College bulletin: 13 January
College Bulletin – 13 January 2023
Happy New Year and welcome back to the College Bulletin! Since the last issue, one of our Fellows has been Knighted for the second time, a group of Johnian scientists led by Professor Erwin Reisner have made global headlines for inventing a solar device that turns waste into clean energy, and this week I have finally managed to finish all the Christmas Toblerone.
Read on for an exciting update on the social spaces in College and don’t miss all the latest news including an ancient grammatical puzzle that has been solved by one of our PhD students and the discovery of the world’s oldest DNA.
Countdown begins to opening of new Buttery, Bar and Café
After eight years of planning and 18 months of construction, the spectacular new Buttery, Bar and Café spaces are nearly ready to open to the St John’s community.
In 2020, Cambridge City Council granted permission to transform the social space around the College’s 17th century Second Court and the building work began in July 2021.
The previous Buttery dining room, which was built in the 1970s, was demolished and replaced, the old JCR has been turned into a new Bar, and the old Bar is now a modern café complete with plenty of sockets for charging your laptop whilst sipping an extra hot latte and eating a freshly baked pastry
An attractive outdoor patio area has been created, an eye-catching green feature ‘living wall’ has been planted in the Buttery, and the centrepiece of the dining space is the impressive oak-framed roof which gives it an important light and airy feel.
The site has now officially been handed over to College and the Maintenance and Catering teams are busy ensuring the locations are ready for the first customers.
Hundreds of new pieces of crockery, pictured, are being unpacked ready for all the Saturday morning brunches, beer glasses are being washed, and everything from fire extinguishers to a new portrait exhibition are waiting in the wings to be put into place.
A series of welcome events are being planned over the next couple of weeks or so to show Fellows, students and staff the sociable and linked spaces before they fully open towards the end of the month/early February.
College News
Scientists invent solar device to convert waste into clean energy
Dyslexia expert to give prestigious annual lecture at St John’s College
St John’s College review of the year 2022
Ancient grammatical puzzle solved after 2,500 years
‘Swish’ pop-up clothes swap event comes to St John’s College
Discovery of world’s oldest DNA breaks record by one million years
Other news
In-person IT Help Desk
Starting on Tuesday 17 January, the in person IT Help Desk in the library will be open from 1pm – 3pm for the duration of Lent term. If you require assistance outside of these hours, IT now have a booking system that you can use to book an appointment with the Help Desk. You can access this by scanning the QR code below or by clicking here.
Winfield Moot opens for registration
The Winfield Moot is an annual moot hosted by St John's Law Society. There are prizes to be won and the moot is open to all Johnians regardless of subject or year group, if you're interested in a legal career or simply want to brush up your public speaking skills. Topics in the past have included contract, negligence and human rights.
Round 1 will be on 4th or 5th February, round 2 on 18th or 19th February, and the final will be held on 4th or 5th March. The judges this year will be St John’s alumni Harry Millerchip and Jarret Huang.
Register here. Registration closes on Friday 20 January.
What’s on
Chapel
Student communion – Sunday 15 January, 8.30am
Student Communion takes place every Sunday at 8.30am, followed by a subsidised cooked breakfast in Hall.
Sung Eucharist – Sunday 22 January, 10.30am
Open to all, admission free.
Morning prayer – weekdays, 8.30am
Taking place in Ante-Chapel every weekday morning, lasting about 15 minutes.
Epiphany carol services – Saturday 21 & Sunday 22 January, 6pm
This service of readings and hymns celebrates the season of Epiphany, telling the narrative of the coming of Christ, the Magi’s visit, and the presentation in the Temple.
Ticket applications closed.
Organ recital – Sunday 29 January, 6pm
Makoto James of St Michael, Cornhill, will be performing works by Howells, Litaize and Darke.
Open to all, admission free.
Sunday Evensong with Sermon – Sunday 29 January, 6.30pm
The preacher this evening is the Rev’d Canon Dr Mark Oakley, Dean of the College.
Open to all, admission free.
Follow the Facebook page, SJC Chaplain, for Chapel service updates; and Andrew is on TikTok @thedetoxpriest. The Chapel is always keen to hear from more volunteers to read in services or assist in other ways: please contact Andrew.
Other events
Conference: Imagining French narrative and song – Saturday 14 January, 9am-6pm
Lightfoot Room, Old Divinity School.
A research conference on medieval French narrative and song c.1100-c.1350, co-organised by St John’s Music PhD student, Richard Robinson.
Open to all University members. Tickets £30, or £20 if a concert ticket has also been purchased.
Further details and to register for tickets
Concert: In the Frensce manere: French Song in Medieval Europe – Saturday 14 January, 7.30pm
The Round Church.
The closing concert to the research conference on medieval French narrative and song, co-organised by St John’s Richard Robinson. Ensemble Leones, a visiting professional ensemble from Basel, will transport you back in time to the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, when French culture was all the rage across the courts of Europe.
Open to all University members. Standard tickets £25.00 and £15.00. Students £5.00 (ID to be shown on the door).
Further details and to register for tickets
Palaeography for beginners – Tuesday 17 January, 3pm
Zoom.
Weekly ‘have-a-go’ sessions for anyone interested in reading handwriting c. 1500 – c. 1700, using documents from the College’s institutional archives. Sessions are informal and aimed at beginners, or those with a little experience who wish to practise their skills. Meetings are held online, using photographs of the documents which will be emailed out in advance along with the Zoom link.
Open to all, attendance free. If you would like to join in, please contact the archivist, Dr Lynsey Darby.
UniVox rehearsals – every Wednesday during term, 5.15-6.30pm
Palmerston Room, Fisher Building.
UniVox is a non-auditioned contemporary choir for students across the University run by the new Centre for Music Performance (CMP) and hosted by St John’s.
Places are limited so must be booked via the UniVox page of the CMP website.
Ghost walk – Wednesday 18 January, 5.45pm
Meet in the Third Court Cloister by the Bridge of Sighs.
With Fellow Dr Mark Nicholls.
Open to College postgraduate students, Fellows, visiting Fellows and their guests.
Admission free, booking not required.
St John’s Book Group for postgraduates, English Faculty and College staff – Wednesday 18 January, 5.45pm
Art Room, behind the School of Pythagoras.
Postgraduates, English Faculty and College staff are invited to join Vona Groarke, St John’s Writer-in-Residence, for the second book group meeting and first of Lent Term. This month’s book is Mothering Sunday by Graham Swift.
If you are interested in joining this or the book group for undergraduate students, email Vona.
Book launch, Snapshots of Women in COG: Scientific excellence during the Covid-19 pandemic – Thursday 19 January 2023, 11am-3pm
Main Lecture Theatre, Old Divinity School.
A book presentation by St John’s Honorary Fellow Professor Sharon Peacock, Professor of Public Health and Microbiology in the Department of Medicine and Executive Director and Chair of the Covid-19 Genomics UK Consortium (COG-UK). The presentation will be followed by a roundtable discussion, lunch and networking.
Open to all, admission free. Registration closed.
St John’s Book Group for undergraduates – Friday 20 January, 5.30pm
Merton Hall Cottage.
Undergraduates are invited to join Vona Groarke, St John’s Writer-in-Residence, for the second book group meeting and first of Lent term. This month’s book is Mothering Sunday by Graham Swift.
If you are interested in joining this or the book group for postgraduates, English Faculty and staff, email Vona.
Dinner for Fellows and postgraduate students – Friday 20 January, 7.45pm
Hall.
Formal dinner for Fellows and College postgraduate students in their 2nd or later year. Invitation only. Closing date for replies Monday 9 January.
For further details please contact Kirsten Canavan, Assistant to the President (Fellows’ Dining and Events).
Live lunchtime meditation – Monday to Thursday, 1.15-1.30pm, starting Monday 23 January
Via Zoom.
Spend 15 mindful minutes relaxing or meditating with the University’s mindfulness practitioner, Dr Elizabeth English, in these weekday sessions, free to students and staff.
Manuscripts talk – Wednesday 25 January, 8pm
Main Lecture Theatre, Old Divinity School.
Presented by St John’s Fellows Professor Máire Ní Mhaonaigh and Professor Orietta Da Rold.
Open to College postgraduate students, Fellows, visiting Fellows and their guests as part of this term’s Sans Frontières events programme.
Admission free, booking not required.
Postgraduates Dine with Fellows – Wednesday 1 February, 7.30pm
Hall.
Open to College postgraduates. Postgraduates can attend one Dine with Fellows dinner per academic year.
Free of charge, limited places, register via Upay after 1 January. Booking closes at 9am on 31 January.
Clothes swap – Saturday 4 February, 11am
Fisher Building Foyer.
Recycle and refresh your wardrobe, while taking steps to protect the planet.
Women’s and men’s clothes and fabric accessories, in good, clean condition can all be donated from 10.30am, when the doors open. Alternatively leave your donations in the Swish container that will be located in the Forecourt Porters’ Lodge from 17 January.
Admission free. Open to College members, their friends and family.
The chemistry of wine and wine tasting – Wednesday 8 February, 6pm
The Wordsworth Room.
Dr Paul Wood, St John’s Fellow and Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry, presents a 45 minute talk followed by mingling and wine tasting.
Open to College postgraduate students, Fellows, visiting Fellows and their guests as part of this term’s Sans Frontières events programme.
Admission free, booking not required.
St John's College Music Society (SJCMS) lunchtime recital – Thursday 26 January, 1.15pm
Details to be confirmed.
Open to all, admission free, booking is not required.
Open Orchestra – Monday 30 January
The St Johns College Open Orchestra (SJCOO) meets fortnightly on a Monday evening during term time. The orchestra is always happy to have more musicians who want to meet for relaxed and fun rehearsals, and sight read through some fun numbers from a wide variety of genres from classical to film. Brass and string players are particularly needed.
Open to all University members (Grade 4/5 minimum, no auditions required). Time and location to be confirmed upon registration.
Further details and to register or email the SJCOO Director, Daniel Livermore.
Linacre Lecture 2023 – Thursday 9 February, 5.30pm
Main Lecture Theatre, Old Divinity School.
This year’s Linacre Lecture is entitled Dyslexia, Rhythm, Language and the Developing Brain and will be given by Professor Usha Goswami, Director at the Centre for Neuroscience in Education, Professor of Cognitive Developmental Neuroscience at Cambridge University and Fellow of St John’s. The lecture will be followed by a drinks reception.
Register for the lecture by Friday 3 February.
A tour of the Chapel windows – Saturday 11 February, 2pm
Meet in the Ante-Chapel.
The story of St John in the College’s stained glass, presented by College Fellow Professor Patrick Boyde.
Open to College postgraduate students, Fellows, visiting Fellows and their guests as part of this term’s Sans Frontières events programme.
Attendance free, booking not required.
A tour of the Old Library – Wednesday 15 February, 2pm
Meet in the Upper Library entrance on E staircase, Second Court.
With Dr Adam Crothers, Special Collections Assistant.
Open to College postgraduate students, Fellows, visiting Fellows and their guests as part of this term’s Sans Frontières events programme.
Attendance free, booking not required.
Dramatisation from Isiah – Wednesday 22 February & Thursday February, 7.15pm
Main Lecture Theatre, Old Divinity School.
A dramatisation in Hebrew and Ancient Greek with sub-titles, presented by Professor Patrick Boyde.
Open to College postgraduate students, Fellows, visiting Fellows and their guests as part of this term’s Sans Frontières events programme.
Attendance free, booking may be required.
Postgraduates Dine with Fellows – Wednesday 1 March, 7.30pm
Hall.
Open to College postgraduates. Postgraduates can attend one Dine with Fellows dinner per academic year.
Free of charge, limited places, register via Upay after 1 February. Booking closes at 9am on 28 February.
How Cambridge works – Wednesday 8 March, 8pm
Main Lecture Theatre, Old Divinity School.
A talk by Richard Partington, Senior Tutor.
Open to College postgraduate students, Fellows, visiting Fellows and their guests as part of this term’s Sans Frontières events programme.
Attendance free, booking not required.
Botanic Gardens tour – Sunday 19 March, 2pm
Join Professor Tim Bayliss-Smith for a tour of the Cambridge University Botanic Gardens to see the spring flowers.
Open to College postgraduate students, Fellows, visiting Fellows and their guests as part of this term’s Sans Frontières events programme. Students should bring their University cards for free entry.
Further details to be confirmed.
And finally
Congratulations to Dr Jodi Gardner, Fellow, and her husband Seb Brimblecombe, former Night Porter, who have welcomed their son Benjamin Gardner to the world on New Year’s Eve.
Benji is happy, healthy and doted on by his four big sisters and is pictured being cuddled by Farida Hadu, Combination Room Assistant, on his debut visit to the Buttery.
