St John's College News
History - Tom Parry-Jones
History - Tom Parry-JonesI went to school in Colchester, Essex, where I took A-Levels in English Literature, Maths, Chemistry, Physics and General Studies. Seeing the effects of the Iraq war from a garrison town was a political wake-up call, and I changed away from the natural sciences, coming to Cambridge in 2005 to read Social and Political Sciences at Magdalene College. While studying for my undergraduate degree, I…read moreUniversity and Departmental Prizes: April-May 2014
University and Departmental Prizes: April-May 2014The following students are among those whose excellent work has been recognised by the University, or external organisations and academic institutions, during April and May 2014.Mr Ruadhai Dervan, Pure Maths & Mathematical Statistics graduate, was awarded the Smith-Knight and Rayleigh-Knight Prizes for 2014.Miss Laura Andrews, 1st year undergraduate in Electrical Engineering, received the…read moreHistory - Tom Parry-Jones (PhD student)
History - Tom Parry-Jones (PhD student)I went to school in Colchester, Essex, where I took A-Levels in English Literature, Maths, Chemistry, Physics and General Studies. Seeing the effects of the Iraq war from a garrison town was a political wake-up call, and I changed away from the natural sciences, coming to Cambridge in 2005 to read Social and Political Sciences at Magdalene College. While studying for my undergraduate degree, I…read moreHistory - Tom Parry-Jones (PhD student)
History - Tom Parry-Jones (PhD student)I went to school in Colchester, Essex, where I took A-Levels in English Literature, Maths, Chemistry, Physics and General Studies. Seeing the effects of the Iraq war from a garrison town was a political wake-up call, and I changed away from the natural sciences, coming to Cambridge in 2005 to read Social and Political Sciences at Magdalene College. While studying for my undergraduate degree, I…read moreRare glimpse of Cambridge life in 1945 released by British Film Council
Rare glimpse of Cambridge life in 1945 released by British Film CouncilRare historic footage of Cambridge life in the 1940s has been released for the first time by the British Film Council.One film, shot in 1945, shows life at Cambridge University, with students attending lectures, punting and reading on the Backs, as well as preparing for wartime fire drills and training with the Army, Navy and Home Guard. Despite the shadow of war, the film shows Cambridge as a…read moreSt John's Top 5: May Ball posters
St John's Top 5: May Ball postersWith May Week approaching it's the perfect opportunity to look back at some the best May Ball posters.Click on an image to make it larger.19741975197720042011read moreChoir sing from the rooftop for Ascension Day
Choir sing from the rooftop for Ascension DayChoral music echoed from the tower of St John’s College Chapel today, continuing a tradition that goes back over a hundred years.Crowds of people gathered in the College’s First Court to hear the choir sing the Ascension Day carol from the Chapel roof.Each year on Ascension Day, which celebrates the Christian belief in the Ascension of Jesus into heaven 40 days after his Resurrection at Easter,…read moreDouglas Adams Prizewinners Announced
Douglas Adams Prizewinners AnnouncedTwo St John's students have been awarded this year's Douglas Adams Prize, presented for a piece of humorous writing in the irreverent style of the late Johnian writer Douglas Adams, best known for creating the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. Postgraduates Jenny Judge and Julia Powles won the prize for their poem "The Cartesian Kennel" which can be read here. Fans of The Hitchhiker's…read moreCamerata Musica concert at the Divinity School this evening
Camerata Musica concert at the Divinity School this eveningA concert of 'Songs Sacred and Profane' will take place this evening in the Divinity School, St John's College, as part of the Camerata Musica 2013/14 Season.Performed by Lawrence Zazzo, countertenor, and Simon Lepper, pianist, the programme of music will feature a contrast of pieces ranging from Purcell’s moving Evening Hymn and Mussorgsky’s Three Songs, to the witty Cabaret Songs by William…read moreVideos from Biotech conference now available online
Videos from Biotech conference now available onlineVideos of Professor Chris Dobson’s discussions at a recent biotech conference held at St John’s have been made available to view online.The GapSummit conference, organised by Global Biotech Revolution, was hosted by the College in March 2014 and held in the Divinity School. Global Biotech Revolution (GBR) are a student-led foundation whose mission is to inspire young people interested in…read moreJohnians in Finance Networking Event
Johnians in Finance Networking EventBob Parker, a Johnian and industry expert who has been working in the sector for over 30 years, gave alumni his expert insights into investment and market trends at an event last week.The networking evening at Canary Wharf on May 15 was held for Johnians working in the financial services sector. During an entertaining talk, Mr Parker summarised his thoughts on traps and opportunities for their…read moreDr Reisner awarded the Harrison-Meldola Memorial Prize
Dr Reisner awarded the Harrison-Meldola Memorial PrizeDr Erwin Reisner, Fellow of St John's College, has been awarded the Harrison-Meldola Memorial Prize by the Royal Society of Chemistry.Dr Reisner, University Lecturer in Energy, Materials and Sustainability in the Department of Chemistry of the University of Cambridge, has been a Fellow and College Lecturer in Organic Chemistry at St. John's College since 2011. He is the director of the Christian…read moreThree Johnians become Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences
Three Johnians become Fellows of the Academy of Medical SciencesThree Johnians have been elected Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences in recognition of their outstanding contributions to medical research: Professor Nicholas Coleman, Professor Angus Lamond, and Professor Dudley Pennell.Professor Nicholas Coleman, Professor of Molecular Pathology, University of Cambridge, and Fellow of Downing College, came to St John’s in 1990 and received his PhD in…read moreHillary Hurd - (MPhil student) International Relations & Politics
Hillary Hurd - (MPhil student) International Relations & PoliticsA native Virginian, I did not know what to expect when I arrived in Cambridge last September to pursue a one-year MPhil in International Relations and Politics. While I had of course seen many beautiful photographs of Cambridge and been long impressed by the prestige of its revered alumni, I had little to no personal connection with the University. Given its long history and the formidable…read moreHistory - Benjamin Slingo (PhD student)
History - Benjamin Slingo (PhD student)I grew up in Buckinghamshire and went to Bedford School, where I took A-Levels in History, Latin, English Literature, and Chemistry. I read for an undergraduate degree in History at Peterhouse, Cambridge before moving to St John's in 2011 for my MPhil in Political Thought and Intellectual History. I am now in the second year of my PhD, which will explore the political theory of the Jesuits and…read moreDeborah Brown - (PhD student) Politics & International Studies
Deborah Brown - (PhD student) Politics & International StudiesPrior to joining John's as a PhD candidate in International Studies, Deborah spent ten years crossing the globe working in capital markets. She travelled and worked extensively with companies and governments in Latin America and Eastern Europe helping to execute transactions in the international capital markets. Although she very much enjoyed her job, it was always her dream to return to…read moreHistory – Adam Storring (PhD student)
History – Adam Storring (PhD student)Adam took A-levels in History, Latin and Politics before coming to St. John’s to read History in 2001. He graduated with a Double First in 2004, returning to St. John’s to do an MPhil in Historical Studies in 2006-7. After several years working mainly in the Civil Service, at the Department of Health and Department for Education, as well as some time doing development work abroad, he returned to…read moreHistory - Kenzie (Priscilla) Bok (PhD student)
History - Kenzie (Priscilla) Bok (PhD student)Kenzie grew up in Boston, USA, where she was very involved in local politics as a teenager. As an undergraduate at Harvard, she interned at Obama campaign headquarters and the White House and served as student president of Harvard’s Institute of Politics. But her academic passion was intellectual history, in which she wrote a prizewinning senior thesis. She graduated from…read morePongsiri Vorapongse - (PhD student) Politics & International Studies
Pongsiri Vorapongse - (PhD student) Politics & International StudiesPongsiri is a third-year PhD student in Politics & International Studies and a Gates Cambridge scholar. Prior to coming to St John’s, Pongsiri’s work experience included two years at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and a year at the Thai central bank. He received his M.A. in International Relations with distinction from Johns Hopkins-SAIS, Washington D.C., and B.A. in Economics…read moreNew research sheds light on origin of metabolism
New research sheds light on origin of metabolismThe chemical reactions behind metabolism – the processes that occur within all living organisms in order to sustain life – may have begun spontaneously in the early oceans, according to new research led by Dr Markus Ralser of St John’s College. This new finding suggests a sequence for the events thought to have led to the origin of life on Earth. In a study funded by the Wellcome Trust and the…read moreNew accessions: April 2014
New accessions: April 2014New in General Interest: General Interest Novels MCB Girl is a half-formed thing / Eimear McBride. Norwich : Galley Beggar Press Limited, 2013.Audio-VisualDVD ENG.dri.ref Drive/ a film by Nicolas Winding Refn. [s.l.] : Icon, 2011. DVD ENG.fro.buc Frozen [DVD]/ [directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee] ; [based on 'The snow queen' by Hans Christian Andersen]. [s.l.] : Disney, 2013. DVD ENG.ozt.rai…read moreFaithful Remembering - Commemoration of Benefactors Sermon 2014
Faithful Remembering - Commemoration of Benefactors Sermon 2014The Commemoration of Benefactor's Sermon, which took place on Sunday 4 May, is now available to listen to online.The sermon, given this year by The Rev’d Dr Teresa Morgan, is to remember and give thanks for all those who have given generously to the life of the College.Dr Morgan was a Title A Fellow of St. John's College 1994-1997, and is Nancy Bissell Turpin Fellow and Tutor in Ancient…read moreJohnian opera singer to perform at Pembroke
Johnian opera singer to perform at PembrokeOne of St John’s most celebrated musical alumni, countertenor Iestyn Davies, will perform pieces by Bach, Britten and Schubert in a concert at Pembroke College on Tuesday 6 May.Iestyn Davies came to St John’s College as a choral scholar in 1999, graduating with a BA in Archaeology and Anthropology in 2002. Since then, he has gone on to develop an international musical career and has been called “…read moreTwo Johnians elected to Royal Society Fellowship
Two Johnians elected to Royal Society FellowshipTwo Johnians were elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society on 30 April 2014: Dr Ewan Birney and Professor Sheena Radford.Dr Birney, Joint Associate Director and Senior Scientist of EMBL-European Bioinformatics Institute in Hinxton, came up to St John’s in 1996 and read for a PhD in Biological Sciences. Dr Birney has played a vital role in many large-scale genomics projects, particularly the…read moreSt John's Top 5: Lady Margaret Players
St John's Top 5: Lady Margaret PlayersThe Lady Margaret Players came into the spotlight in 1948 with their first production; Murder in the Cathedral. The playbills and posters below illustrate their varied repertoire.Click on an image to make it larger.The Lady Margaret PlayersMurder in the CathedralChrist's CometThe Zeal of Thy HouseJobs for the Boysread more