march 2009 - Fitzwilliam College - University of Cambridge

march 2009 82
Nathan Pitt
Conference organisers, whether reluctant academics
or seasoned professionals, list different priorities when
choosing a venue; much depends on the brief and on
their own personal preferences. However, there are
usually some prerequisites – an accessible location,
excellent facilities, great service and ambience –
which will help to make their event a memorable one.
Fitzwilliam ticks all of these boxes and this is why so
many of our Fellows and Alumni choose to bring their
conferences and other events to the College.
In December 2007, Professor Brian Johnson, Life
Fellow and former Master of Fitzwilliam, organised a
very special event to celebrate the 75th birthday of Sir
John Meurig Thomas and to honour his enormous
contribution to his field throughout the last 50 years.
Sir John, Professor of Solid-State Chemistry at the
Department of Materials Science, Cambridge, joined
with leading scientific figures from around the world
during the two-day symposium. More than 20 lectures
were delivered by prominent academics in the fields of
chemistry, physics and material science. Invited guests
included the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, and
her husband Dr Joachim Sauer – who managed to slip
in unnoticed by the UK and German press!
Fitzwilliam, well known for its tranquil surroundings
and proximity to the city centre, is an ideal location for
conference delegates and students alike. It certainly
proved ideal for Mrs Nicky Padfield, Fellow and
Director of Studies in Law: in 1990, she set up a
short Easter course for teachers of law in further
and secondary education institutions and it has
been an annual event ever since. However, this year’s
conference was Mrs Padfield’s last – she has now
handed over to Mr Richard Moules, recently-appointed
Fellow in Law and a graduate of the College.
In April, Professor David Glover, a Fellow of the
College who joined Fitzwilliam as an undergraduate
in 1966, celebrated his 60th birthday. Colleagues from
the Glover Laboratory in the Department of Genetics
organised a special reunion symposium for David,
Information
CONFERENCES AT FITZWILLIAM
Symposium for Professor Sir John Meurig Thomas
and chose Fitzwilliam’s state-of-the-art Auditorium as
the venue. Colleagues and over 80 students, past and
present, joined in the celebrations; they were regaled
with a mixture of anecdotes and nostalgia with
glimpses of exciting ongoing science. Lectures were
given by former members of David’s laboratory who
are now prominent professors at major universities in
England and Europe, including senior scientists at the
Institut Jacques Monod in Paris and the Gulbenkian
Institute in Lisbon.
The summer vacation period had its usual intensive
activity, as the site opened its doors to a variety of
business conferences, admission-related summer
schools and familiarisation visits. The Admissions
Department continues to make extensive use of the
College’s conference facilities throughout the year for
student open days and subject conferences for teachers,
as well as for outreach days to encourage candidates to
come to Cambridge. As Dr Rosemary Horrox, Fellow,
Director of Studies in History and Admissions Tutor
(Arts) commented:
In common with other modern colleges, Fitzwilliam has
to work that little bit harder at ‘selling’ ourselves to prospective
candidates and it is therefore essential that we show them what
the College has to offer. Our buildings and gardens – along with
the friendly and helpful people – send a strong message that
students will be happy here.
We were all saddened by the death of Dr Ray Kelly;
we will miss his great character and visits to the
Conference Office for a chat over coffee. Dr Kelly,
together with eight MML students from 1964, met
every summer in College. Nigel Hawker explains:
The reunions which re-started some 20 years ago continued
to broaden our horizons, and to deplete the College wine cellar!
Ray continued to dazzle us with his wit and astonishing
memory. I shall not forget the sight of my (Palestinian)
son-in-law’s jaw dropping when Ray addressed him in
Arabic, a language he had picked up during World War II.
The 1964 revellers will meet again, but it will never be the
same without Ray.
In August, IBOS Association, a global electronic
banking club, held a training course for its members.
Delegates from J P Morgan, KBC Bank, Unicredit,
HSBC and others attended the event, which focused on
electronic payments, cards, mobile payments, foreign
exchange and interest-rate management. Bob Lyddon
(MML, 1975–80), Managing Director of IBOS, provided
the Fitzwilliam link. He was supported by Caroline
Connor (MML, 1980–84), who ran the modules on
selling techniques and interpersonal skills. In a letter
to the Master, Professor Lethbridge, Mr Lyddon said:
The IBOS Summer Course at Fitzwilliam went off extremely
well from our point of view and from the delegate feedback.
Fitzwilliam staff, the organisation, facilities, food …. All
received top marks. Please pass on our thanks and appreciation
to all involved. I would be very surprised if the banks were not
willing to go for a repeat in 2009.