A major exhibition about the architectural drawings from the studio of the ‘Father of Modernism’ is opening in Berlin tomorrow after being curated by a new Fellow of St John’s College. ‘Alvar Aalto in Germany: Drawing Modernism’ focuses on the German projects of Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto (1898-1976), the Finnish pioneer of modern architecture and design whose work included buildings, furniture,…

The Rev'd Canon Dr Mark Oakley, Dean of Chapel and Fellow at St John’s College, has today been awarded an honorary degree from the University of Chester in recognition of his championing of education and human rights. Dr Oakley received an Honorary Doctor of Education during a day of graduations featuring more than 150 graduands from the University Centre Shrewsbury who descended on St Chad’s…

For hundreds of years students and Fellows of St John’s have enjoyed communal dining in Hall seated beneath portraits of distinguished members of College. Now an official portrait of Heather Hancock, the first female Master of St John’s College, has joined the gallery adorning the wood-panelled walls along with a new painting of Professor Jane Heal, philosopher and St John’s Fellow who served as…

The historic Old Library of St John’s is hosting a special exhibition about the life and genius of Douglas Adams, College alumnus and late author of cult sci-fi comedy franchise The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. ‘Improbabilities: A Douglas Adams Exhibition’ takes place on 15 and 16 September as part of this year’s free Open Cambridge festival of history and culture. Curated by Dr Adam…

Plato’s ingenious ability as a writer is the focus of a new book by a world-renowned academic of ancient philosophy. Known as the father of Western philosophy, Plato (427-347 BCE) was a student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle in Athens, Ancient Greece. There he founded the Academy, the first ‘school’ of philosophy, where vigorous discussion of all manner of topics took place. Plato’s most…

A group of teenage girls from the UK and across the world have discovered what it is like to study Mathematics at Cambridge during a free residential summer camp at St John’s College. The 16 to 18-year-olds took part in Women in Mathematics, which was held to encourage more women to consider applying to study maths at Cambridge. Featuring lectures and workshops run by Cambridge academics,…

John O’Sullivan is just as at home behind a keyboard as he is behind a serving platter in a career at St John’s spanning 25 years. When not supervising Fellows’ lunches in the historic St John’s Combination Room or polishing the College silver, the Irish-born Fellows’ Butler – who marks his silver anniversary at St John’s on 27 July – is keyboard player in local rock band Common Ground. The…

Fetuses use a copy of a gene inherited from their dad to force their mum to release as much nutrients as possible during pregnancy, Cambridge scientists have discovered. The unborn baby ‘remote controls’ its mother’s metabolism so the two are in a nutritional tug of war. The mother’s body wants the baby to survive but needs to keep enough glucose and fats circulating in her system for her own…

A painting of Lady Margaret Beaufort, matriarch of the Tudor dynasty and grandmother of King Henry VIII, has gone on display at the newly reopened National Portrait Gallery after a painstaking restoration project.  The ‘extremely rare’ 16th-century painting, owned by St John’s College, is the earliest large-scale portrait of an English woman and one of the earliest large-scale portraits of a…

An architectural historian from St John’s has won Europe’s top heritage award for her ‘inspiring’ research. Professor Deborah Howard is among 30 winners in the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards 2023 for her study into the architectural heritage of industrial development of the Veneto, Italy, in the 16th-century, which was described by judges as ‘unprecedented’. The awards, funded…

The Rev’d Dr Mark Oakley, St John’s College Dean of Chapel, has been presented with a prestigious award for ‘outstanding’ education and scholarship by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Lanfranc Award was conferred upon Dr Oakley by The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby during a ceremony and reception at Lambeth Palace in London on 22 June 2023. The presentation, which was also…

Researchers have demonstrated how carbon dioxide can be captured from industrial processes – or even directly from the air – and transformed into clean, sustainable fuels using just the energy from the sun. The researchers, from the University of Cambridge, developed a solar-powered reactor that converts captured CO2 and plastic waste into sustainable fuels and other valuable chemical products.…

St John’s has been awarded the highest accreditation in the University of Cambridge Green Impact scheme for the third time. The annual programme supports and encourages departments and Colleges across the University to act collectively to reduce their environmental impact and to implement different sustainable policies that lead to positive change. The Platinum Colleges accolade awarded to St…

A willingness to take risks, resilience and a “can-do attitude” are the keys to success for the Johnian woman who became UK president of pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca – then walked away to rescue a struggling biotech start-up. In the latest episode of the new St John’s podcast Souvient, Lisa Anson explains the thrill of working for Redx Pharma, a small cancer drugs developer she joined after…

A new Domestic Bursar has started at St John’s to oversee the operational management of the College. Alison Cox spent the best part of 30 years at Sir Robert McAlpine where she rose through the ranks of the construction company, progressing from student engineer to managing director of the London unit with responsibility for a £750m budget and 800 staff. The Oxford graduate talks about what…

In the latest article of our series focusing on energy, we profile Professor Sir Richard Friend, Fellow of St John’s, whose research is transforming the efficiency of solar cells, dramatically boosting the prospects of cheap electricity powered by the sun. In an age when efforts to reverse the climate crisis are fraught with challenges, Professor Sir Richard Friend – physicist and expert on…

Talented winners and runners-up in the 2023 St John’s College Student Art and Photography Competition have been announced. Submissions in the form of photographs, paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, jewellery and digital films were invited for this year’s competition, which was open to all Junior Members of College in residence, with prizes of up to £200 offered. The…

A pioneering academic at St John’s College has been formally admitted as an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Irish Academy (RIA), Ireland’s leading body of experts in the sciences and humanities. Professor Máire Ní Mhaonaigh was elected to the Academy with 27 other new members chosen for their exceptional contributions to the sciences, humanities and social sciences, and to public service. She…

Christopher Gray has joined St John’s as the new Director of Music, having led Truro Cathedral Choir and bringing it international acclaim. An exceptional musician, Chris tells us about climbing trees with the choristers, being on Britain's Got Talent and the secret to what makes The Choir of St John’s so magical. You started at St John’s at the beginning of Easter Term, how did you break the…

The mental image of the shivering student in a freezing garret, peering at his books by candlelight, is perhaps as old as scholarship itself. But how true a reflection is it of life at St John’s in the days before central heating and electricity? As the College takes steps towards more sustainable energy consumption, and addresses the wider theme of energy in an online series of articles, a dip…

Professor Uta Paszkowski, a Fellow of St John’s College, has been elected a member of the Leopoldina, the German National Academy of Sciences. Professor Paszkowski is leader of the Cereal Symbiosis group at the Crop Science Centre – a coalition between the University of Cambridge, Department of Plant Sciences and the National Institute of Agricultural Botany Trust (NIAB) – and College Director…

Researchers have developed a solar-powered technology that converts carbon dioxide and water into liquid fuels that can be added directly to a car’s engine as drop-in fuel.   The researchers, from the University of Cambridge, harnessed the power of photosynthesis to convert CO2, water and sunlight into multicarbon fuels – ethanol and propanol – in a single step. These fuels have a high energy…

An impressive array of former choristers, composers and clergy from St John’s College took part in the spectacular Coronation Service of HM King Charles III and Queen Camilla in Westminster Abbey. People taking major roles include Andrew Nethsingha – Director of Music at St John’s from 2007 until December 2022 – who directed the music throughout Saturday’s service, watched by millions of people…

Student mental health campaigner Imogen Arden-Jones has received a Vice-Chancellor’s Social Impact Award for her activism including encouraging more young people to be vaccinated against Covid-19.  Imogen, a fifth-year medic at St John’s College, was among 15 Cambridge students recognised this year in celebration of exceptional contributions to society. Imogen said: “For me, social action takes…

Evolutionary biologist Professor Chris Jiggins has been named as one of the new Fellows of the Royal Society for his ‘substantial contribution to the advancement of science’. Professor Jiggins is Director of Studies at St John’s for Natural Sciences (Biological) and a Fellow of the College. He joins 58 other new Fellows on the list of new members of the oldest science academy in continuous…