march 2009 - Fitzwilliam College - University of Cambridge

1998) gave a philosophical talk How far can you go?
Reflection(s) on the iterative hierarchy. To complete
the afternoon, Dr Peter Neumann from Oxford
University – whose father, Professor Bernhard
Neumann, completed a PhD at Fitzwilliam in
1935 – gave a provocative talk Challenging Cambridge
Mathematics.
After all this mental stimulation, some physical
exertion was in order. We walked the short distance
down Storey’s Way to the Centre for Mathematical
Sciences. Fitzwilliam can now boast to be the secondclosest
college to the Mathematics Department. We
made a tour of this very impressive building, which
was designed by Edward Cullinan, the architect behind
the new Fitzwilliam library. Our tour included a rainy
break on the grass roof and we all returned a little
damp to Fitzwilliam College. However a tasty meal
awaited us and a lively evening followed.
After the meal, Professor John Willis launched
the Fitzwilliam Mathematics Subject Fund. Many
subjects at Fitzwilliam College already have an
established fund which provides financial help to
students in those subjects. We would like the
mathematicians to have such a resource to call on. In
the main the fund would be used to help Mathematics
students to purchase books or a computer or, for
postgraduates in particular, to fund the opportunity
to travel. The Fellows in Mathematics sincerely thank
those who have contributed already to the Mathematics
Subject Fund. If you would also like to contribute, and
help the Mathematics students of the future, please
contact the Development Office in College for details.
Finally, we thank everyone who attended the first
Fitzwilliam Mathematics Reunion and made it such
an enjoyable event. We very much hope to make this a
regular feature on the Fitzwilliam Calendar. Look out
for a future date, probably in the 2010–11 academic
year. We look forward to seeing you there.
RACHEL CAMINA
LONDON DINNER
The London Dinner was held on 9 May 2008. The
numbers were slightly down on recent years, which
some attributed to the experiment of a Friday evening
which it was hoped would attract younger members. An
analysis of the attendance lists for recent years showed
fewer of that target group attended in 2008 and so in
2009 the dinner will revert to a Thursday evening:
Thursday 30 April.
As always, the Tallow Chandlers’ Hall provided an
excellent setting, and the fine evening enabled us to
hold the reception in the courtyard. Sadly, the Dinner
Secretary, Ken Dearsley, could not be with us because
he is now in the Middle East but his menu selection
proved excellent and again we especially enjoyed the
Château St Jacques d’Albas, generously supplied from
the vineyard of Graham Nutter (Geography 1966).
The year’s President, Dinesh Dhamija (Law 1971)
entertained us with a wide-ranging speech that
included the need to grow Fitzwilliam’s meagre
endowment, the value of sportsmen as leaders, savvy
business advice from one who has succeeded in that
field and a conclusion about the speed of thought.
As is customary, he concluded with the toast to the
College. The Junior President of the JMA, Harriet
Bradshaw responded with an amusing discourse on
her internet research into billygoats which, we learnt,
were held responsible for whispering rude things in
the ears of saints. Thankfully, billygoats were also
attributed with strength, determination, pride and
loyalty and Harriet recounted a few of the last year’s
successes to show that those qualities live on.
The Master observed that while the Friday
experiment had failed, he was grateful that there
was a corps of members who would attend on any day,
at any time and in any location – but that thankfully
they never remembered his speech. He listed the
College’s achievements of the past year in its academic
improvement, in securing the Chaplaincy in perpetuity,
in sport and in music. Emphasising that Cambridge
remains very competitive, he was nevertheless
constantly amazed by the drive and dynamism of
Fitzwilliam students. Nor was the College resting.
The building of the new Library had just started and
the College was now preparing a strategic plan for
the future.
So ended a most successful evening, although
there was yet an unexpected odyssey for some. The
Cambridge coach driver had had some difficulty
navigating the College party to the Tallow Chandlers’ –
and their collection proved too challenging. With no
coach appearing and the last train beckoning, the
Master and Bursar were obliged to lead an expedition
to Liverpool Street, where thankfully one member of
the party had the credit card to purchase the necessary
twenty tickets. There will be a new coach contractor
for 2009!
IAIN REID
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