parasite, and most drugs to treat the disease have dangerous side effects, or are scarce in the countries most heavily affected. The success of the genome analysis project will enable more effective treatments to be developed. Sara’s early work in the Pathology Department in the 1990s laid the foundations for the project. The African trypanosome genome network was formed in 1994 by the World Health Organisation, and Sara was instrumental in pulling the research community together into a coherent network, and securing funding. The results were published in Science in 2005, together with the Leishmania and South American trypanosome genome projects. The symposium was organised by Sara’s colleagues in the Pathology Department, and attended by senior researchers from the international network. They all paid tribute to her indefatigable and visionary role in helping to establish and nurture the network, which has led to the successful provision of data crucial to advancing a cure.
December 2007
Issue 7