College bulletin: 28 January
Welcome to all the latest St John’s news direct to your inbox. The highlight of the week was the return of the St John’s team to our screens in the latest round of University Challenge where they competed in a Cambridge derby against Emmanuel College – do watch it if you haven’t already. We have details of the Memorial Service that is being held for Dr Linehan below, the latest Covid-19 information, and news about a Junior Research Fellow’s work to fight hate speech, fake news and online interreligious violence.
Please note, if anyone would like to ambush members of the Communications Office with cake, we are located in F Staircase, Chapel Court. (If you don’t use social media or only use it a healthy amount, you might not get the reference, but feel free to bring cake anyway)
College news
University Challenge quarter-final is edge-of-the-seat stuff
St John’s University Challenge team went head-to-head with their counterparts from Emmanuel College on BBC Two on Monday in a nail-biting quarter-final that kept us on the edge of our seats.
The team from St John’s is made up of the Captain, Jonathan Chan, along with Thomas Clark, Louis George and Kyanna Ouyang. Both teams will now play another match to go on to the next stage of the TV competition.
Watch the episode on BBC iPlayer
Memorial service to be held for Dr Peter Linehan
A memorial service will be held in St John's College Chapel on Saturday 5 March for the renowned historian, Dr Peter Linehan.
Dr Linehan, who died in July 2020, was a Fellow of St John's for more than half a century and ‘enriched countless lives’.
The memorial service is open to everyone but, due to the anticipated level of demand, those wishing to attend should apply for a ticket by 18 February. Priority will be given to members of the College Fellowship, staff and students, alumni, and colleagues from those departments and organisations with which Dr Linehan had a close association.
Read more and register for tickets
Academic to head to United Nations in USA to showcase interfaith work in fighting hate speech online
A Junior Research Fellow at St John’s is due to travel to the United Nations in New York in February to showcase the results of a year-long interfaith initiative to fight hate speech, fake news and the stoking of interreligious violence online.
Dr Marie Chabbert is an Interfaith Ambassador for the United Nation’s Alliance of Civilizations and United Nations Office for Counter-Terrorism and next month she will be heading to the UN headquarters in the Big Apple to take part in an international symposium celebrating the work of the Empowering Dialogue and Interfaith Networks (EDIN) programme.
Covid-19 updates
Face coverings
The Covid-19 Government rules changed in England from Thursday 27 January.
The College’s intention had been to update our Covid-19 policies in line with the government advice, but unfortunately the College has seen an increase in the number of Covid cases among students this week and we currently have 37 people with Covid-19 on-site.
This means that for now our current guidance for wearing face coverings will remain in place – they will continue to be required when moving around the Buttery and in other communal spaces.
Proof of a negative lateral flow result will also be required on entry to Formal Halls until further notice, so do please ensure you do one in advance or show evidence of a recent Covid-19 infection on the NHS App. Do please inform your guests of this requirement in advance.
This policy will be reviewed next week.
Covid-19 testing
If you have any of these three coronavirus (Covid-19) symptoms, even if mild, please get a PCR test as soon as possible via the University testing pods and complete our online reporting form and consult the latest government guidance on when to self-isolate and what to do
The three main symptoms are
- a high temperature
- a new, continuous cough
- you’ve lost your sense of smell or taste or they’ve changed
If you have symptoms, self-isolate straight away until you get your results. Many cases of Covid-19 are not presenting with the three main symptoms outlined above, so if you are unwell for any reason, please do also consider having a test when appropriate.
The university’s asymptomatic testing programme has ended and will be replaced by twice weekly lateral flow device (LFD) testing – the University has written directly to all students to explain the new testing regime and when and how it will begin.
Other news
Chance to join Aquila singing group
Ever fancied trying your hand at communal singing – or perhaps you have sung with others before and enjoyed the comaraderie and joy it brings?
Well, now’s your chance to join St John’s all-female vocal group Aquila, which has vacancies for three new members.
The group, which comprises 16 staff and students of the College, rehearses on Tuesdays from 5.15-6.45pm. There are no auditions, you don’t need to be able to read music and no experience is necessary – just an enjoyment of singing with like-minded people.
Potential new members can go along to a Tuesday rehearsal to see what it’s like before deciding whether to join.
This term’s concert will be on International Women’s Day (8 March), 6-7pm in the Main Lecture Theatre.
For more information email Joanna, Aquila’s director.
St John’s students take to the stage
Three St John’s students have earned their stage wings this week in a production of Blood Brothers at the ADC Theatre.
Undergraduate Hetty Opayinka, who is studying Education, is assistant director in this adaptation of the Willy Russell play that spawned the musical, and fellow second year Declan Boyd, who is reading Classics, is set assistant. Meanwhile, first year Law student Monique Knight is treading the boards as Mrs Johnstone in the heartbreaking tale of twins separated at birth who grow up on opposite ends of the social spectrum. This play version of Blood Brothers highlights the racial as well as the class tensions in Liverpool in the latter half of the 20th century.
Tonight and tomorrow are your last chances to see the show, which takes place at 7.45pm. Tickets are priced £11.50-£14.
Read an interview with the directors
Professor Sheena Radford to give Linacre Lecture 2022
The annual Linacre Lecture will be given by research scientist Professor Sheena Radford OBE, FRS, FMedSci at the Old Divinity School on Tuesday 15 February.
Professor Radford is Astbury Professor of Biophysics and Royal Society Research Professor at the Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology at the University of Leeds, and an Honorary Fellow and alumna of St John's.
Newell Classical Event 2022
The Newell Classical Event 2022, celebrating the classical world, will take place at 7.15pm on Thursday 10 March, when Professor Emily Greenwood will give a talk entitled The Black Sappho.
The Event will take place simultaneously in the Main Lecture Theatre in the Old Divinity School and online via Zoom.
Recycled containers are Buttery’s new hot take(away)
New multi-use, fully recycled and compostable containers are now available from The Buttery for takeaway meals, as part of the College’s wider sustainability drive.
Single use compostable takeaway containers are being phased out in favour of the new NaturePac UK containers, which are microwaveable and dishwasher friendly.
The new containers are only £1 each, are yours to keep, and can be bought from The Buttery when you purchase your meal.
Follow @stjohnscamcatering on Instagram for latest news from the Catering department.
Work at the St John’s 2022 May Ball
Do you want to help to host what Time Magazine named the legendary seventh best party in the world? Worker applications for the 2022 May Ball are now open.
The team is looking for dedicated individuals who want to be involved in a variety of roles including set-up, hospitality, clear-up and security. In return, you’ll get the chance to be involved with planning one of the world’s most desirable parties, with some roles getting the right-to-buy tickets.
Applications close at 10pm on Sunday 6 February. Applicants for senior roles will be invited to interviews on a first come first served basis, so apply early to avoid disappointment.
For any specific queries, please contact Charlotte Jiang or Ming Yang.
Read the St John’s Green Guide
A new booklet providing information on what the College is doing to reduce its impact on the environment, and what individuals can do to help tackle the environmental crisis, can be viewed from the Environment page of the College website.
As reported in last week’s bulletin, the St John’s Green Guide was curated by two members of the SBR, Margherita Battistara and Tom White.
What’s on
Chapel
Choral services continue as listed on the website.
Student communion – Sunday 30 January, 8.30am
Student Communion takes place every Sunday at 8.30am, followed by a subsidised cooked breakfast in Hall.
Morning prayer – weekdays, 8.30am
Said in the Ante-Chapel every weekday morning, lasting about 15 minutes.
Organ recital – Sunday 30 January, 6pm
James Tett, Organ Scholar at Christ’s College, will begin the Organ Recital series for Lent Term with a performance that will include works by Liszt, Alain and Duruflé.
A full programme (as well as information on the rest of the series) is available here.
Open to all, admission free.
Choral Compline – Tuesday 1 February, 10pm
This is the perfect end to the day: a half-hour service as traditionally heard in monasteries, sung by the choral scholars, and followed by port and hot chocolate. There will be two more this term, on 15 February and 8 March.
Follow the Facebook page, SJC Chaplain, for 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 (e.g. carrying a processional candle at Sunday Evensong). Please contact Andrew if you’d like to be involved.
Cantata Evensong – Saturday 5 February, 6.30pm
For the first time since February 2020, the College Choir will join the College baroque ensemble St John’s Sinfonia for a Cantata Evensong. The services offer the experience of hearing the music of Bach and other baroque composers performed in a liturgical context. They usually takes place on a termly basis. The service is expected to last until around 7:45pm.
Open to all, admission free.
Other events
Creative Careers Festival – running this week and until Friday 11 February
The University Careers Service is holding three careers festivals this term covering sectors that have a variety of roles and entrance routes, the first of which is the Creative Careers Festival. These festivals are extended events which include various careers panels, skills sessions, and resources.
Details of further Career Essential workshops for the first half of term. To see the full range of support available, including CV and interview resources, you can visit the website.
Make sure you’re registered with the service’s careers platform Handshake to access these events and its other resources.
Mooting workshop – Friday 28 January, 2.30pm
Boys Smith Room.
An informal workshop run by Dr Nick Friedman, with resources and help for those interested in learning how to present legal arguments in court.
Open to all College members. Admission free, no booking required.
Email Emily for more information.
Casual badminton session – Friday 28 January, 5pm
Palmerston Room, Fisher Building.
Weekly two-hour sessions for players of all abilities. Rackets and shuttlecocks are available at Cripps Porters’ Lodge upon request.
Open to all College members. Admission free, no booking required.
Blood Brothers – Friday 28 January & Saturday 29 January, 7.45pm
ADC Theatre.
This is your last chance to see Willy Russell’s iconic play at the ADC this week with St John’s students Monique Knight in the role of Mrs Johnstone, Hetty Opayinka as assistant director and Declan Boyd as set assistant.
Open to all. Tickets £11.50-£14.
More details and book tickets.
Men’s football match – Sunday 30 January, 2pm
St John’s Playing Fields.
Magdalene 1s vs St John's 2s.
All welcome.
Postponed: Screening of two episodes of The DNA Detective – Sunday 30 January, 3pm
Main Lecture Theatre, Old Divinity School.
Kindly note this event has been rescheduled due to unforeseen circumstances – please see the listing below for the new date, Sunday 13 February.
St John’s History Society talk – Monday 31 January, 5.45pm
Lightfoot Room, Old Divinity School
Historian Dr Ruth Watson will be hosting a talk on her latest research project ‘Crowds in World History’. Conceiving crowds as more than simply aggregations of people, her interest is in examining how people become conscious of being part of a crowd, and how in turn such crowds develop their own social momentum. Followed by a Q&A session.
Open to all, admission free, no booking required.
More details or email Yasmin.
Palaeography for beginners – Tuesday 1 February, 3pm
Weekly online sessions for anyone interested in reading handwriting from c.1500-c.1750, 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. Photographs of the documents will be emailed out in advance.
Open to all College members, admission free.
Limited places. To register or make further enquiries, contact the archivist, Dr Lynsey Darby.
Clare Hall’s Tanner Lectures on Human Values 2022: Providing for a nation’s health, in a global context – Tuesday 1 February & Wednesday 2 February, 5-7.40pm
Robinson College Auditorium.
Professor Alexander Bird, Bertrand Russell Professor of Philosophy and a Fellow of St John’s College, will be speaking on The consequences for healthcare, globally on the second interconnected evening of The Tanner Lectures on Human Values. The first lecture on The relationship between national and global health takes place on Tuesday.
Professor Trish Greenhalgh of Oxford University and Professor Ama de-Graft Aikins of University College London will be speaking alongside Professor Bird.
In-person ticketing via Eventbrite closes at midday on Monday 31 January. Both lectures will also be streamed on Zoom.
Full details including registration
St John's College Music Society (SJCMS) lunchtime recital – Thursday 3 February, 1.15pm
Main Lecture Theatre, Old Divinity School.
With Jonathan Watts, and Harrison Cole on the piano. Open to all, booking is not required.
Drop-in dissertation support group – Thursday 3 February, 2pm
Weekly online group run by the Library, offering a structured study space, support and encouragement for any undergraduate student who is taking on a dissertation next academic year.
Email Rebecca if you have any questions.
St John’s Big Band – Friday 4 February, 7.30m
Palmerston Room, Fisher Building.
The Big Band are playing a gig starting with a jazz quartet then the full big band at 8.15. Open to all, admission free.
St John's College Music Society (SJCMS) music recital – Saturday 5 February, 8pm
Main Lecture Theatre, Old Divinity School.
Baha Yetkin and his ensemble perform Turkish classical music and new compositions and improvisations. Open to all, booking is not required. Admission is free to St John’s College and Fitzwilliam College members, £10 on the door to all others.
Pink Week formal – Tuesday 8 February, 7.30pm
Hall.
The tickets are the same price as all superhall tickets and are available on UPay from Friday 28 January, 2pm. A £2 surcharge for donation will be collected at door by cash/card.
Open to students, two guests per student.
St John’s JohnsFemSoc and CUFemTech talk – Wednesday 9 February, 6.30pm
Central Hall, Old Divinity School.
A talk will be given by guest speaker Dr Jean Abraham, who is Professor of Precision Breast Cancer Medicine, Director Cambridge Breast Cancer Research Unit, Honorary Consultant in Medical Oncology and a Fellow of St John’s. Free drink and snack provided.
Open to all, admission free, no booking required.
Screening of two episodes of The DNA Detective – Sunday 13 February, 10am-1pm
Main Lecture Theatre, Old Divinity School.
A viewing party of the television series The DNA Detective which follows Prof Eske Willerslev, a Fellow of St John's, through his career's biggest crisis and achievements. The series aims to communicate 'the adventure of science' by inviting the viewers into the wild ride from an idea to a groundbreaking study – with all the complicated questions about ethics, politics, finance, competition and personal ambition that unfolds in the process.
The event will showcase Episode 4: Science and Money, and Episode 6: Battle of the Bones, and will be followed by a Q&A with director Linus Dahomé Mørk and Prof Eske Willerslev and a wine reception.
Open to all College members, plus up to two guests per member.
Note: this is the rescheduled event from Sunday 30 January. Those who have already signed up will be on the attendance list. Otherwise, you can request attendance using the original registration form.
Cambridge Philosophical Society lecture – Monday 14 February, 6.30-7.30pm
Babbage Lecture Theatre, New Museums Site.
Professor Duncan McFarlane, Professor of Industrial Information Engineering at Cambridge University Engineering Department, head of the Distributed Information and Automation Laboratory within the Institute of Manufacturing, and a Fellow of St John’s, will be giving the society’s second lecture of 2022, Should we automate?
Linacre Lecture 2022 – Tuesday 15 February, 5.30pm
Main Lecture Theatre, Old Divinity School.
This year’s Linacre Lecture is entitled Folding Protein: Nature's Origami and will be given by Professor Sheena Radford OBE, Astbury Professor of Biophysics and Royal Society Professor at the Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology at the University of Leeds, and an Honorary Fellow of St John’s. The lecture will be followed by a drinks reception.
Register for the lecture before Wednesday 9 February.
Pink Ents – Saturday 19 February, 9pm
Palmerston Room, Fisher Building.
A stash sale where all profits go to the Pink Week charity. Details to be confirmed. Email Lingquan if you have any questions about Pink Week events.
China Research Seminar Series talk by Professor Philip Clart – Thursday 24 February, 2pm
Runcie Room, Faculty of Divinity.
As part of the Series, Professor Philip Clart is giving a talk on The Fraught Marriage of Lin Ying and Han Xiangzi: Death and Immortality, Women and Men in Qing-Period Popular Literature. Professor Clart is Professor of Chinese Culture and History at Leipzig University and a Beaufort Visiting Fellow at St John’s.
Open to all, admission free, no booking required.
Memorial Service for Dr Peter Linehan – Saturday 5 March, 12pm
College Chapel.
A Memorial Service for Dr Peter Anthony Linehan, MA, PhD, FBA, Fellow and former Dean of St John’s College, who died on 9 July 2020, aged 76, will be held in St John’s College Chapel on Saturday 5 March 2022 at 12 noon.
For tickets, please apply online, by phone on 01223 339363 or in writing to The Chapel Clerk, St John's College, Cambridge, CB2 1TP, by Friday 18 February.
International Women’s Day celebration event and Hall – Tuesday 8 March, times tbc
Join St John’s Feminist Society to celebrate International Women’s Day in collaboration with Cambridge University Women in Business, starting with speakers and performances in the Palmerston room.
Open to all. Hall tickets available on UPay. No booking is required for the events earlier on in the day.
Aquila concert for International Women’s Day – Tuesday 8 March, 6pm
Main Lecture Theatre, Old Divinity School.
Head over to the Old Divinity School for a selection of songs performed by Aquila, the St John’s College all-female vocal group. All welcome, admission free, no booking required.
Newell Classical Event talk The Black Sappho – Thursday 10 March, 7.15pm
Main Lecture Theatre, Old Divinity School.
A talk by Professor Emily Greenwood on The Black Sappho, a recurrent presence in the work of African American women writers, using the figure of the Sappho to examine intersections of gender, sexuality, and race in the modern reception of Sappho. Emily is Professor of Classics at Princeton University and a Cambridge alumna.
Open to all, admission free, no booking required. Can also be attended via Zoom.
And finally
After a two-year hiatus, the feast of the Epiphany was celebrated in Chapel last weekend with two candlelit carol services. The music by the Choir of St John’s College and readings of the services reflect on the three signs of Christ’s “Epiphany” (his manifestation to the world): the visit of the wise men, the Baptism of Christ, and the transformation of water into wine at the wedding at Cana.
