The Queen's College Newsletter - Trinity Term 2020

THE QUEEN’S COLLEGE
Contents
pages 2-3
Letter from the provost
Pages 4-5
QUEEN’S RESPONSE TO CORONAVIRUS
Pages 6-7 ADAPTING: TRINITY 2020
pages 8-10
NEWS IN BRIEF
Page 11
Consent or Why Saying is (not) Doing
pages 12–13 AN INTERVIEW WITH NICOLAS PASTERNAK SLATER
pages 14
Hydrogen as an Energy Source
Page 15
HAWKSMOOR DRAWINGS
back cover
calendar
PAGE 7
Cover photographs: an unusually deserted High Street, in April 2020 © David Olds (IT Manager)
and by night, in May 2020 © Suzanne Engelen (DPhil in Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, 2019).
Letter from the Provost
Dr Claire Craig
To say the year has been surprising would be, of course, an
understatement of the most British kind.
As a newcomer to Queen’s, back at the start of Michaelmas
term, I was going through a series of “firsts” like any other
Fresher. First meal in Hall, first time in Chapel in the Provost’s
stall with its red velvet cushions. First Governing Body meeting
and first set of Provost’s Handshakes, to meet the real Freshers.
First Provost’s Academic Collections, to discuss progress with
students and their tutors. First full suite of committee meetings
(the main committees are every Wednesday during term, for
those who are interested!). First Conference of Colleges to
meet the other Heads of House and realise
the full variety of college models and
characters. First handwritten letters from
Old Members around the world, and first
personal accounts of the College from the
1940s onwards. First College guest in the
Lodgings (the Visitor, the then Archbishop of
York, Dr John Sentamu and his wonderful
wife Margaret). First Boar’s Head Gaudy,
Loving Cup, and first Baked Alaska pudding.
First realisation that I needed to exercise
strong self-discipline around the cellar and
the desserts.
Then just as things were becoming familiar,
some of them changed completely. As many
of you will recall or experienced firsthand,
the College was initially affected by
the pandemic during Hilary term. Over a
period of days in March, staff, students and Fellows faced the
challenges and fears of the onset of COVID-19. As I reported
then, Queen’s had a confirmed case. Like the rest of the
world we were scrambling to respond and to adapt to each
Dr John Sentamu in the College Chapel
new development and to the evolving government advice.
Our approach, then as now, was to focus on what Queen’s is
here for: teaching, learning and researching – and to be safe.
We have tried to do that in ways that have been characteristic
of the best of Queen’s throughout time: resilient, brave and
kind, and I would like to pay particular tribute to the current
generations at the College for the ways in which they have
responded throughout.
The undergraduates completed Hilary term and, from the
Easter vacation onwards, the main site has been closed.
Many of the scouts, kitchen and other staff are on furlough,
and the High Street and Queen’s Lane are
eerily deserted. In homes across the UK
and abroad, however, tutors and lecturers
worked incredibly hard to move teaching
and assessment online for Trinity term.
They achieved this feat and the first ever
cohort of students will graduate virtually
this summer. It has been very difficult for
many, in practical and personal ways. The
uncertainty and new challenges will continue
during the Long Vacation as Queen’s and
the rest of Oxford plan for a wide range of
scenarios for Michaelmas 2020 and beyond.
We continue determined to provide the
best possible teaching and learning, with
tutorials – and the contact between students
and world-leading academics – as the core
of what makes Oxford special.
Queen’s is a strongly independent place, which is part of what
helps it provide space to think and time to learn. Its willingness
to stick to the course it believes is right both for current and
future generations is also reflected in its financial prudence.
2