St John's College News

  1. Winning student artists and photographers announced in College competition

    “The winning entries stood out for their original and memorable subject matter, fine compositions and technical excellence”
    The talented and creative winners of St John’s College Art and Photography Competition have been revealed. Entries of photos, paintings, prints, sculpture and film were all invited for the 2022 competition, which was open to all Junior Members of College in residence and closed at the end of April. All entries were made anonymous for the judging, which was carried out by a panel comprising…read more

  2. All in the bones

    “It revived many old memories, ghosts from a distant past”
    A student’s family ties to the discovery of Neanderthal remains more than half a century ago have added another layer to the research of two St John’s academics. Karen Clare began digging to find out more. When St John’s undergraduate Andrew Smith spoke to his grandfather, Philip, during a visit to Cambridge Department of Archaeology in April, the video call brought together three archaeologists…read more

  3. New artist’s impressions released of community hub

    Designs of new Buttery, Bar and Café are revealed
    The revamp of the south-west corner of Second Court to transform it into a contemporary social centre is continuing apace and new images showing the proposed transformation have been produced. The artist’s impressions show what the new Buttery, Bar and Café will look like once the building project is finished and the College’s 17th-century Second Court is restored as the social centre of the…read more

  4. Earth-abundant solar pixels found to produce hydrogen for weeks

    "Few solar fuel systems show stabilities which are compatible to real-world applications. With this work, we make a step forward towards establishing a circular fuel economy"
    Devices made of readily available oxide and carbon-based materials can produce clean hydrogen from water over weeks - according to new research.  The findings, co-led by Dr Virgil Andrei, a Research Fellow at St John's College, University of Cambridge, with academics at Imperial College London, could help overcome one of the key issues in solar fuel production, where current earth-abundant…read more

  5. Top international prize for St John’s academic for his work fighting childhood cancers

    “I share this award with all my amazing colleagues and collaborators – including patients and their families – who work together to ensure cancer is no longer a leading cause of death among children across the world”
    A St John’s scientist whose pioneering research identified the origins of aggressive childhood brain tumours has been named The Society of Memorial Sloan Kettering prize-winner for 2022. Professor Richard Gilbertson has been awarded The Society Prize, a prestigious recognition that is awarded annually to a researcher, physician, or team lead who has made a positive and lasting impact in the…read more

  6. 'Treasured' College members honoured by students at awards ceremony

    “The Student-Led Teaching Awards were created by Cambridge SU to celebrate outstanding teaching and staff support from across Cambridge University”
    A Fellow and a Library Assistant from St John’s College have both won awards from Cambridge University students for 'going the extra mile' to provide exceptional support that helps them 'realise their dreams'.  Dr Jodi Gardner and Rebecca Le Marchand were among nearly 400 academics and members of staff across the University and its Colleges nominated in the 2022 Student-Led Teaching Awards…read more

  7. Two St John’s scientists among the new Fellows announced by The Royal Society

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    A scientist who identified the origins of common childhood brain tumours and a biologist whose research focuses on the early stages of pregnancy have both been selected as Fellows of The Royal Society. Professor Richard Gilbertson FMedSci FRS and Professor Graham Burton FMedSci FRS are among nine University of Cambridge researchers selected for their ‘exceptional contributions to science’. The…read more

  8. Students highlight ‘exceptional’ academic support from St John’s duo in annual awards

    “On behalf of all students we want to thank everyone who was nominated for their fantastic work”
    A member of Library staff and an academic from St John’s College have been recognised for their outstanding teaching and support in awards run by Cambridge University students. Rebecca Le Marchand, Library Assistant, and Dr Jodi Gardner, a Fellow of St John’s, have both been shortlisted in this year’s Student-Led Teaching Awards (STLAs). These annual Cambridge University Students’ Union (…read more

  9. First female choristers welcomed as members of The Choir of St John’s

    “Extending membership to talented female singers creates an exceptional new musical opportunity for women and girls”
    The Choir of St John’s has made history by admitting girls and women for the first time – making it the only Oxbridge choir to have both male and female members among the children and the students. Three girls and one woman joined the internationally renowned choir as full members this week. Founded in the 1670s, The Choir of St John’s has a rich, warm and distinctive sound. Known…read more

  10. Tributes paid to ‘shining light’ of College community

    "Jonathan had an extraordinary wit and knack to make anyone laugh when they needed it most"
    An ‘intellectually brilliant’ postgraduate student at St John’s has died aged 35. Jonathan Gilmour was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a progressive muscle-weakening and wasting condition, when he was seven. He used a wheelchair from the age of 13. Jonathan came to St John’s as an undergraduate in 2005, graduating with a First in Theology and Religious Studies before taking an…read more

  11. European grants awarded to academics supporting world’s transition to a carbon-free society

    “This funding will allow our grantees to pursue innovative ambitious research projects at the cutting edge of their disciplines”
    Two St John’s Fellows have won funding from the European Research Council to invest in their pioneering work in the field of green energy. Professor Erwin Reisner is one of nine Cambridge academics to have been awarded Advanced Grants by the European Research Council (ERC), which are made to leading researchers who are established in their field and have a recognised track record of achievements…read more

  12. Andrew Chamblin Memorial Concert 2022

    An hour-long programme of organ works
    The sixteenth annual Andrew Chamblin Memorial Concert will be given by Stephen Farr FRCO ARCM at 8pm in Christ Church Cathedral on Thursday 23rd June 2022 and will also be livestreamed online. Mr Farr will play an hour-long programme of organ works by Couperin, Byrd, Muffat, Guilain, Sweelinck, Krebs and Bach. The concert is free. There are no tickets required for in person attendance in the…read more

  13. Boys are more demanding than girls before they are born – according to scientists

    “Designing individual treatment plans and encouraging pregnant women to make lifestyle changes based upon the sex of their unborn babies could have lifelong health benefits for their children”
    Finding out the sex of a baby during pregnancy could lead to better life chances, a new Cambridge study has discovered. Male baby pregnancies are more likely to result in complications, possibly because they grow faster in the womb and require more nutrients and oxygen than supplied by the mother through the placenta – the temporary organ that attaches to the wall of the uterus during pregnancy…read more

  14. Nobel prize-winner Sir Roger Penrose delivers talk at St John’s

    The Penrose Lectures will address the interplay between mathematics and other disciplines which have been such a distinctive feature of Sir Roger’s research life
    The inaugural Penrose Lecture was given by Nobel Laureate Professor Sir Roger Penrose, alumnus and Honorary Fellow of St John’s College. A sold-out audience of Fellows, students and staff gathered for the first talk in this new biennial lecture series, which was given by Sir Roger in the College’s Palmerston Room on 9 March 2022. Sir Roger won one half of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics for the…read more

  15. Festival of poetry returns to St John’s College this spring

    “Seeing poetry read in person by great poets is a really special thing. It’s meaningful and it creates connections”
    Poetry is springing back to life after a two-year hiatus at St John’s College with the launch of a free festival featuring prize-winning poets from Britain, Ireland and around the world. Poetry Spring has been organised by poets Sasha Dugdale, St John’s writer-in-residence, and Dr Mina Gorji, a Fellow at Pembroke College, and will be a day of discussions, readings and a workshop in the Old…read more

  16. Protection of refugee animals is vital to support livelihoods and health

    “The inconsistencies on how to deal with animal displacement uncover gaps in jurisdictions and expertise of humanitarian responders in complex emergencies”
    Animals play a central role in many peoples’ lives, and the lifting of veterinary regulations to allow them to be moved to safety during the current humanitarian crisis in Ukraine is unprecedented. St John's PhD student Dorien Braam argues for this approach to be replicated across other refugee contexts. A month into the Russian invasion in Ukraine, several journalists covering the…read more

  17. Lack of transparency over cost of conservation projects hampers ability to prioritise funds to protect nature

    “If we’re serious about addressing biodiversity loss, knowing the financial costs of interventions is as important as knowing their effectiveness”
    A new study has found that costs of conservation projects are rarely reported, making it difficult for others to make decisions on the most cost-effective interventions at a time when funding for biodiversity conservation is severely limited. A review of 1,987 published reports of conservation interventions has found that only 8.8% reported the total cost of the intervention, and many of these…read more

  18. Robots could produce solar fuels to speed up global shift to renewable energy

    “Artificial intelligence could be the key to reducing our dependence on fossil fuels”
    A ‘cyber-leaf’ designed and assembled using robots could help the world transition more quickly from climate change-inducing fossil fuels to green renewables, according to a new Cambridge study. Fossil fuels – including coal, oil, and natural gas – have been powering economies for more than 150 years, and currently supply about 80 percent of the world’s energy. In a paper published in Nature…read more

  19. Experts on Covid-19, conservation, climate change and law elected as Honorary Fellows of St John’s

    Prestigious awards bestowed upon eminent former scholars and Fellows
    Four distinguished experts in the fields of public health, conservation, climate change and law have been made Honorary Fellows of St John’s College in recognition of their exceptional work. Professor Sharon Peacock CBE, Executive Director of Public Health England and Chair of the Covid-19 Genomics UK consortium; Professor Bhaskar Vira, currently Head of the Department of Geography, University…read more

  20. ‘Early coffeehouses brought people and ideas together – the Community Hub will do the same for St John’s’

    “We have ensured the building designs are sustainable and have a minimal environmental impact”
    Before tea eclipsed coffee as the nation’s favourite hot beverage, the exotic Turkish drink was exported to England and coffeehouses spread across London and beyond. Jo Tynan looks at the St John’s connection with the bean that powers so many of us through our day – extra hot latte anyone? Back in the 18th-century, students and Fellows of St John’s were likely to have whiled away some of their…read more

  21. Memorial service to be held for Professor Roger Griffin

    Fellow to be remembered in St John’s College Chapel on 14 May 2022
    A memorial service for Professor Roger Francis Griffin, BA, PhD, ScD, Fellow of St John’s College and Emeritus Professor of Observational Astronomy, will be held in St John’s College Chapel on Saturday 14 May 2022 at noon.  Photo credit: Richard Griffin. Professor Griffin, who died on 12 February 2021 aged 85, was an award-winning astronomer who spent his career studying starlight.…read more

  22. The lost souls of Hart Island

    “To not know where your loved one is buried can be very painful”
    Sally Raudon is a social anthropologist and PhD student at St John’s whose research into what happens to the dead of New York City – especially the poor – saw her doing fieldwork in the pandemic. She told Karen Clare about mass burials, rituals of grief, and more. More than a million New Yorkers – from stillborn babies to the victims of AIDS, the homeless and Covid dead – are buried in trenches…read more

  23. Educating Mia

    “I’ll start a casual conversation and instantly try to squash any stereotypes”
    Leaving home to go to University was a bigger challenge than for most for second-year St John’s undergraduate Mia Myers, who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). She tells Karen Clare about what makes her tick, smashing stereotypes and educating others. “I remember saying to someone once, if you gave me a pill right now, and said, if you take this, you can be completely SMA-free, I don't know if I…read more

  24. Literary event showcases work of creative writing award-winner

    “It will be wonderful to bring this aspect of the College’s cultural activity back to life”
    Poet and author Madeleine Pulman-Jones, current holder of the Harper-Wood Creative Writing and Travel Award at St John’s College, will be reading some of her new work at a special literary event in March. Held for one year, the Harper-Wood Award is intended primarily for creative writers who are in the initial stages of their careers. It is to encourage a project of creative writing by making it…read more

  25. We’ll be there for you, say friends who have invented new tool for meetups

    “We want our app to be the most aesthetic process, with the lowest path of resistance”
    Three undergraduates from St John’s have created a new app that aims to take the hassle out of arranging meetups with family and friends. Third years Towhid Ahmed, who is studying Land Economy, Engineer Oscar Saharoy and Chemical Engineer Jack Burt have created the free online tool, called Groupi.me, with two other university pals: Queens’ College student Zac Tiller, and Vicky Veselichka, a…read more