changinglives - Newnham College

summer 2010 issue 6changinglivesNewnham College Newsletter

Get intouchWe really want toreach out to ouralumnae –please sendus your newsand viewsroll@newn.cam.ac.uk

fromthelodgeA year ago we took the brave step of launching our Changing LivesCampaign notwithstanding the worst economic crisis the UK hadexperienced for decades. This decision was taken only after closeconsultation with our alumnae which reassured us that the women ofNewnham have a fifty year relationship with College and, even in suchturbulent times, would endorse our determination to secure the uniqueexperience from which we benefitted for future generations.Dame Patricia HodgsonIt has been an astonishing year; your generosity has been inspiring. In ourtelephone campaign nearly 71% of those we spoke to chose to donate –a record! Many of you have joined our annual fund, or increased existingdonations, demonstrating that together we can do more and that every gift,no matter the size, does make a difference.We have received many bigger gifts too, supporting various projects rangingfrom the creation of bursaries to travel grants to support for medics workingoverseas. Our Schools Liaison Officer’s outreach has already producedincreased school visits and we have just been given £200,000 to supportgraduate students. A new centre for financial history has been established;an initiative helping to put Newnham on the map in financial circles. FinallyQuentin Blake has donated a special drawing, which as you will see on page15 you can all share!Alumnae network activity continues to thrive and many of you are giving ourstudents career help and advice. We still have a way to go before we reachour target, but with your support we have started far more positively thanwe could have dared hope when facing such tough economic conditions –thank you.

amazingwomenDo you know an amazing woman you would like us to feature?Write to us at the Roll Office!Elizabeth Ransom (Gee, NC 1968)Deterred neither by the fitting for body armour nor the security briefing, I arrived inHelmand Province one night last June accompanying the Surgeon General for afive day tour of medical facilities aimed at confirming their resilience to face theforthcoming upsurge of military activity. We had very candid but also very positivediscussions with medical personnel, ranging from lab technicians, paramedics,nurses and ambulance drivers to the most specialised surgeons. Meeting thesededicated and skilled people, it was no surprise to learn of the exceptional survivalrates of seriously injured service personnel.The reason for my visit was to inform my work as non-executive director on theDefence Medical Services Board. As befits a Newnhamite, my two most enduringmemories are the Afghan Minister of Health affirming that his first priority was to improve medicalprovision for women (almost non-existent at present) and the bevy of little Afghan girls skipping homeafter school in Kabul. The squaddie providing our protection remarked “They wouldn’t be at school ifwe weren’t here”.Olwen Howard (Jenkins, NC 1955) – Pioneering student who read MusicI was only the second female undergraduate to read Music, and all mysupervisions were held outside Newnham. This meant a transition from the allfemaleatmosphere of a school for girls to the very masculine environment of anancient University. It was disconcerting, as a female, to be regarded with a certaindegree of indulgence – for example, expected to need to take the Acousticselement of the degree twice. In Newnham itself, the Raleigh Society attractedeager participants from most of the men’s colleges! But learning to hold my ownin a masculine environment was a skill which proved invaluable in my later workinglife, and the friendships I made at Newnham across all disciplines were invaluableand life enhancing.Suzy Menkes-Spanier OBE (Menkes, NC 1963) – Style Editor of theInternational Herald TribuneThe most exhilarating element of my job is its variety. I am known for reviews ofthe international collections, spelling out the alphabet of style from Armani,through Burberry, Chanel, Hermes and Missoni to Zegna. My work also involvesglobal travel: in 2008, I was in Mumbai, where the subject was ‘sustainability’ – aword not often linked to ever-changing fashion; and later in Berlin, discussing theimpact of technology on the industry. Although often seen as frivolous, to mefashion is an applied art and a mirror of changing times. From the sharp shouldersthat signalled feminists challenging a man’s world to the tunics and trousersreflecting Muslim women’s struggle to express themselves sartorially, my job is afascinating aspect of the history which I first learned in my Newnham years.

Teaching History Inside and Outside theAcademyAs an erstwhile graduate studentsearching for a dissertation topicI read an essay by JesseLemisch, calling for the writing ofhistory from “the bottomup.” My dissertation oncommon English soldiers inthe American Revolution,which became my firstbook, set me on a course torecover the pasts of other“inarticulate” groups anddefined me an earlypractitioner of Atlanticworld history. As aSoutherner schooled in aninstitution committed to theprinciples of racial equalityand social justice I naturallygravitated to the study ofslavery and the cultures ofthe enslaved.Sylvia Frey (Honorary Fellow; Professorial Fellow 1997–98)Since the publication ofWater from the Rock mywork has followed twopaths. Without abandoninghistorical research I have used itas an entry point to reachoutside of academia to a largerpublic. Through my membershipof the Board of Advisors fortelevision series such as Africansin America and Liberty I found anew, yet related, direction toextend historical research. Since2000 I have served as NationalCoordinator and a member ofthe International Task Force forUNESCO’s Transatlantic SlaveTrade Education Project, part ofa global effort to increaseunderstanding of the causesand consequences of theinternational slave trade,including modern forms ofracism and slavery. Aimed atbreaching racial, ethnic, nationaland international barriers throughintercultural dialogue, today theproject is organized in over100 countries. Working incollaboration with universities,museums, archives, and otherinstitutions and classroomteachers, the project hasproduced innovative teachingresource materials. What Ithought was to be a teachingexperience has turned out to befar more of a learning experiencefor me.Senior MembersLisa Saksida is a University SeniorLecturer and College Lecturer inExperimental Psychology, and hasbeen Director of Studies in NaturalSciences (Biological) since AnnMullinger retired in 2004. When sheis not teaching, Lisa spends hertime trying to understand the neuralmechanisms of cognition, both inhealthy populations and in thoseaffected by diseases such asdementia and schizophrenia. At themoment, she is part of amultidisciplinary team fromCambridge that has been awardedone of three strategic grants fundedunder the £17 million WellcomeTrust/MRC NeurodegenerativeDiseases Initiative to conductresearch into Alzheimer’s Disease.Lisa is also participating in one ofthe largest ever research academicindustrycollaboration projects,funded by the European Union’sInnovative Medicines Initiative, tofind new methods for thedevelopment of drugs forschizophrenia and depression.There are currently about tenresearchers working in the lab,including two Newnhamites, AlexaHorner (NC 2005) and Lousia Lyon(NC 1998).

Teaching Emergency Obstetric Skills in AfricaJane MacDougall (NC 1976), MD, FRCOG, MEdFellow and Director of Studies in Clinical Medicine;Consultant in Reproductive Medicine at Addenbrooke's HospitalIt was raining on our first morning. The rush hour wasmore chaotic than usual and the taxi driver took severaldetours deep into the Kibera slums: mud, roadside stallsselling everything and anything, tin shacks thatmasqueraded as homes. We had left behind a dampEnglish autumn in November 2009 and exchanged it fora cold wet Nairobi…Four of us (three obstetricians and one midwife) werebound for the Pumwani Maternity Hospital, responsiblefor 22,000 births a year and the third largest maternityunit in Africa. Kenya has a high maternal mortality rate;over 400 mothers in every 100,000 die in childbirth,compared with a UK figure of around 15 deaths in100,000 mothers. The perinatal mortality rate, includingstillbirths and neonatal deaths, is also high. Globally, thereis one maternal death every minute with over 99%occurring in resource poor countries.We were there as part of a World Health Organisation(WHO) funded project devised by the Liverpool School ofTropical Medicine in liaison with the Royal College ofObstetricians and Gynaecologists, aimed at delivering anEmergency Obstetric Skills training course to local healthcare workers. I am a national instructor for advancedobstetric skills in the UK, one of the reasons for myinvolvement in this project. The course focuses onmaternal and neonatal resuscitation, the management ofobstetric shock secondary to haemorraghe or sepsis andthe management of eclampsia – the main causes ofmaternal mortality in Africa. Avoiding obstructed labour,which can cause obstetric fistulae, is also discussed. Weused a combination of lectures, training DVDs,demonstrations, skills stations and workshops with plentyof interaction.Pumwani Maternity HospitalGlobally, there is onematernal death everyminute with over 99%occurring in resourcepoor countries.Teaching practical skills in Nakuru

newnhamspotlightAfterwards we had two days to train midwives and doctors to deliverthe course themselves, helping them do so to a new group thefollowing week. Although this was the first course taught in Kenyathe project is being taken to other African and Asian countries withhigh maternal mortality rates. Funding is linked to demonstrableoutcomes, and in particular to a reduction in infant and maternalmortality (the Millennium development goals 4 and 5).Local midwives teaching a smallgroup of colleaguesA postnatal ward in KenyaBed capacity issues on the postnatal wards at Pumwani are solvedby having at least two, and often three patients plus their babies perbed. No-one uses forceps or vacuum deliveries in the latter stages oflabour so the caesarean section rate is remarkably high and iscertainly higher than the WHO target rate of 15%. In Africa, puttinga scar on the uterus has major implications, leaving women at risk ofuterine scar rupture in future pregnancies with the associated fetaland maternal loss. One of our aims was to empower midwives to usethe vacuum extractor to deliver babies, avoiding caesarean section.Since we were there in November they are now using the vacuumand the stillbirth rate has reduced by 50%. Although it is too early toknow if this is a true reduction it does suggest that our teaching ishaving an impact, which is very exciting.Practicing obstetrics in a setting where resources are limited andyou need to rely on basic clinical skills provides good experience forUK clinicians used to the relatively generously funded NHS. Weused a new model for educational supervision that I am hoping toadapt for medical trainees in the UK and I met remarkable people,with experience, enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. RevisitingKenya with a different team in March 2010, I delivered the samecourse in Nakuru, working with some of the local faculty we hadtrained in Nairobi. It is encouraging that this cascade model oftraining seems to work well, providing local ownership of thecurriculum and reducing the need for external input. I came backeach time enthused and inspired, feeling that in a short space oftime we had perhaps been able to “make a difference”.

collegenewsFrom the Archivist: The Hope Mirrlees projectThe archives contain papers from past Newnhamstaff and students, as well as administrative,academic, social and photographic records stretchingback to the College’s foundation. Work on a digitalcatalogue is in progress. Sorting personal paperstakes up a great deal of time and has been madepossible by having archivist, Pat Ackerman, workingon a part-time basis for several years.In that time Pat has catalogued, in addition to theHarrison and Mirrlees collections, the papers ofwriter and painter Olive Cook (NC 1931). Havingcollaborated on many books with her husband,photographer Edwin Smith, Olive’s collection containswonderful examples of her collages and handmadecards. Pat has also catalogued the papers of theWallas family, a close-knit group made up of May(NC 1917) who was later a Fellow, her mother Ada(Radford, NC 1881) and her father, politicalpsychologist and educationist, Graham Wallas. Allthree were writers and the collection contains manyfamily letters as well as Ada’s First World War diaries.Jane Harrison (right) and Hope Mirrlees, Paris 1915In 2009 we were very pleased to take delivery ofthe papers of Hope Mirrlees (1887-1978), given toNewnham by Mirrlees’s literary executors. Mirrleeswas a novelist, biographer and poet who countedamong her friends and acquaintances VirginiaWoolf, T.S. Eliot and André Gide. Coming up toNewnham in 1910, Hope was taught by classicistJane Harrison (1850-1928) and the two becamefriends and remained close until Jane’s death.Harrison’s surviving papers (in the main a largecollection of letters to classicist Gilbert Murray) werealready in our archives and are the most heavilyconsulted collection we have. To be able tocomplement these with the Mirrlees catalogue,containing letters, photographs, travel diaries andpoetry manuscripts, is very exciting.This work would not have been possible without theKrieble Delmas Foundation in the US, The Guild ofFriends of Newnham and the Archive DevelopmentFund, made up of donations from those interested inNewnham, history,women’s education orthe archives – or anycombination of those!Anyone who has aNewnham historyquestion, would like tovisit the archives, orfind out how they cansupport futurecataloguing projectsis very welcome toget in touch: archives@newn.cam.ac.ukCollege Archivist AnneThomson (front) and PatAckerman

Festival Director Cathy Moore (Parry, NC 1979), bringsWordfest back to NewnhamNewnham hosted a series of literary events in April as part of itssecond collaboration with Cambridge Wordfest. Graduate TutorPam Hirsch discussed her literary biography The Constant Liberal:The Life and Work of Phyllis Bottome with Susan Sellars (pictured);Madeleine Bunting spoke about her new work The Plot; andPatricia Duncker (NC 1970) returned to speak about her newnovel, The Strange Case of the Composer and his Judge, alreadyhailed by some as her best work to date.Highlights from the Lodge Seminar SeriesNewnham’s successful Lodge Seminar Series continues, with talks given by Dr Catherine Sandler,Managing Director of Sandler Lanz, who used the Myers-Brigg Type Indicator to ask What is yourPersonality Type? and Janice Hadlow, Controller of BBC Two/BBC Vision, who gave a fascinatingtalk on Intelligent Television and why it matters.Over 100 guests from across the University came to hear David Willetts, then Shadow Minister forUniversities and Skills, speak on Are the Baby Boomers Betraying their Children…and What Futurefor our Universities? Stressing the importance of Universities to society, he discussed and answeredquestions on their prospects in the prevailing economic climate.How ancient Roman teens had it tough tooWe were delighted to welcome Professor Kathleen Coleman, Professor of Latinin the Department of the Classics at Harvard University, to give this year’s JaneHarrison Memorial Lecture. Speaking to a packed audience, Professor Colemandiscussed how literary, musical and athletic contests with special categories forchildren were imported from Greece to Rome, arguing that that pushy parentsand a competitive society driving youngsters to extremes to succeed is far froma modern phenomenon.Teaching and Education eventAs part of Newnham’s popular series of networking lunches, the first Teaching and Education eventwas a great success. Over 50 students and alumnae came to hear a range of speakers from differentsectors give sessions on routes into teaching and advancing a career in the education profession.

internationalnewsJoy-Shan Kung (Lam, NC 1989) reports on thePrincipal’s visit to Hong KongMore than twenty Newnham alumnae welcomed the Principal to Hong Kong in April. She began herthird official visit by attending a reception held by the Friends of Cambridge, where Professor AlisonRichard spoke for the last time in Hong Kong in her capacity as Vice-Chancellor. We were delighted tohold a lunch in Dame Patricia’s honour at the Helena May, where she updated alumnae and guests onCollege news and thanked them for their continued support.We enjoyed a lively conversation over lunch centred on thechanges in education funding and university admissions – andof course memories of undergraduate days!The East Asia Chapter which began officially three years agoon Dame Patricia's first official visit to Hong Kong now hasforty members in Hong Kong with an additional forty spreadall across China. If you live in the region, do get in touch:jslkung@gmail.comFiftieth Anniversary of Jane Goodall’s Work in Gombe2010 marks a milestone for the Jane Goodall Institute and itsfounder, Dr Jane Goodall DBE (NC 1961), a leadingprimatologist, conservationist and UN Messenger of Peace. Fiftyyears ago, Dr Goodall first arrived in what is now Tanzania tobegin her pioneering chimpanzee behavioural research atGombe, which has inspired a generation of scientists aroundthe world, producing a wealth of scientific discovery anddramatically changing the field of ethology. Today, the researchand conservation work carried out in Gombe is helping answersuch compelling questions as how certain diseases are spread,how to stop forest destruction, and how to improve the plight ofwomen in developing countries.Last year also saw the publication of Dr Goodall’slatest book, Hope for Animals and Their World: HowEndangered Species are Being Rescued from theBrink. At a time when animal species are becomingextinct at an accelerating pace, this new work offersan optimistic message of hope for animal speciesand natural environments throughout the world.For more information, pleasevisit: www.janegoodall.org

Research Fellow Dr D’Maris Coffman has reprised her award-winning course on the origins of financialcapitalism, entitled Bubbles, Manias and Market Failures from Tulips to Subprime for the University ofPennsylvania’s summer school. As a result of this collaboration, Dr Coffman has launched an exchangeprogram between the Centre for Italian Studies at the University of Pennsylvania Libraries, whichhouse the important Gondi-Medici collection, and the Centre for Financial History at Newnham.Heidi Egginton (NC 2008) is the winner of the 2010US Travel Bursary competition generously funded bythe US Committee to support her project on thehistory of collecting and museums, and will enjoyprivileged access to the Gondi-Medici manuscripts. Inexchange, Pennsylvanian student Claudia ScalaSchlessmann will receive advanced training infinancial history.Bye-Fellow Dr Wai Yi Feng visited Norway in April, hosted by Dr Bodil Kleve and Dr Edvin Svela, aspart of her work to build a collaborative network with Oslo University College and Oslo CathedralSchool. Funded by the Royal Society, her research comprises a five year project focusing onenhancing children's learning of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Dr Feng will bereturning to Norway regularly and she would love to meet any Newnhamites there, so please do get intouch with her via the Roll Office.Alumnae in Australia hold their first eventProfessorial Fellow Jenny Morton’s visit to South Australia was the catalyst for the first official alumnaegathering in Adelaide in March, generously hosted by Dr Victoria Jennings (NC 1995). Newnhamitesfrom as far as Queensland, Tasmania and New South Wales were treated to a presentation given byJenny on her work on Huntington’s disease and her current research project involving Australiansheep – much laughter ensued over dinneras Newnham-related names weresuggested for them!The Australian Newnham alumnae groupis planning further events in Brisbane,Sydney and Melbourne. All Newnhamitesare welcome and should contactMelissa Fisher (NC 1996) onmfisher@ninewentworth.com.au for details.

studentnewsBoat Club successThe Boat Club has enjoyed a great Lent Bumps2010 campaign. All three boats bumped on threeout of the four days, making Newnham the mostsuccessful club in the whole of Bumps!Newnham W1 bumped Selwyn W1, Churchill W1and Kings W1 to go up three places in the firstdivision - an impressive feat. Newnham W2bumped Clare Hall W1, Selwyn W2 and Sidney Sussex W2 and Newnham W3 bumpedPeterhouse W2, Christs W3 and Churchill W2, a notable achievement for one of only three 3rdboats.The Club has also been successful in securing sponsorship from three companies, a generousdonation from an alumna, as well as additional funds through the JCR equipment fund. This hasenabled NCBC to invest in new boats and blades, allowing the Club to build on its recentsuccesses and remain a force on the river for years to come.Arts Society wins Arts and Humanities ResearchCouncil grantThe Arts Society has been awarded £1,980 from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC),following their application to the AHRC's student-led Collaborative Research Training Scheme.After the success of the Society's journal Women and the Arts, the second issue, entitled Bodies ofWork, was launched in May. Consisting of a printed journal and an online counterpart, it is aninterdisciplinary collection of work from academics in the arts and sciences, graduate students, artspractitioners and writers in the wider community. Several of the journal’s contributors gave readingsfrom their work at the launch and were joined by Ali Smith (NC 1985), who read a number of shortstories from her collection The First Person and Other Stories.This year’s Telephone Campaign raised a total of£208,000 – thank you! Many of the callers receivedgenerous offers of internships and careers advice, withone medical student offered a ‘backstage’ visit toAddenbrooke’s hospital. In one case, the discussionturned to the hobby of Margaret Dougherty (Waghorn,NC 1955), with the wonderful result of her donatingone of her own paintings to the JCR.

CommemorationConcertMonica Buckland Hofstetter(NC 1983), Artistic Director ofOrchestras at the TU Dresden,returned to conduct students ina programme of ChamberMusic over Commemorationweekend. Highlights includedJacqueline Fontyn’s Pro- &Antiverb(e)s and AndreaClearfield’s A ReminiscenceSing. As with last year whenthey played Celestial Hymns by2010 Pulitzer Prize-winningJennifer Higdon, it was a thrillfor the students to be workingwith a conductor who is soaware of the best new music –and exciting that so much of itis by women!The Associates’ workshop on ‘Confidence and how to build it’attracted over forty undergraduates, with speakers talking abouttheir most toe-curling experiences and discussing how they dealtwith them! Their most recent workshop, ‘Getting work in toughtimes’, gave students up-front contact with leading career women.We are most grateful to the Associates for sharing their experienceand advice (visit www.newnhamassociates.org.uk for details).Newnham Athletes excelCongratulations to Laura Duke (NC 2008) andEmma Perkins (NC 2004), who participated in theannual Indoor Varsity Field events and relays matchunder the leadership of Lucy Spray (NC 2006),President of the University Athletics Club. In thewomen’s hammer competition, Laura broke theindividual record with a phenomenal throw of 45.31metres. She also won the shot and finished secondin the pole vault and long jump! Emma had asuccessful day winning the high, long and triplejumps respectively and breaking the individualrecord in the high jump with a leap of 1.69 metres.Members of the Newnham team (from left toright): Emma Perkins, Laura Duke, Lucy Spray andNatalie ArrowsmithNewnham entered a strong team into the College Cuppers competition in April, finishing in secondplace, just four points behind the winners, Selwyn. This was an excellent achievement for a teamwith only six athletes, with all members pulling together to cover as many events as possible to beatteams with significantly more competitors.

esearchnewsTunnel junctions and sustainabilityTo meet the growing sustainable energy challenge we clearly have tocut energy consumption drastically. Extremely low power computerscould not only save energy in themselves, they could also helpto implement intelligent energy management. With MagneticRandom Access Memory (MRAM), building low powercomputers is possible. Conventional RAM requires continualpower, which is why information is lost when a computerunexpectedly shuts down and why it takes time to boot up inthe first place. An MRAM computer, by contrast, would bootinstantly and would only consume power when busy.Nina-Juliane Steinke(Junior Research Fellow 2009 – 2012)Now, what has this to do with Physics? MRAM is based on small devices called tunnel junctions,which change resistance depending on the relative alignment of two magnetic layers. Thoughthe basic concept is beautifully simple, real devices contain around thirty layers which arefabricated with atomic precision. This process is difficult and hence expensive. MRAM does existbut only in small sizes (it finds, for instance, applications in Aerospace).I am investigating an alternative approach. It relies on a relativistic electron effect, known as spinorbitcoupling. Crucially, with it junctions only need one magnetic layer, which would simplifydevices dramatically because in conventional tunnel junctions most layers are needed to controlthe second magnetic one. My work uses polarised neutrons which probe the structure andmagnetism inside these new junctions, information which is otherwise very difficult to obtain. Ithen carry out electrical measurements to see how much the junction resistance changes.It is still early days, but using neutrons we have already found that a common heat treatment which isdesigned to improve the layer quality can reduce their magnetism. Through results like this we are able tooptimise devices, which will hopefully help us to get a little closer to a sustainable future.‘It's Only Proper Literature If You Can Read It In TheBath’: An Introduction to Digital NarrativityRose Hepworth’s engaging Pudding Seminar gave a brief overview of the field of electronic literature,from early text-based hypertext fictions to more recent multi-media narratives. Noting the reluctance ofmany critics to admit the potential worth of fiction that they couldn’t read in the bathtub, it questioned thesuitability of such an odd criterion for establishing literary merit…! The talk was followed by a stimulatingdiscussion about the material nature of texts, and what should count as literature now that increasingnumbers of writers are embracing the creative capacities of the internet as a new narrative medium.

oll&developmentThe Storming of Clough Gates by Quentin Blake:own a unique Limited Edition Print!We are delighted to announcean exciting donation – and it isone in which you can share!Professor Quentin Blake, a closefriend of Campaign BoardMember Gina Scheck (NC 1973),has generously given Newnhaman illustration which he haspainted especially to support theChanging Lives Campaign.The Storming of Clough Gates isinspired by the events of 20October 1921, when the questionas to whether women should beallowed to receive their degreesfrom the Vice-Chancellor in theSenate House was again put tothe vote. The decision wentagainst women and as M.E.Roberts wrote in the NewnhamAnthology, “When [the result] wasannounced…one of [the] elderlywarriors so far forgot himself as toutter inflammatory words urgingthe young men to proceed toNewnham College.” Upon arrivingoutside Old Hall, someundergraduates grabbed a coaltrolley which was used as “abattering-ram to smash down theClough Memorial Gates”.Another of the Anthology’scontributors recalled that“College temporarily resembled abeleaguered fortress…we heardlater on all sides that Miss Cloughfaced the situation and youngmen with great dignity and calm”.In Quentin’s painting, the crowdraces towards Pfeiffer Arch, an‘elderly warrior’ flailing at the rear.Beyond the gates the Principal,Blanche Athena Clough, facesthem – strong and brave butisolated. She is symbolic ofNewnham’s determination toensure that women would insist,quietly yet surely, on the right tobe treated equally.Quentin’s generosity enables usto offer you a uniqueopportunity. Throughthe production of 300limited edition prints(50 of which will bepersonally signed)you can enjoy thispowerful andengaging representation of anevent so important to the historyof women’s education and toNewnham. It would also make awonderful gift for children orgrandchildren who will be familiarwith Quentin’s drawings!We are planning the productionof notelets (using both thisillustration and the depictions ofDorothy Garrod and RosalindFranklin which Quentin includedon the 800th Anniversary mural)and would welcome your ideas asto other merchandise we mightproduce. An order form isenclosed on the back of theaddress sheet; please contactroll@newn.cam.ac.uk if yourequire another.All proceeds will go towards theChanging Lives Campaign andwe hope you will join us in thisspecial Campaign initiative. Wesend enormous thanks toQuentin for this wonderful gift.

oll&developmentTransformingTomorrow:The 800thAnniversaryFinaleExactly twelve months on fromthe start of the Anniversary Year,the celebrations came to a closewith a spectacular light-show.Designed by world-renownedlight artist Ross Ashton, itshowcased the breadth ofacademic work taking placewithin the University today,which has the potential totransform the future. Severalthousand spectators walkedfrom Senate House Yard intothe grounds of King’s College towitness the art projected ontothe Gibbs Building and King’sCollege Chapel.Jane Metter (NC 1980) kindlyhosted a dinner at her home toraise funds for subject days forschoolchildren, which form partof our Access Initiative.Alumnae were joined by writerIsabelle Grey (NC 1973) whogave a stimulating talk aboutcreativity.We are extremely grateful to allthose who so generouslysupported this exciting project asthey raised enough to fund foursubject days! Pupils interested instudying English; Archaeologyand Anglo-Saxon, Norse andCeltic; Philosophy and Politics,Psychology and Sociology; andGeography will visit Newnhamfor a day of workshops and talks.Inaugural Friends lectureHonorary Fellow Dame Fiona Reynolds (NC 1976), delivered the inauguralFriends Lecture to thank those who have donated £500 or more toNewnham in the last year. A pioneer as the first female Director General ofthe National Trust, Dame Fiona gave a fascinating talk on “The Place ofBeauty in the 21st Century”.Freshers’ Parents LunchCelebrating the strength of Newnham’s wider community, we were delighted to invite Freshers andtheir parents for lunch at the beginning of Lent term, giving families the chance to speak withacademics and to find out more about Newnham.

Commemoration 20101960s alumnae celebrate their fiftieth anniversaryThis year, we welcomed backalumnae from four year groups:1950, 1960, 1985 and 2000.Over forty 1960s alumnae met tocelebrate their fiftieth anniversary,generously raising £8,215between them towards a studentbursary. Saturday’s programmewas again full of events and over100 Newnhamites attendedCommemoration dinner in CloughHall. There follows two differentperspectives on the day…Miriam Margolyes (NC 1960)“Newnham opened the door of my life, so that I could walk through and become the best of myself.At a time when women were still having to fight to be taken seriously, meeting Germaine Greer andbeing involved in the Footlights and Marlowe productions enabled me to follow a career as anactress. My teachers, Jean Gooder and Queenie Leavis, enriched and disciplined my intellectual lifeand Old Hall gave me enduring friendships. It was incredibly moving to come back to Newnham forCommemoration to celebrate together fifty years since we all arrived as nervous freshers.”Sadia Khan (NC 1985)“Our reunion at Newnham was a milestone not to be missed: myfriends and I were enthused by the prospect of meeting againwithin the corridors that had brought us together twenty fiveyears ago. There were twenty alumnae from the class of 1985,and it was exhilarating to be able to instantly reconnect withsome I had not met in overtwo decades. My friend and Iwent knocking on doors ofrooms we had occupied overthe three years. One openedto our delight. As I saw thewindow of my first year room, Iremembered the first snowfallI had seen through thosepanes and along with thatcame a flood of memories.”Call for email addresses!To become moreenvironmentally-friendly andcost-effective, the Roll Officeis keen send out moremailings via email – so pleasemake sure that we have yourup-to-date email address!In February, Newnham hostedthe latest in its series ofNetworking Lunches forthose alumnae who studiedLaw, or who went on to workin the legal profession. Wewere thrilled that 80 alumnaeand students were able tojoin us for the occasion.

no better place in the world for a woman to studyChanging Lives is produced by theRoll and Development OfficeNewnham CollegeSidgwick AvenueCambridge, CB3 9DFroll@newn.cam.ac.ukThe paper used for Changing Lives is an environmentallyresponsible alternative to traditional virgin fibre. The paper,LumiSilk, is Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) fibre from well managedforests where internationally agreed strict environmental, socialand economic standards are adhered to as independentlyevidenced by its FSC Chain of Custody Certification.Photography: thanks to Debra HurfordBrown, Stills Photography, Mark Mniszko,Sir Cam, Michael Cameron, ClaudiaCatacchio, Keith Heppell, and David SHolloway.

eventscalendarKatharineWhitehornSian KevillForthcoming eventsUniversity Alumni Weekend 2010Newnham is proud to present two ofits most eminent alumnae to givethis year’s Conversation: KatharineWhitehorn (NC 1947), cutting edgeauthor and journalist and Sian Kevill(NC 1979), former Director of BBCWorld News.Dame Fiona Reynolds (NC 1976)will be giving the keynote speech atthis year’s Alumni Weekendfollowing the Vice-Chancellor’saddress, on the topic of Nature in the21st Century. Other NewnhamFellows will also be busy over theweekend: Dr Catherine Hills will bespeaking on The Changing View ofthe Anglo-Saxon Migration toEngland and Dr Emma Mawdsleywill lecture on Challenges andOpportunities for Foreign Aid andDevelopment.Full details of the programme areavailable online at:www.alumni.cam.ac.ukArchaeology and AnthropologygraduatesWe will be holding our firstArchaeology and AnthropologyNetworking Lunch in February2010. Please register your interestby emailing the Roll andDevelopment Office(roll@newn.cam.ac.uk) or call01223 335757. Invitations will besent out in the autumn.for an up-to-the-minute listing of events, please visit www.newn.cam.ac.uk2010–201110–12 September Open Cambridge Weekend25–26 September University Alumni Weekend, with Newnham reunionfor special years 1955, 1970, 1980, 199014 October ‘Rosalind Franklin – A Family View’: A talk given byJenifer Glynn16 October Benefactors’ Event20 October Formal Hall – Engineering, Chemical Engineering,Management Studies and Architecture23 October Festival of Ideas begins27 October Formal Hall – Classics, History of Art, Philosophyand Theology4 November Formal Hall – Economics, Land Economy,Mathematics and Computer Science7 November Yorkshire alumnae event at Monk Fryston Hall17 November Formal Hall – Natural Sciences (Physical), Historyand Philosophy of Science24 November Formal Hall – Archaeology and Anthropology andGeography28 November Music for the Festive Season15 January Freshers’ Parents Lunch26 February Archaeology and Anthropology Networking LunchPlease note: Formal Halls subject to confirmation end of June 2010Rosalind Franklin – A Family ViewJenifer Glynn (Franklin, NC 1948) will be coming to Newnham tospeak about the life and work of her celebrated sister, RosalindFranklin, on 14 October 2010. Further details will be available onthe website soon.Commemoration 2011Next year’s Commemoration will take place on Saturday, 9 April2011 and the special invitation years will be 1941, 1951, 1961,1986 and 2001. Invitations will be sent out in January.‘The Green Fly’ now on Newnham websiteHead Gardener Tony Arnold has resurrected the Green FlyNewsletter on the Newnham gardens, which can be found byvisiting: www.newn.cam.ac.uk/after-newnham/news-andpublications/the-green-flyA. W. Mellon Lectures – Washington DCProfessor Mary Beard will present the A.W. Mellon Lectures in theFine Arts series at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C inspring 2011. Further details will be available on the website oncethey are announced.