Catzeye MT10.pdf - St. Catherine's College - University of Oxford

College life5How I got backThe triumphs, trials and tribulations ofreturning to St Catz through the volcanic ashWhen the plumes of ash erupting from Iceland’sEyjafjallajökull volcano crossed British aerospace inEaster 2010, thousands of travellers both in and out ofthe UK were grounded. With Catz students and Fellowsattempting to return to the College for Trinity Term inthe midst of the ash cloud – including the Master, whowas stranded in New York following an alumni event –Emeritus Fellow Henry Bennet-Clark set a competitionfor the best short account of the return to Catz. Thetitle for the entries was: ‘How I got back: Thetriumphs, trials and tribulations of returning to St Catzthrough the volcanic ash.’ There were many excellentsubmissions and amusing tales, but the winner wasjudged to be second-year English student OctaviaSeymour, who was stranded in Johannesburg airportfor almost two days…her winning entry can be seenbelow:On the way back from a surf trip to Mozambique I wasdelayed for 32 hours in the wondrous Johannesburgairport. It was an enlightening experience as the firstthing I see when I arrive is an eight-way chesstournament being played at the check-in desk,watched by the 2000 exhausted BA passengers onstandby. So I find myself a corner in a cafe (by a plug)and sit down on the uncomfortable IKEA chair. I makefriends with a nine-year old when he sees that I amwatching a surf film. He then offers me his (second)Kinder Egg in return for twenty minutes of playingsolitaire. We end up splitting the chocolate whilst hetells me all about his trip to Durban to visit his granny.An older man named Bernie asks if he might take thetable next to me, falls asleep briefly and then spendstwenty minutes apologizing profusely. Three peopleask me if I’m connected to the internet, four ask for alight, one for a cigarette, one for the chilli sauce thatI’ve been hoarding so protectively at my table, but byfar the most entertaining were the group whoseluggage had been sent to their destination (France)just before they’d been caught in transit by thevolcanic eruption. Much to my amusement, they weretherefore clad in the only clothes that the airport soldfor under £100 – what seemed to be the entire set ofpromotional clothing for the South African World Cup(including the whistles) – and really getting into thespirit of the standby-passenger community – theybought the entire cafe four rounds of gin and tonicsat what must have been nine in the morning. As thebusinessmen paced up and down with theirBlackberries, clearly in the grips of heart palpitations,those of us still clinging to the memories of ourholidays relaxed and made friends, safe in theknowledge that home was being delayed for just thatlittle bit longer... ■‘Scientists are artists – theyjust use a different toolbox’Astrid Woollard (DPhil, Plant Sciences) has recentlybeen awarded fifth place in a national designcompetition for one of her pieces of handmadejewellery. Her necklace ‘Elizabeth’ was up againststrong competition from 130 other designers in theSwarovski & E-Beads European Design Competition2010, but fought off many of the other entrants tobe named one of the UK’s best jewellery designs.This recent award marks a highly successful year forAstrid’s new venture Angels Love Beauty, which hasturned her hobby, jewellery design, into aflourishing business.Astrid, who grew up in Vienna, has successfullycombined her two passions, science and design, formany years. After studying for a Master’s degree inMicrobiology and Genetics at the University ofVienna, she moved to the UK to study for a DPhil inPlant Sciences here at St Catz. Throughout this time,Astrid has continued designing jewellery, makingpieces for family and friends. She sees her twopassions as going hand-in-hand: ‘Jewellery design,just like science, allows a lot of room for imaginationand creativity’, she says, ‘many people think they donot go well together but they actually do: in myopinion scientists are artists – they just use adifferent toolbox.’It wasn’t until late 2009 that she visited her firstcraft fair near London to sell her unique designs.Astrid was overwhelmed with the response shereceived from the fair’s visitors and it was this daythat marked the birth of her now flourishingbusiness, Angels Love Beauty. Through this brand,Astrid aims to offer high-quality, unique, designercreations at affordable prices. She says: ‘Every pieceof my jewellery is a passionate piece of art.’ Formore details about Astrid’s jewellery, visit herwebsite www.angels-love-beauty.com.J Henry Bennet-Clarkawarding Octavia Seymourher prize.They boughtthe entire cafefour rounds ofgin and tonicsat what musthave been ninein the morning.K Astrid wearing her‘Elizabeth’ necklace, whichwon fifth place at theSwarovski and E-BeadsDesign competition 2010.

6 College lifeSt Catz welcomes firstIndigenous Australian studentever to study at OxfordThis Michaelmas Term, St Catherine’s welcomes one ofthe first two Indigenous Australians ever to study atOxford University. Paul Gray (DPhil, ExperimentalPsychology) from Tahmoor, New South Wales (NSW),won one of the two inaugural Charlie PerkinsScholarships, established to support IndigenousAustralians who gain a place to study at Oxford.The scholarships are named after Australian Indigenousleader Charlie Perkins (1936-2000), who was inspiredto forego a contract with Manchester United and returnhome to pursue a university education after playingfootball against Oxford students in Britain in the 1960s.He was the first indigenous person to graduate from anAustralian university in 1965 and went on to become aprominent Aboriginal leader who campaigned for civilrights reform and, amongst other roles, served asSecretary of Australia’s Department of AboriginalAffairs.Two students, Paul Gray and Christian Thompson, havebeen awarded the very first of these scholarships, andhave now begun their studies here at Oxford. Wecaught up with Paul after his first week at St Catz:Photo by Christian ThompsonI hope mystudies atOxford willbetter equip meto make asignificantdifference tothe lives of thevulnerablechildren I workwith...What are you studying here at Oxford?My studies here very much follow on from the workI’ve been doing with children in care, and I’mplanning to work in partnership with the NSWDepartment of Community Services to achieve betteroutcomes for children in out-of-home care. The basicidea at this stage is to look at the way thatexperiences of childhood trauma impact on thedeveloping brain, and how this in turn impacts on theway individuals perceive and interact with the world. Iwill be looking at the effect of childhood abuse andneglect on things like emotional functioning,cognitive processes such as attention, and socialprocessing such as understanding social cues. Thehope is that if we better understand the way childrenin care process the world around them, we can targetinterventions more effectively and hopefully reducethe risk of long-term mental health issues.What are you most looking forward to aboutstudying at Oxford?I think I’m looking forward to the opportunity to beexposed to such a wide range of knowledge, not justin terms of the really interesting work that ishappening in my Department, but also the work ofother students around the College. It’s great to be ableto listen to people talk about the work they are doingand broaden your own perspective, even if it isnowhere near your own area of study.How does it feel to be one of the first twoIndigenous Australian students to study at OxfordUniversity?Obviously this is a fantastic opportunity for me andChristian in our own work, but I think more importantlyit’s about boosting the expectations and beliefs withregards to Indigenous Australian education. WhenCharlie Perkins came through here some 50 years agoand decided to return home and become one of thefirst Aboriginal Australians to go through an Australianuniversity, he did more than just gain an education forhimself: he showed the community that the Universitysystem was there as much for Aboriginal Australians asit was for anyone else. The numbers of IndigenousAustralian students going to university seems to justkeep rising. Hopefully, this scholarship will be a part ofthat trend, inspiring students to achieve and excel atboth the undergraduate and postgraduate level.What have your studies been prior to Oxford?Prior to coming to Oxford, I studied Psychology at theUniversity of Sydney. For the last two-and-a-half yearsI’ve been training and working as a Psychologist withthe New South Wales Department of CommunityServices, which is the statutory child protection service.In this role I provided support to children and youngpeople who had been placed into foster care, and totheir foster families, as well as general support andconsultation to social workers and other staff.Where do you hope your studies at Oxford willlead you?I hope my studies at Oxford will better equip me tomake a significant difference to the lives of thevulnerable children I work with and to contribute toimproving the way that child protectionorganisations provide services to children in care. Ialso hope that Christian and I can put the idea thatthese opportunities are out there in the minds ofother Indigenous Australian children back home: andhopefully we’ll see plenty more Charlie PerkinsScholars coming through Oxford.How are you finding life at St Catherine’s?St Catherine’s has been good so far: it’s been reallywelcoming. It’s always tough moving such a long way,and there is only so much of home you can fit withinthe baggage restrictions, but I think the couples’accommodation at St Catherine’s is proving ideal forme and my wife. We’ve got our own little space to callhome, and a good community nearby at the College,so we are settling in well. Coming from Australia, wearen’t really sure what to expect come winter though!Finally, what are we most likely to find you doingaway from your studies?Spending time with my wife, catching up with familyor playing football.

Catz Fellows7New FellowsDr Jonathan Healey completedhis doctorate at MagdalenCollege, Oxford in 2008 andsince then has held posts at Magdalen, the Universitiesof Hertfordshire and Cambridge, and St Hilda’s College,Oxford, before being elected to a fellowship at StCatherine’s in 2010. His doctoral thesis, on povertyand the early development of social welfare in earlymodernLancashire, was awarded the Thirsk-FeinsteinDissertation Prize for 2008 by the Economic HistorySociety.Jonathan Healey’s research encompasses severalaspects of English social and economic history fromthe fifteenth to the nineteenth centuries, focusingin particular on the long-term development of theEnglish economy and state, on rural history, and onthe history of popular politics.Current research includes work on early-moderneconomic crises and famine, on the politics of commonresources, and on the changing relationship betweenvillage politics and the centralizing early-modern state.He also maintains an active interest in late-medieval andearly-modern India, and is working on the seventeenthcenturyorigins of British militarism in the East.Professor Rochelle CDreyfuss is the PaulineNewman Professor of Law atNew York University School ofLaw, and co-Director of theEngelberg Center on InnovationLaw and Policy at NYU. Shejoined St Catz in MichaelmasTerm 2010 as a ChristensenFellow. Her research interests include international anddomestic intellectual property law and civil procedure.She holds BA and MS degrees in Chemistry and was aresearch chemist before entering Columbia UniversitySchool of Law, where she served as Articles and BookReview Editor of the Law Review.Professor Dreyfuss recently completed service on theSecretary of Health and Human Services’ AdvisoryCommittee on genetics, health and society and on itstask force investigating the effect of gene patentingon the provision of health care. She is a past chair ofthe Intellectual Property Committee of the AmericanAssociation of Law Schools, and is presently on theAcademies’ Committee on Science, Technology, andLaw. While at Oxford, Professor Dreyfuss is working ona book on the impact of the TRIPS Agreement onscience policy with Professor Graeme B Dinwoodie,Director of the Oxford Intellectual Property ResearchCentre, and a Professorial Fellow of St Peter’s College.He is also oneof thefoundingacademics ofthe inter -nationallyrecognisedBegbrokeScience Parkat Oxford.Also admitted to thefellowship this term were,Professor Reza Abharias Christensen Fellow, DrDuncan Robertson asFellow by Special Electionin Management, DrChristopher Brown(1966, Modern History),Director of theAshmolean Museum, asHonorary Fellow,Mr Marshall Cloyd asDomus Fellow, andMr Michael Frayn,Cameron MackintoshProfessor 2009-10, asEmeritus Fellow. ■Professor Patrick Grantelected to Royal Academy ofEngineeringCongratulations to Professor Patrick Grant(Cookson Professor of Materials, Department ofMaterials), who was elected as Fellow of the RoyalAcademy of Engineering in July this year. Thiselection marks a well-deserved recognition of hisreputation and standing in the scientific community.Professor Grant received a BEng in Metallurgy andMaterials Science from Nottingham University in1987 and a DPhil in Materials from Oxford Universityin 1991. After holding a Royal Society UniversityResearch Fellowship and then Lectureship in theDepartment of Materials at Oxford, he becameCookson Professor of Materials in 2004. He is aChartered Engineer (CEng) and a Fellow of theInstitute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (FIMMM).He is also one of the founding academics of theinternationally recognised Begbroke Science Park atOxford. ■Richard Bailey’s work featuredas ‘research highlight’ byNatureDr Richard Bailey’s(Tutor in Geography)paper on the analysisof vegetation patternshas been covered inthe highly-respectedmagazine Nature. Thepaper, referred to inthe October editionunder ‘ResearchHighlights’, was firstprinted in a recent Royal Society journal. It covers DrBailey’s current research into the dramatic changesthat many natural systems undergo over time.Describing his work, he said, ‘Understanding andpredicting these changes is an important problem.One such system, which directly supports over onethird of the World’s population, is formed bydrought-adapted vegetation in arid and semi-aridregions of the World. This work identifies a range of‘early-warning signals’, involving both the spatialpatterning of plant cover and changes in recoverytimes following small perturbations. Monitoring forthese signals is practically feasible and would helpidentify highly-stressed areas of vegetation andforewarn of impending changes.’ ■

Alumni news11 11News in briefPublicationsMichael Kellogg{1977, Philosophy) had his firstbook, Three Questions we NeverStop Asking, published in July2010. This introduction to theessential issues that havepreoccupied philosophersthroughout the centuries,provides fresh and engagingportraits of the greatest thinkerson each of these questions:What can I know? What may Ihope? What ought I to do? The book looksat Plato and Wittgenstein on the possibilityof philosophical knowledge, Kant andNietzsche on the existence of God, andAristotle and Heidegger on human virtue. ■Mong Gyu Chung(1985, PPE) publisheda pictorial memory ofhis father, Se YungChung tocommemorate the5th anniversary ofhis passing in May2010. The bookdocuments Se YungChung’s life andfamily history in pictures. ■Having worked in publishing in London aftergraduating from Catz, Sara Hunt (1980, PPE),founded Saraband as a non-fiction publisherwhilst living in New York in the early 1990s.This year she published the company’s firstnovel, Making Shore by S Allerton. Sarasays: ‘Making Shore is the first foraySaraband has made into fiction and it’sexciting to see it already garnering suchstrong accolades from some key mediafigures’. The novel has just been confirmedas the winner of the Summer 2010 People’sBook Prize category for fiction. ■AppointmentsAs of the beginning of May 2010, KevinJones (1981, Mathematics) has taken aposition as Professor of Dependability andSecurity of Socio-Technical Systems in theCentre for Software Reliability at CityUniversity London (www.csr.city.ac.uk). ■Other newsBirthsThree St Catherine’s alumni were rewardedfor excelling in their services to variousfields on the Queen’s Birthday Honours List2010. Timothy Stone (1969, Chemistry)was awarded a CBE for services to theenergy industry. Timothy currently worksfor KPMG, and is also Expert Chariman forthe Office of Nuclear Development.Anthony Dent (1966, PPE), the diversityand human rights officer with the NationalPolicing Improvement Agency, was awardedan MBE for services to the Police, andRadio Five Live’s Chief FootballCorrespondent Mike Ingham (1969,Mathematics) was awarded an MBE forservices to sports broadcasting. ■Matthew John Greenhouse was born on8 July 2010 to Nick and PhilippaGreenhouse, née Lewin (1995,Engineering Science & 1995,Mathematics). Nick and Philippa, whocelebrated their ten-year weddinganniversary on 1 July 2010, had their firstson, Samuel, in 2007. ■Nick and Helen Wain, née Bray (2000,DPhil Materials Science & 2000, DPhilGeography) are celebrating the arrival ofson Toby Turner Wain, who was born on 5May 2010. Nick and Helen were married on20 September 2008. ■L Members of the St Catherine’s golf team at SouthfieldsL Matthew John GreenhouseK Toby Turner WainDarren Chadwick (2003, Human Sciences)organises Rowing Society drinks in Londonfor boat club alumni on the second Tuesdayof every month from 7:30 pm. Details ofthe four forthcoming events are as follows:■ 9 December 2010, The Angel(61-62 St. Giles High Street, LondonWC2H 8LE)■ 31 January 2011, The GlasshouseStores (55 Brewer Street, LondonW1F 9UL)■ 10 February 2011, The Angel in the Field(37 Thayer Street, London W1U 2QY)■ 10 March 2011, The Red Lion (14Kingly Street, London W1B 5PR)For more information, please get intouch with Darren(darren.chadwick@brite-green.co.uk). ■The annual triangular golf tournament between St Catherine’s, Pembroke and Worcester washeld at Southfields Golf Club on Friday 15 October. The St Catherine’s team were narrowlybeaten into second place by Worcester, who won by only two points. The team weredelighted to welcome several new members this autumn, including their youngest everSt Catherine’s golfer, Jonathan Blackledge (2004, Geography). ■

Dates for your diary Prize crosswordNOVEMBER 2010Monday 22The Alan Taylor Lecture, Martin Wood LectureTheatre, OxfordDECEMBER 2010Thursday 2St Catherine’s Carol Service, The UniversityChurch of St Mary the Virgin, OxfordMARCH 2011Wednesday 2Wallace Watson Award Lecture, St Catherine’sCollegeSaturday 5Rowing Society Dinner, St Catherine’s CollegeFor further details, please email Anu Dudhia atdudhia@atm.ox.ac.ukThursday 24Master’s Hong Kong Sevens drinks reception,Hong Kong – venue to be confirmedTuesday 29 – Saturday 2 AprilNorth American events. For all Oxford alumniAPRIL 2011Friday 8Intercollegiate Golf Tournament, Frilford HeathGolf CourseMAY 2011Friday 6 – Sunday 8Oxford European Reunion, Paris –for all Oxford alumniSaturday 7Lunch for Legators, St Catherine’s College*Thursday 12London Party at the Inner TempleSaturday 21Lunchtime Gaudy for members of‘The Society’, St Catherine’s College*Thursday 26Katritzky Lecture, St Catherine’s CollegeJULY 2011Saturday 2Gaudy for 1990s Matriculands, St Catherine’sCollege*OCTOBER 2011Saturday 29Benefactors’ Day, St Catherine’s College** Invitations will be sent out for starredevents.To book your place on any of these events,please contact Franca Potts.E-mail: franca.potts@stcatz.ox.ac.ukTel: 01865 281596Check the College website,www.stcatz.ox.ac.uk, for further details37 & 51 Writer of horrid music (4, 7)38 Proof of identity left behind on 45? (2)39 Honorary Fellow found in yon hammocks (4, 7)42 Sweeter of two fruit Spooner might say for oneanother? (5)43 Stitch 3 corners (3)44 Poseur confusing dupes (5)46 See 3347 & 49 Island setting — either half of book by 37ac & 51? (3, 3)49 See 4751 See 37 across54 Oddly aestival — and continent (4)56 & 57 A past master — and the present one, too (5, 9)58 Spoken examinations in morals? (5)59 Wind instrument having remote name? (10)60 Study of Brits down under? Barrie Juniper wrote onit! (8)© CMM 2010For your chance to win asigned copy of SimonWinchester’s new bookAtlantic (see page 9), have ago at our St Catherine’sthemed crossword, by theCollege Enigmatist ChrisMaslanka (1973, Physics).To be entered into the prizedraw, completed crosswordsshould be sent to:Jess HughesDevelopment OfficeSt Catherine’s CollegeManor RoadOxford OX1 3UJby Friday 17 December.CLUES ACROSS1 Did Bullock’s first letters spell it out for him — “Justa college, old boy, something elegantly new”? (8)6 See 4 down11 & 12 Initially PM, then an MP and now a Lord (5, 9)14 Racket investigated by the dean? (5)15 Care about land measure (4)16 What you can teach a know-it-all? (3, 1, 3)17 Sharp observation dulled by constant use (3)18 You have to pay if you pick it up (3)20 Sort of degree that’s very much viva voce? (5)21 Painter — did he play also? (sounds like Australianrag!) (5)23 Viper in one’s bosom? (3)25 Raced around the tree in the quad (5)27 She orders ten rich teas in College’s name (2, 9)28 Round number? (2)29 Said wrongly for podium (4)31 & 32ac Hunting dog — or 1 across? (5, 4)33 & 46 Source of ringing in the ears just before dinner? (4, 5)34 Choose e.g. a new Master from a selection (5)CLUES DOWN2 Thespian who’s made it? (5)3 Part of mortar-board useful to 52 down (3)4 & 6ac Author of Nine Chemists Row, perhaps (5, 10)5 This sort of partying is round-the-clock (3-4)6 Student magazine rolling off the press in the 60s (5)7 It takes two to bongo (5)8 A whole course? Or just a bite to eat (8)9 High priest and Old Testament poet who wroteabout Cats (5)10 It produces b-berries in the College gardens (8)11 Toy — or prop for 2 down? (9)13 I sat and ate in order to satisfy appetite fully (7)19 Bring out the best in (one third of BBC’s mission!) (7)21 Sort of depression you sit in during JCR debate (3)22 Liar reads up for the bar (4)24 Apple of tutor’s eye? (5)26 Startle any deer in college officer’s lair (7)27 Plat du jour’s plaice — battered! (7)30 Cups and saucers from rogue estates (3, 4)32 Curious old birds, no longer with us (5)35 Stout liar found out in weekly workouts (9)36 Found in the moat — and in the car park! (4)37 It’s childish writing ‘I am grown up’ (8)39 Our Cardinal has a point, says journalist (7)40 This sort of boy has gone down (3)41 His unit is tiny and curiously strong in the morning (8)45 Imaginary journey — it makes one feel good aboutoneself! (3, 4)48 Nigel is smashed but he still hasn’t lost his marbles! (5)50 Caused by not having been aroused by it aroundfinals (5)52 Sporty type found in narrower reaches of the Isis (5)53 Boring part of macho humour (2-3)55 Informal speech in the Afrikaans language (5)58 Source of energy from Oriel, oddly! (3)