News & events from Corpus Christi Cambridge
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Corpus Christi College | Lent 2022
New term – back to academic business
A message from Rachel Lawson, Fellow and Director of Development and Alumni Relations
The start of Lent Term has seen students arriving back in College with their usual (and sometimes unusual) paraphernalia making its way through Corpus’ gates (a Roman emperor plant pot was spotted amidst the usual baggage!). Teaching will be largely in person, and a range of musical, theatrical, social, and sporting events is scored in the calendar. Students are talking about upcoming collections, a memory that may well be vivid for many of you reading this newsletter. The student body is being served by a newly elected JCR and MCR committee and a May Ball is planned for 24 June. Continue reading.
JCR President Jamie Charles and Development Director Rachel Lawson
Meet the 2022 Student Representatives
JCR President Jamie Charles
Jamie is a second-year PBS student who was last year's Access Officer. She was a participant in the first Bridging Course.
"I intend to represent student interests and concerns to College, and introduce more access initiatives and support for students from diverse backgrounds. I am also working to finalise and ratify the JCR constitution so that it is fit for purpose moving forward."
MRC President Darius Kömutzky
Darius is a second-year PhD interested in the biochemistry of photosynthesis. Last year he served as Vice President.
"I’d like to continue the work of previous committees in creating an inclusive community at Leckhampton and the wider MCR. And secondly, I will use my voice to campaign for a sustainable Corpus Christi within the MCR community and in College Committees."
News from the Fellowship
PROFESSOR SIMON GODSILL
DR SHRUTI KAPILA
REVD DR ANDREW DAVISON
Warm congratulations to Professor Simon Godsill, who has been made a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, one of the most prestigious honours of the Institute.
"For contributions to statistical signal processing for tracking and audio restoration"
Shruti's book, Violent Fraternity, was described as "an innovative and original study of Indian political thought" by the chief foreign affairs commentator Gideon Rachman in the Financial Times' best new writing on politics.
Andrew worked with a team to secure funding from the Leverhulme Trust for the new Centre for Life in the Universe. He is particularly looking forward to "the public engagement and inter-religious dialogue to come out of the project".
DR ALEXIS JOANNIDES
Neurosurgeon Alexis was featured in a nail-biting episode of The BBC Two's ‘Surgeons: At the Edge of Life’. Alexis performed a delicate operation on a young man with an aggressive and life-threatening form of brain cancer.
DR SAM BEHJATI
Sam has been awarded the 2022 Balfour Lecture by the Genetics Society, in recognition of his outstanding research contributions to genetics. He will present the 2022 Balfour Lecture at a Society meeting sometime this year.
DR BARAK KUSHNER
Barak appeared on an episode of the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study Talks Podcast to discuss “What do war crimes trials in East Asia tell us about the history of justice? “ (Theme: Asia — Citizens and state relations).
Professor Mark Warner FRS
(26 January 1952 - 24 December 2021)
It is with great sadness that we report the death of Life Fellow Mark Warner after a long illness. Mark’s contributions to this College were profound and lasting.
News from the Alumni
University Challenge Team puts on a good show
The Corpus alumni team that competed on Christmas eve produced a creditable score (as you would expect) but was it enough to beat St Anne's Oxford? If you missed the quiz over the holidays, you can watch distinguished alumni Hazel Moore (m1987), Helen Oyeyemi (m2003), Robert McCrum (m1972) and Philippe Sands (m1979) on BBC iPlayer.
From the Alumni & Development Office
Marlies van Wijk
Senior Development Manager
"If you get a call from one of our current students in March, please make their day and pick up the phone — they would love to talk with you".
Telephone Campaign
In December 2021 we ran our first mini-telephone campaign since September 2019. A team of five students called alumni in North America and the UK, raising a total of over £40,000.
We would like to thank everyone who so generously made a gift during the campaign.
The telephone campaign raises up to half of our Alumni Fund total to support all aspects of student life across College. Once again we will have a team of students calling in March, and they are looking forward to speaking with alumni about their memories of Corpus, their career and academic endeavours since graduating.
Upcoming events
May Ball 'Arcadia' - Save the Date
The 2022 May Ball Committee are officially inviting you to the College's biggest summer event. Our theme this year is Arcadia - think Bridgerton, enchanted garden, a fairy tale… we want you to have your very own happily ever after!
The dress code is Black or White tie (sports blazers are not permitted) and will be strictly enforced.
Tickets for alumni are: £150pp (2021 grads) and £170 pp (all other alumni). Queue jump is an additional £25.
For 2021 graduates: Tickets will be available from 09.00 on 2 February. The alumni office will be in touch with a code. For other alumni: Tickets will be released the following week - keep your eye out for more information coming soon!
Alumni to perform at Fellows' Guest Night
We are looking forward to the performance of alumni Alastair Watson (m1974) and David Nunn (m2015) at the Fellows' Guest Night on 19 March. The duo will present a short recital in Chapel of music for clarinet and piano. The programme will include Finzi’s magnificent Five Bagatelles alongside a world premiere of Nunn’s Capel Suite.
David says, "My music seeks to foreground a sense of place as an integral part of a musical experience. Gerald Finzi (1901-56) was a British composer who also felt strongly that music should connect to the place where it was written, and so his beautiful and pastoral Five Bagatelles (written in 1945) will be a fitting counterpart to Capel Suite."
"Alastair and I are very much looking forward to performing in our alma mater, and hope that you will join us for the concert."
- David Nunn
Upcoming Boat Club Action
Captain of Boats Katie Barker (PhD Pharmacology) says, "We had to cancel our planned training trip to Portugal until next year, but we're hoping to arrange some sort of training weekend instead. Meanwhile, We've got a couple of races coming up - mainly Newnham Head (5 February) and the Pembroke Regatta (19 February).
It looks like Lent Bumps (Tuesday 1 to Saturday 5 March) will be going ahead in some form or another - the details haven't been finalised yet, but we're hoping to seed 5-6 crews this term!"
Follow the Boat Club on Instagram @cccbc1828
Saturday 12 March 2022: Nicholas Bacon Law Society 50th Anniversary Dinner
Saturday 19 March 2022: Fellows' Guest Night
Saturday 2 April 2022: Beldam Dinner (1994-98 matrics) Please get in touch to be added to the wait list
Saturday 21 May 2022: Fellows' Guest Night
Keep in touch with fellow Corpuscles!
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