2013 Annual Report - Jesus College - University of Cambridge

SOCIETIES I Jesus College Annual Report 2013 113
we are sure that future generations of Jesuans will continue to benefit from the
instruments installed at Jesus for many years to come.
Our thanks go to the many students who have contributed so much to the musical life
of the College over the past twelve months; to the Master, Fellows and Staff who have
supported the activities of the Society throughout the year with great enthusiasm;
and to the JCMS Committee members for their hard work and commitment to ensuring
the success of all of the activities of the Society.
Louisa Dawes & Gareth Thomas
Graduate Conference
At the conclusion of Lent term, the Jesus College graduate students simply wanted to . . . learn a heap
about stuff they’d never heard of.
The Jesus College Graduate Conference was in its sixth year this year. The Conference
is organised by the MCR for the MCR and the broader Jesus College community,
including undergraduates, fellows, alumni and benefactors.
The conference is the main academic event on the MCR calendar. Essentially, it is an
opportunity for grads to talk about what they study. Surprisingly, such opportunities to
talk about research in detail are not overly common. At the conference, however, the
normal Cambridge dialogue concerning the weather, heating problems, noisy
housemates, formal dinners, early morning rowing and the like is forgotten, and
instead, talk of theories, papers, theses, lab work, evidence and research proposals is
the order of the day.
This year’s conference was held on the Saturday following the end of Lent Term,
the day after the Benefactors’ feast. It was a fantastic way to end the term. Students,
fellows, alumni and benefactors were able to listen to talks, admire posters, ask
questions, share their own knowledge, and learn.
Following past practice, the conference consisted of two speech sessions and a poster
presentation in between. Most of the participating students presented their research in
the poster presentation. The day concluded with a champagne reception in the Master’s
lodge, followed by a guest speech and dinner in a beautifully laid out Formal Hall.
We were extremely lucky to have Professor John Loughlin attend the conference as
guest speaker. Professor Loughlin delivered a speech entitled “The Hybrid State: Policy and
Politics in the 21st Century”. Professor Loughlin is a Senior Fellow and Affiliated Lecturer in
the Department of Politics and International Studies at the University of Cambridge.
His speech focused on the nation-state as it exists today, and whether it is disappearing
or surviving. His thesis, that through globalisation and Europeanisation, a hybrid state
has emerged, very much piqued the interest of the cosmopolitan audience.
Graduate student participation in the conference was undeniably impressive. Over 35
students presented. When the conference was advertised and presenters sought, the
graduates responded with abandon. No one’s research was too paltry. No one’s research
was too complicated to convey to a lay audience. No one’s research was too preliminary
to exhibit. This led inexorably to a well-balanced and diverse showcase of the research
undertaken at Jesus College.
So what did we learn? The weirdness of quantum physics. The merits of the Khmer
Rouge Tribunal. Bacterial suicide systems. The dialogue between theology and science.
Private education of government funded students. Suitability of aliens to their putative
habitats. A 12th century manuscript about the history of the Abbey of Ely. DNA origami.
How planets form. Sustainability of urban rail. Dams in India and China. What happens