St John's College News
St John’s team to take on University Challenge
St John’s team to take on University ChallengeFour members of St John’s are appearing in a broadcast of the iconic British quiz show University Challenge on Monday, pitted against the University of St Andrews. Here we meet the members of the team and find out why they wanted to be on the show, the backstage gossip and, most importantly, what the UK’s most famously grouchy quizmaster, Jeremy Paxman, is really like. The episode is being…read moreGetting the measure of mud
Getting the measure of mudFor the first time, researchers have been able to use mud deposited on the depths of the ocean floor to measure changes in the speed of deep-sea currents. Using mud as a current meter could help scientists to identify fluctuating patterns in ocean current speeds stretching back into prehistory, enabling climate change researchers to get a better sense of how currents behave over time.Researchers…read moreStrong and stable printing: Researchers formulate recipe for Black Phosphorus ink
Strong and stable printing: Researchers formulate recipe for Black Phosphorus inkGuohua Hu, a fourth-year PhD student at St John’s is the lead author of new study which has successfully developed a formula for turning a new graphene-like material called black phosphorus (BP) into ink. The ink, which is compatible with conventional inkjet printing techniques, enables the high-speed and ultralow-cost mass production of next-generation laser and optoelectronic devices for use in…read moreMeet Lynn Asante-Asare: A PhD student from south London who came to Cambridge to join the fight against cancer
Meet Lynn Asante-Asare: A PhD student from south London who came to Cambridge to join the fight against cancerLynn was born and raised in south London and grew up wanting to be a doctor. But the death of a close friend from leukaemia and the realisation that only science can drive medicine forward put her on the path of an academic career in biology in the hope of helping future patients.In this short film, Lynn tells us about her PhD research exploring ways to make tumours more visible on MRI scans in…read moreJohnian crowdfunds for pioneering multiple sclerosis treatment for fellow student
Johnian crowdfunds for pioneering multiple sclerosis treatment for fellow studentA PhD student at St John’s has started a JustGiving page to raise money for pioneering treatment for a friend and fellow student who suffers from multiple sclerosis. Joseph Rennie, who is studying for a PhD in cognitive-neuroscience at St John’s, has started a fundraising drive to raise money to allow fellow student Halcyon Weber to receive pioneering medical treatment for her multiple…read moreUniversity and Departmental Prizes - March-August 2017
University and Departmental Prizes - March-August 2017Several St John's College students have recently been awarded prizes by the University or other academic institutions thanks to their excellent work and achievements.Yayaati Chachan, 4th year undergraduate in Natural Sciences, was awarded the Institute of Astronomy Prize.Tanmay Dixit, 3rd year undergraduate in Natural Sciences, won the Frank Smart Prize for Zoology.Clementine Makower, 3rd year…read moreCollege Library treasures on display
College Library treasures on displayAn extremely rare first edition of Thomas More’s ‘Utopia’; a 16th-century map showing the dramatic defeat of the Spanish Armada, and the scrap book of a Professor of Arabic who, while on a secret service mission, met an early death in the Middle-Eastern wilderness: As part of Open Cambridge, St John’s College is putting some of the most intriguing items in its Library collections on display…read moreBattle of the Blues: Johnians share their Varsity match memories
Battle of the Blues: Johnians share their Varsity match memoriesOne of the first women to play rugby for Cambridge University has shared her memories of taking part in the third-ever women’s Varsity team in 1988. When Karena Vleck (née Ward, 1986) stepped onto the pitch at Twickenham in 1988, she was among the first women to play rugby for Cambridge University. In a new post for a blog for alumni of St John’s, Karena has shared her memories of the…read moreSt John’s hosts gifted students with a passion for singing and music
St John’s hosts gifted students with a passion for singing and musicTalented young vocalists from around the UK have arrived at St John’s to take part in a week-long summer school to learn from leaders in the field of music.The Cambridge Choral Course is being hosted by St John’s College until 30 August, and is aimed at young people aged 16-20 who have a talent and passion for singing and music.Over an intensive seven-day period, the 80 residential students will…read moreDr Alan Smith, 1937 - 2017
Dr Alan Smith, 1937 - 2017Dr Alan Smith, Emeritus Reader in Geology at the University of Cambridge and Fellow of St John’s College, has died at the age of 80.Dr Smith, who became a Fellow at St John’s in 1970 and was formerly College Lecturer in Geological Sciences, died on 13 August 2017. He had been resting at home following treatment for cancer at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. Dr Smith was born in Hertfordshire in 1937…read moreJohnian awarded the Trevor Reese Memorial Prize for “The British Empire and the Hajj”
Johnian awarded the Trevor Reese Memorial Prize for “The British Empire and the Hajj”Former College Research Fellow Dr John Slight wins major prize from the Institute of Commonwealth Studies for his book on the relationship between the British Empire and the Hajj.Dr John Slight has been awarded the Trevor Reese Memorial Prize by the Institute of Commonwealth Studies for his publication The British Empire and the Hajj. Dr Slight wrote the book, which explores the interactions…read moreThe Electron Manifesto: transforming high performance computing with 'spintronics'
The Electron Manifesto: transforming high performance computing with 'spintronics'Electron ‘spin’ could hold the key to managing the world’s growing data demands without consuming huge amounts of energy. Now, researchers have shown that energy-efficient superconductors can power devices designed to achieve this. What once seemed an impossible marriage of superconductivity and spin may be about to transform high performance computing.In the early days of the computer,…read moreMaking Rome great again: fake views in the ancient world
Making Rome great again: fake views in the ancient worldA political leader who seeks to make his nation “great again” and a time when ‘post-truth’ rhetoric appears to support political ambitions. Not Trump’s America, but Rome 2,000 years ago.The elusive, glorious past has been a dominant theme of recent political slogans and soundbites. President Trump’s rallying call to “make America great again” was met with outpourings of support on his campaign…read moreJohnian honoured for pioneering work in cancer research
Johnian honoured for pioneering work in cancer researchA ceremony has been held at the Department of Oncology to celebrate the opening of the Professor Norman Montague Bleehen Oncology Offices. The new offices have been named after Professor Norman Bleehen CBE, a Fellow of St John’s who passed away in 2008. They honour his outstanding contributions to cancer research and treatments. Professor Bleehen was a founder of academic oncology in the UK and…read moreProfessor Ulinka Rublack announced as Fellow of the British Academy
Professor Ulinka Rublack announced as Fellow of the British AcademyCollege Fellow and Professor of Early Modern European History, Ulinka Rublack, has been elected to the British Academy. British Academy Fellowships are awarded to world-leading researchers in the humanities and social sciences.Professor Rublack researches the social, cultural and religious history of Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. Her areas of specific expertise include Reformation…read moreAward-winning wheelchair being trialled at St John’s
Award-winning wheelchair being trialled at St John’sSt John’s is currently trialling an award-winning all-terrain wheelchair, with the aim of offering it to students with disabilities.A new all-weather and all-terrain wheelchair is being tested at St John’s to help disabled students manoeuvre around the College’s historic buildings.The WHILL wheelchair, from the Silicon Valley in San Francisco and manufactured by Japanese car industry…read moreJohnians receive Royal Academy of Engineering Awards for innovation
Johnians receive Royal Academy of Engineering Awards for innovationThree Johnians were successful at the Royal Academy of Engineering Awards, presented by The Duke of Kent. The winner of the MacRobert Award, the top Royal Academy of Engineering Award for innovation, was Raspberry Pi. Dr Eben Upton CBE, a St John’s alumnus, is the CEO of the organisation, and Dr Robert Mullins, Fellow of St John’s and University Lecturer in Computer Science, is a co-founder of…read moreMeet Gabby: A PhD student researching South American butterflies
Meet Gabby: A PhD student researching South American butterfliesGabriela Montejo-Kovacevich is an evolutionary geneticist studying how Heliconius butterflies adapt to different climates – research that often takes her deep into the Amazon rainforest. Gabriela Montejo-Kovacevich is from Madrid, Spain. She is in her first year studying for a PhD that looks at how Heliconius butterflies genetically adapt to different climates and environments – an area of…read moreSt John’s staff member wins poetry prize
St John’s staff member wins poetry prizeAdam Crothers, Special Collections Assistant at St John’s has won the Seamus Heaney Centre Prize for his debut poetry collection Several Deer, published by Carcanet.The Prize is awarded by the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry, which is part of Queen's University, Belfast.It is given to the author who the judges consider to have the best full first collection of poetry published in the UK or…read moreExceptional students receive Larmor Awards
Exceptional students receive Larmor AwardsSix brilliant students from St John’s have been honoured with Larmor Awards, a prize given annually to graduating junior members in recognition of “intellectual qualifications, moral conduct, or practical activities.”Named after the 20th-century physicist and mathematician, Sir Joseph Larmor, who was both a student and Fellow of the College, the awards are a unique honour given to students of St…read moreMagnetic memories of a metal world
Magnetic memories of a metal worldResearch deciphering the hidden magnetic messages encoded in a rare group of meteorites has helped secure nearly half a billion dollars of NASA funding for a journey to their parent asteroid – the only known place in the solar system where scientists can examine directly what is probably a metallic core.4.5 billion years ago in the violent, high-speed environment of the early solar system, a…read moreCollege supports fundraising in memory of Robin Coleman at 2017 May Ball
College supports fundraising in memory of Robin Coleman at 2017 May BallSt John’s College will be raising money at this year’s May Ball in support of an appeal for Helen and Douglas House – an organisation for terminally ill children, young adults and their families. In 2014, its staff provided outstanding end of life care for a student of St John’s, Robin Coleman, even helping him to marry his partner, Rachel, in a wedding at the hospice in Oxford.Rachel Coleman is…read moreMaggie retains river Headship in May Bumps
Maggie retains river Headship in May BumpsAfter four days of intense races on the Cam, the crew of the Lady Margaret Boat Club men’s first boat, M1, have been crowned Head of the River for the second year running.“Head of the River” is the title awarded to the crew whose boat is in first place in the first division following the famous May Bumps which mark the end of Easter Term. Each of Cambridge’s 31 Colleges enters several crews which…read moreCollege Fellow awarded CBE for Services to Biomaterials Engineering
College Fellow awarded CBE for Services to Biomaterials EngineeringCollege Fellow and Professor of Materials Science, Serena Best, has been awarded a CBE for services to Biomaterials Engineering in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2017. Professor Best is co-director of the Cambridge Centre for Medical Materials, which is developing next-generation medical materials to interact therapeutically with the body. Her research aims to expand the range and…read moreAbandoned Liszt opera deciphered by Research Fellow broadcast for the first time
Abandoned Liszt opera deciphered by Research Fellow broadcast for the first timeA long-forgotten Italian opera by Franz Liszt entitled Sardanapalo has been brought to life after a year-long research project carried out by St John’s Research Fellow Dr Francesca Vella with a team of Cambridge and US scholars.Dr Francesca Vella, Research Fellow in Music at St John’s, worked with Dr David Trippett, Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Music, and David Rosen, Emeritus Professor of…read more