catzeye (tt 2012) [f] layout 1edited by nathan jones cover image: the college gardens and bernard...

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Master’s IntroductionWelcome to the Trinity Term 2012 edition ofCatzEye...

Master’s Introduction / 02

College LifeMeera Syal / 03The Wallace Watson Award / 03The UK’s Most Multilingual Student / 04Year of Success for Catz Hockey / 04Indian Visiting Students / 04St Catherine’s, Oxford: A Pen Portrait Published / 05London Party and Family Day / 05Oxford’s First Criminal Law Moot / 06The MCR Report / 06The Boat Race / 06The JCR Report / 07The JCR Visiting Students Rep / 07

Catz FellowsProfessor Alain Goriely / 08Professor Richard Parish / 08Dr Justine Pila / 08

Alumni NewsMark Simpson (2008, Music) / 09Anita Mehta (1978, Physics) / 09Tony Henfrey (1963, Chemistry) / 09Alumni News in Brief / 10Catz Family News / 10Alumni Publications / 10Joseph Dancey (1995, PPE) / 11

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The Development OfficeST CATHERINE’S COLLEGEManor RoadOxford OX1 3UJTelephone: +44 (0)1865 271 760Email: [email protected]: www.stcatz.ox.ac.uk

Edited by Nathan Jones

Cover image: The College Gardens and BernardSunley Building looking stunning in the sun. Photo by Charlotte Clark (2010, English).

CatzEye thanks and acknowledges thefollowing for their kind permission to reproducephotographs: Keith Barnes, Guy Bell, NathanJones, Re-cycle, Third Millennium InformationLtd., Alain Goriely, Elisabeth Blanchet forMaking Music USE

I am delighted to be able to introduce you to the firstedition of CatzEye to be published in our fiftiethanniversary year, and particularly pleased to be ableto enclose your invitation to the showpiece of ouranniversary events – the Anniversary Weekend (7-9September 2012).

2012 is proving to be a remarkable year which hasgiven us the fascinating opportunity to delve into ourCollege Archive. We found it especially moving touncover the opening remarks of the 1963 edition ofThe Wheel, a student publication:

‘St Catherine’s College is no longer a planner’s dream; the lines have becomebricks and mortar. Nevertheless, the most important question, ‘what sort of aplace is it?’ has yet to be answered. The character of St Catherine’s is in astate of flux. Much can be done inside this mystical conception of a college toenliven it. The forthcoming years will see whether this is possible’.

Fifty years later, it is impossible to imagine St Catherine’s ‘in a state of flux’, forthroughout our relatively short history we have become a College distinctive forour vibrancy and dynamism, as this edition of CatzEye will testify. As well ascelebrating the events of 1962, this year is also an important opportunity for usto look back on the rich heritage we have inherited from our Societypredecessors. Paying tribute to that heritage represents an important additionto our new book, St Catherine’s, Oxford: A Pen Portrait, which we are delightedto announce is now available. Please complete and return the enclosed Form toorder your copy.

In particular, achievements in Modern Languages have demonstrated the powerof the tutorial system to truly engage student and Fellow alike. UndergraduateAlex Rawlings was named the UK’s most multilingual student for his ability tospeak a staggering eleven languages, while Tutor in French Richard Parish waspromoted to a Commandeur dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques.

Despite having been Master for ten years I am always amazed, though rarelysurprised, to hear of the ways in which our alumni use their creative talents toenrich society at large. Mark Simpson has been commissioned by the BBC towrite the opening fanfare for the Last Night of the Proms. Anita Mehta isseeking to strengthen ties between scientists in India and America as a ScienceAmbassador, widening knowledge internationally. Joseph Dancey is playing aprominent role in organising this year’s Olympic Games, and gives us afascinating insight into another event with which this momentous year hasbecome synonymous!

2012 is our opportunity to celebrate everything the College and its talentedcommunity of students, Fellows, alumni and friends have achieved throughoutour history. Although that community’s character is no longer ‘in flux’, it iscontinually being enriched. The arrival of three Visiting Students from India,whose places are being funded through a generous benefaction from Giles Keating, is a reminder that St Catherine’s will always be a place wherediversity and academic excellence are championed.

I very much hope that the second half of this year will be as memorable forus as the first, and that I shall have the opportunity of celebrating with youin September. ■


3College Life

Meera Syal in FinalAppearance as CameronMackintosh VisitingProfessor of ContemporaryTheatreThis Trinity Term, Meera Syal MBE returned to asunny Oxford to deliver her final lecture as theoutgoing Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professor,accompanied by director Iqbal Khan. Her title‘Much Ado About Something’ gave her theopportunity to speak about her role as Beatrice inthe Royal Shakespeare Company’s upcomingproduction of Much Ado About Nothing. Set inmodern India, the production is part of the WorldShakespeare Festival 2012, and will open inStratford-upon-Avon in July before transferring tothe West End’s Noel Coward Theatre inSeptember.

To illustrate the work that she will be embarkingupon, she invited Iqbal Khan to stage a shortworkshop with some keen student thespians.Together they took their audience through thestylistic turning points of this ‘broken-backedplay’, line-by-line. Iqbal used the workshop tohighlight the ‘economy of Shakespeare’s genius’,stressing the multitude of twists of emphasis,imagery and even genre which could occur frommoment to moment.

Among those students selected to take part wereactors who will be taking their own production of

Much Ado About Nothing to London, Stratford,Guildford and Tokyo this summer as part of theOxford University Dramatic Society/Thelma HoltInternational Tour. ■

David Ralf (2008, English)

Wallace Watson AwardWinner AnnouncedJames Black (2011, Medicine) was namedwinner of this year’s Wallace Watson Award. He plans to undertake an expedition acrossScotland, ‘discovering Great Britain’s truewilderness in the footsteps of Sir Hugh Munro’.James, the first Award winner to travel withinthe UK, is looking forward to exploring theisolation for which the Highlands is famed, andto proving that ‘one doesn’t have to travel tothe far corners of the earth to find beauty’.

James was announced as the winner at theWallace Watson Award Lecture, delivered inMarch by last year’s winner, Thomas Mallon(2009, English). An account of Thom’s trek

through Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam in thefootsteps of his wartime POW grandfather willappear in The Year. ■

K James Black (right) withTeddy Watson

The RSC havekindly given us 2tickets to Much

Ado About

Nothing for theevening ofThursday 30August. Completeand return thisedition’s termlycrossword byFriday 3 August foryour chance to seethis excitingproduction!

K Meera Syal and Iqbal Khan interacting with students duringtheir workshop covering a scene from Much Ado About Nothing.Photo by Guy Bell, www.gbphotos.com


J Alex Rawlings, the UK’smost multilingual student

Catz Undergraduate is UK’sMost Multilingual StudentAlex Rawlings (2010, Modern Languages) hasbeen named the UK's most multilingual student,in a competition conducted by publishersHarperCollins and Livemocha, the world's largestonline language-learning community.

Alex's ability to speak eleven languages - English,Greek, German, Spanish, Russian, Dutch,Afrikaans, French, Hebrew, Catalan and Italian -impressed competition judges.

Alex, who is currently spending his year abroad inRussia, was asked to demonstrate his elevenlanguages for a BBC feature. He described howhe had picked up Greek at an early age fromlistening to his half-Greek mother, and detailed along-standing fascination with languages, all ofwhich, he claimed, ‘have a different personality’.

'I am really thrilled to have won this prize; it's areal honour', said Alex. 'Studying languages atCatz has only furthered my passion for learning.That we have a College Library full of modernlanguage books, and a really supportive andinspirational team of tutors, is additionally helpfulin developing my languages'. ■

Year of Success for CatzHockeyThe Catz Men's Hockey Team finished the 2011-2012 season on a high after winning allcompetitions entered: the Premier League;Cuppers; and, together with the Women's Team,Mixed Cuppers.

‘In providing

these students

with all the

advantages of

an Oxford

education, we

hope that they

will return to

India equipped

and prepared to

serve their

communities’.

Roger AinsworthThe Master

League victory was attributed to a committedsquad, with the omnipresent Ben Rinck (2009,Human Sciences) and Sebastian Povlsen (2011,Medicine) forming a strong defensive partnership.Cuppers allowed the team to showcase Universityplayers Ben Thomas (2011, Engineering) andJames Arch (2011, Physics), the latter’s hat trickmaking a considerable contribution to a 6-1demolition of Jesus in the final.

Mixed Cuppers saw equally dramatic success.Late goals clinched the tournament, with specialmention reserved for expert goalkeeping byFrederica Onslow (2011, Chemistry), and a last-minute goal from Captain Christopher Lambert(2010, English Language and Literature) clinchinga 4-3 victory over Teddy Hall. ■

Catz Welcomes IndianVisiting StudentsTrinity Term saw the arrival of three VisitingStudents from India, whose places were fundedthrough a scholarship established by Giles Keating(1973, PPE). All from Mumbai, the students are‘thoroughly enjoying the opportunity for practicalindependent study’. Vishakha, who joins us fromMumbai’s College of Commerce and Economics, isexamining financial markets, while bolstering hercreative writing through membership of theUniversity’s Poetry society. Joshua, from StXavier’s College, told CatzEye he was enjoying‘the highly-personalised teaching’ provided inOxford’s laboratories, while Mugdha, also from StXavier’s, is researching neuroscience and genetics.

The Master, Roger Ainsworth, explained that ‘inproviding these students with all the advantagesof an Oxford education, we hope that they willreturn to India equipped and prepared to servetheir communities. We are deeply grateful for thisgift which will enable us to continue to uphold thevision of our Founders’. ■

K New arrivals, from left toright, Vishakha, Joshua, andMugdha


5College Life

St Catherine’s, Oxford: A Pen Portrait PublishedWe are delighted to announce the publication of StCatherine’s, Oxford: A Pen Portrait, acommemorative title published to celebrate ourfiftieth anniversary. The printing process has begunin earnest, and completed copies of the book arecurrently being dispatched to subscribers.

A rich compilation of images and first-handaccounts, the book starts with the beginnings ofthe Society in the nineteenth century, and depictsthe College from its foundation – the result ofAlan Bullock’s vision and embodied in ArneJacobsen’s architectural masterpiece – to itscurrent role as a prominent and distinguished partof Oxford University. Voices of St Catherine’smembers and friends past and present have beendrawn together to tell the fascinating story notonly of Catz at fifty, but also of a vigorous pre-history that will be new to many readers.

The Master, Roger Ainsworth, said: ‘we wouldlike to extend an enormous thanks to the morethan 1,000 subscribers who made the book’spublication possible by purchasing a copy inadvance of its release. We are grateful for theirpatience, and are confident that they will be asdelighted as we are with this beautiful book’. ■

Celebrating Fifty Years: The London Party andFamily DayThe College was delighted to organise two specialevents earlier this year to mark our fiftiethanniversary. In May, over 140 alumni joined theMaster and Her Excellency Anne HedenstedSteffensen, the Danish Ambassador, at the DanishEmbassy in London for a drinks reception. TheEmbassy was designed by the College’s architect,Arne Jacobsen, and so represented a fittinglocation for an anniversary celebration.Accompanying music was provided by the AlbanyPiano Trio, who had been kindly sponsored byFrancis (1986, Mathematics) and Caron Fernandes.Warm weather allowed guests to spill out ontothe balcony of the Ambassador’s Residence toenjoy exceptional views of London.

Meanwhile, in June, we were delighted towelcome more than 50 alumni and their familiesback to College for our very first Family Day. Face-painters, jugglers and stilt-walkers transformed

L Printing of St Catherine’s, Oxford: A Pen Portrait beginningin earnest

the College, with entertainment provided bymagicians and story-telling by alumna MG Harris(1984, Biochemistry), author of the hit series,The Joshua Files. Oxford’s acapella group, Out ofthe Blue, gave a lively performance, while CollegeEnigmatist Chris Maslanka (1973, Physics)devised a cryptic Treasure Hunt which captivatedchildren and adults alike! ■

To order your copyof the book, pleasecomplete andreturn theenclosed Form.

J A stilt-walker takespart in Out of the Blue’sFamily Day performance

L Guests at the LondonParty, hosted at theDanish Embassy, enjoyinga musical performance inthe Ambassador’sResidence


‘A Social Community’: The MCR ReportCatz MCR has continued to build upon its vibrantcommunity this term. We have developed ourgaming skills with MCR Games Night, where wedust off those family board games, bring thesofas together and have some good, old-fashioned fun. The new Playstation 3 has provenexcellent value, with a particular favourite being'SingStar', which drags our MCR wannabesuperstars out of the closet every Friday, givingthem a chance to showcase their excellentsinging skills and seemingly endless lung capacity.Our greatest games success has most definitelybeen in Croquet Cuppers – we have already wontwo matches and are ready for more success!

We have also been forging strong relationshipswith other Colleges. Following the wonderfullysuccessful Catz and St Anne's Ski Trip organisedby Mark Curtis (2010, Mathematics) and TaraMills (2009, Medicine), we have arranged acharity football tournament, Cocktail Evening andBar Crawl with St Anne's, and we look forward tothis relationship blossoming further. In addition tothis, the MCR has arranged exchanges with StPeter's, New, Lady Margaret Hall and St Antony's;all of which never fail to bring in complimentsregarding the welcoming and social atmosphereof the College, as well as its excellent food!

As Co-Presidents, we are very thankful for thededication and guidance of former Presidents,James Anderson (2010, Statistics) and MarkCurtis, and are very proud to contribute tomaking Catz MCR not only one of the most activein Oxford, but also a social community offriendships which will last, without a doubt,throughout and beyond our time at Oxford! ■

Renzo Corrias (2011, Economics) and LindaGeaves (2010, Geography and the Environment),MCR Co-Presidents 2011-12.

Zoe De Toledo (2010,Criminology) Coxes theDramatic 2012 OxfordCambridge Boat Race‘Throughout our rigorous seven-month trainingprogramme, we talked extensively about racestrategy, tactics and about how to deal with theunexpected. Unfortunately, we had no idea about

K MCR Co-Presidents RenzoCorrias and Linda Geaves

L The first and second placeteams with College LawSociety President, OliviaHiggs, (left, centre) andMaster of Moots, NicholasKamlish, (right, centre)

St Catherine’s HostsOxford’s First Criminal LawMoot The inaugural St Catherine's College MootingCompetition took place this Trinity Term. Themoot, in which opposing counsels debate a legalissue, was judged by Catz alumnus His HonourJudge David Waksman QC (1979, Law).

The moot, organised by Catz Law SocietyPresident Olivia Higgs (2010, Law) and its Masterof Moots, Nicholas Kamlish (2011, Law),encompassed a wide array of legal problems, withtopics varying from medical negligence to arsonand the misuse of drugs.

Olivia said that ‘we are very grateful to JudgeWaksman for judging the final and providing uswith a highly insightful discussion on Life at theBar’, while Nicholas called the competition‘enormously enjoyable to host’. He told CatzEyethat the College Law Society ‘will look forward toholding it again next year, with plans to establisha mooting league’. ■


7College Life

what would hit us when we took to the water onApril 7.

Despite a straightforward beginning, what will beremembered of the 2012 Boat Race happened justafter Chiswick Eyot. Forty-five minutes after theRace started, we limped over the finish line.

I will note the single most important thing I tookaway from my Boat Race experience – themeaning of the word ‘team’. As clichéd as it maysound, the support of my crewmates is what hasheld me together. They have stood by me, and forthat I will always be grateful’. ■

L JCR President BensonEgwuonwu

I Hall being laid forNovember’s ThanksgivingDinner, hosted by theMaster

L Zoe De Toledo

‘Sociability, Enthusiasmand Talent’: The JCR ReportOver the past year, I've come to deeply appreciatethe community spirit which embodies Catz. Thesheer variety of activities that students are involvedin signifies an abundance of sociability, enthusiasmand talent. In our fiftieth year, I am pleased toreflect that I am by no means the first JCR Presidentto be able to survey a year of College life with asense of immense pleasure.

Catz's participation in the arts has flourished. TheFreshers threw themselves into the University dramascene with zeal. The Breakfast Club reached theDrama Cuppers final. The newly-formed PoetrySociety has stimulated eager discussion. Our OpenMic Nights continue to showcase an eclectic range

of musical talent, including instrumentalists,vocalists, spoken word artists and dancers. This yearalso saw the restoration of the Catz Orchestra byNathan Klein (2011, Music), which made itsriveting début at the 2012 Summer Showcase.

Our Men’s First Football Team rose from the bottomof the League at Christmas to finish third, as well asachieving an unbeaten streak in 2012. The newAthletics Club, founded by Jamie Shadbolt (2010,Physics), got off to a triumphant start by achievingfirst place in the Cross Country Cuppers. The Men'sHockey Team saw glory with University Cuppers andLeague victories.

Certainly, it has been an exciting year for Collegelife. In addition to the support of the staff andstudents, I must commend the JCR Committee,whose diligence, commitment and drive have beenvital in sustaining and improving JCR life. It has beenan honour to serve as JCR President, and I wish thebest of luck to next year's Committee! ■

Benson Egwuonwu (2010, Law), JCR President2011-12

JCR Elects New VisitingStudents RepresentativeThe new JCR Visiting Students Representative beganher tenure this year. The new post was created tofurther the integration of Visiting Students intoCollege life. Hillary Saviello (2011, VisitingStudent) is studying PPE at Catz, spending theacademic year away from her home university,Bard’s College at Simon’s Rock in Massachusetts.Calling Catz ‘one of the most friendly, diverseColleges in Oxford’, Hillary told CatzEye her favouriteevent had been an ‘American football night’ in theJCR, when a menu of chicken wings, pizza and Benand Jerry’s was accompanied by a showing of anNFL game! ■


Richard Parish Promoted to aCommandeur dans l'Ordre desPalmes Académiques

The College is delighted to announce that ProfessorRichard Parish, Tutor in French and Professor ofFrench, has been promoted to a Commandeur dansl'Ordre des Palmes Académiques by the FrenchMinistry of Education. The award, created byNapoleon in 1808, is the second oldest French orderof chivalry after the Légion d'honneur.

Professor Parish has published extensively onseventeenth-century neo-classical theatre (Racine,Molière) and on Catholic writing in the same period(Pascal, Bossuet), and has recently publishedCatholic Particularity in Seventeenth Century FrenchWriting: Christianity is Strange. ■

Justine Pila, Tutor in Law, Examinesthe History of the European PatentConvention

‘I became interested in the history of the creation ofthe European Patent Convention (EPC) whileresearching for my book The Requirement for anInvention in Patent Law. That book, the first evermonograph devoted to the topic, traced the historyof judicial conceptions of the requirement for aninvention from before the first patent legislation of1623 through the patent system’s recent phase ofEuropeanisation, tracking changing understandingsof both patentable subject matter and the purposeof the patent system. In subsequent papers, Ideveloped a theory of the invention informed bythat judicial history, patent jurisprudence and thehistory and philosophy of science.

The EPC is the main European instrument in the fieldof patent law. I am now working on a monographhistory of the EPC, from its proposal soon after thecreation of the Council of Europe in 1949, to itssignature by an initial group of states in 1973.’ ■

Alain Goriely, Professor ofMathematical Modelling, inSherlock Holmes Blockbuster!

December 2011 saw the release of SherlockHolmes: A Game of Shadows. Professor AlainGoriely and his colleagues at Oxford’s Centre forCollaborative Applied Mathematics were invitedto devise the mathematical equations for thefilm, in which Holmes’s archenemy is themathematician Professor James Moriarty.

‘Initially, our task was to design the equationsthat would appear on a giant board inMoriarty’s office. They were to be accurate forthe time (c.1890), and potentially revealing ofsome of Moriarty’s evil plans.

Our task soon grew to devising a secret code,creating the lecture Moriarty would give on aEuropean tour, and providing suggestions onhow Moriarty would use mathematics to carryout his plots, and how Holmes, in turn, woulddecipher them.

Arthur Conan Doyle actually gave precious littleinformation on Moriarty. In The Valley of Fear,Moriarty is said to have written a book, of whichHolmes says, ‘Is he not the celebrated author ofa book which ascends to such rarefied heightsof pure mathematics that it is said that therewas no man in the scientific press capable ofcriticising it?’

We thus delved into the mathematical mind ofMoriarty and the fascinating mathematics of theturn of the twentieth century.’ ■

Full coverage of the following Fellows’ achievements

will appear in The Year:

Sudhir Anand, Tutor in Economics, has publishedThe Cost of Inaction: Case Studies from Rwanda andAngola. Peter Edwards, Professor of Inorganic Chemistry, hasbeen awarded an Einstein Professorship of the ChineseAcademy of the Sciences.Jonathan Morgan, Tutor in Law, has published GreatDebates in Contract Law.

L Professor Alain Goriely

L Professor Richard Parish

L Justine Pila

8 Catz Fellows


L Mark Simpson (2008, Music)© Elisabeth Blanchet for Making Music USE

She told CatzEye that her goals for the missioninvolved the matching of ‘like-minded scientists inthe two countries’, by encouraging them tocooperate, in particular, on sustainable energy. ■

In the Footsteps of Lord KitchenerDomus Fellow Tony Henfrey (1963, Chemistry) is akeen military historian, who retraced the footstepsof General Gordon and Lord Kitchener in northernSudan. He had been advised (wisely) beforehandnot to follow them too closely since Gordon hadbeen beheaded and Kitchener had disappeared atsea without trace!

Tony went to the completely unchanged site of theBattle of Abu Klea, fought in January 1885 by aBritish army column trying to relieve Gordon. Some1,000 dervishes had skilfully penetrated the heartof the British ‘square’, bringing the entire columnto the brink of total disaster. The poet Sir HenryNewbolt would recall how ‘the Gatling’s jammed,and the colonel dead’. Disciplined and cool underfire, the British eventually managed to retrieve thiscatastrophic situation although they eventuallyreached Khartoum too late to save Gordon.

Tony is a ‘veteran’ of many WWI, WWII, Gallipoli,Franco-Prussian, Boer, Zulu and American Civil warbattlefield visits and is wondering whether thereare other alumni with a similar enthusiasm whowould be interested in participating in futurebattlefield tours and pre-trip study groups. Tony’scurrent thoughts are currently on WWII in thePacific (Okinawa, Iwo Jima, Saipan, Corregidor,Guadalcanal and New Guinea) but he is open toother suggestions if anyone is interested.Afghanistan, however, is out of the question!

Tony can be contacted at [email protected]. ■

Alumni NewsYoung Alumnus to Write Music for Last Night of the PromsMark Simpson (2008, Music) has beencommissioned by the BBC to write the openingfanfare for the Last Night of the Proms, to be heldat the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday 8 September.Entitled Sparks, Mark's piece promises to be an'exhilarating three-minute opener' to thisprestigious highlight of the Proms season, and a'virtuosic showcase of what a talented orchestracan do'.

The commission comes after a successful year forthe young composer, who in 2006 was named BBCYoung Composter of the Year and BBC YoungMusician of the Year: the first person to evercollect both awards. In March, he conducted aconcert at Cadogan Hall, home to the RoyalPhilharmonic Orchestra, before conducting a recitalof Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem to mark thepiece’s fiftieth anniversary at Oxford’s Town Hall. ■

Catz Alumna Appointed ScienceAmbassadorAnita Mehta (1978, Physics) has been appointedto a Science Ambassadorship by the Indo-USScience and Technology Forum. Anita, who came toCatz as India’s second female Rhodes Scholar, is ascientist, author and musician and was selected forthe Ambassadorship because of her diverse arrayof research interests. She is a published academic,and has given a number of major lectures at theKennedy School of Government in Harvard.

K Tony Henfrey (1963,Chemistry) on the perimeterof the Abu Klea basecamp,occupied in January 1885 bya company of the SussexRegiment

L Anita Mehta (1978,Physics)

Alumni News9 9


10

News in BriefThis spring saw Catz alumni Peter Collini (1984,Engineering) and NickCurson (1984, Engineering)complete a sponsored cyclefrom Land’s End to JohnO’Groats in aid of CancerResearch UK and ValenceSchool in Kent. Covering over1,000 miles, the duoencountered weatherextremes ranging from heatwaves to torrential storms!Pedalling at 75 miles a day,Peter and Nick were able to complete theexhausting journey in just thirteen days, andclimbed more than 19,000 metres – twice theheight of Everest.

To date, they have raised over £10,000 for theirnominated charities. Donations are still welcomed,and can be made athttp://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/NickandPetesLEJOGcycle2012.

Lawrence Akka (1987, Law) has been awardedthe prestigious honour of being appointedQueen's Counsel in the 2012 silk appointments.Lawrence was called to the Bar in 1991, and iscurrently practising at 20 Essex Street chambers,specialising in commercial law.

Catz Family NewsDaniel Stokeley (2003, Life Science Interface) and Gwenyth Hardiman(2006, Material Anthropology and Museum Ethnography) were married on 17 March 2012. The couple first met in the MCR, and were married in Devonin the company of many other Catz alumni!

Dr Nicholas (2003, Materials) and Dr Helen Wain(née Bray) (2000, Geography) were delighted toannounce the arrival of Noah Patrick Wain, born on20 December 2011, a younger brother to Toby.

Mathew (1991, Visiting Student) and Juliet Cestar (1993, Human Sciences)also announced the safe arrival of Josephine Grace, born 3 May 2012. Grace is the couple’s fourth child.

Simon (2004, Law) and Natalie Bridges (2004, English)were delighted by the arrival of their first son, Emlyn,born on 16 March 2012. Shortly after Emlyn was born,the Prime Minister of New Zealand announced thatSimon, a New Zealand MP, had been appointed ConsumerAffairs Minister and Associate Minister of Transport. Morecoverage of Simon’s appointment will appear in The Year.

K Peter Collini and NickCurson at the end of theirtrip in John O’Groats

Alumni News

Five Catz alumni have recently announced abiennial reunion for alumni who live in, or around,the Somerset area. The group meets for informallunches, and would be interested in contactinganyone else who lives in the area, and who mightlike to join them. For more information pleasecontact Alastair Gordon (1963, PPE) [email protected] or 01458 241 452. ■

Alumni PublicationsDr Andrew P Lyons (1962, Law) has co-editedSexualities in Anthropology (Wiley-Blackwell,2011), a comprehensive collection offeringinsights into the diversity of human social beliefsand practices relating to sexuality across differentcultures.

Colin Sara (1962, Law) has presented the CollegeLibrary with the fifth edition of his Boundariesand Easements (Sweet & Maxwell Ltd., 2011), aguide to settling boundary disputes.

Dr Amir-Homayoon Najmi (1978, Physics) haspublished Wavelets: A Concise Guide (JohnHopkins University Press, 2012), examining themathematical concepts behind wavelets.

Ian Barnett (1981, Modern Languages) hastranslated two books by Spanish novelist, CarlosGamerro: An Open Secret (Pushkin Press, 2012)and The Islands (And Other Stories, 2012). Bothare set in Buenos Aires in the aftermath of theFalkland’s War, with The Islands described as ‘ahilarious, devastating and dizzyingly surrealaccount of a history that remains all too raw’.

Dr Margaret A Katritzky (1987, History) haspresented the College Library with a copy of herHealing, Performance and Ceremony in theWritings of Three Early Modern Physicians(Ashgate, 2012). The book examines therelationship between healing and performance inearly modern Europe through examination ofthree physicians and their theatrical writings.

Thomas Mogford (1996, ModernLanguages) has published his firstnovel, Shadow of the Rock(Bloomsbury, 2012). A grippingcrime mystery, the book followslawyer Spike Sanguinetti as hedelves into a ‘dangerous game ofsecrets, corruption andmurderous lies’. ■


L Joseph Dancey at theVelopark

‘What’s

incredible about

London 2012

is that it is

encouraging

young people

across the

country to think

seriously about

sport for the

first time’.

Joseph Dancey

CatzEye Meets OlympicsOrganiser Joseph Dancey(1995, PPE)Seven years after winning its bid to host the2012 Olympic Games, this summer London willwelcome over 10,000 athletes to compete intwenty-six different sports, watched by aglobal audience of billions. CatzEye interviewedJoseph Dancey, Lord Coe’s former ExecutiveAssistant and Velopark Protocol Manager, onthe eve of a remarkable summer of sport.

6 July 2005 found Joseph Dancey working forBaroness Amos, the then Leader of the House ofLords. It was the noise, he recalls, ‘of every officeacross Westminster erupting into cheers’ that firstalerted him to the news that London had won itsbid to host the 2012 Olympic Games. Three yearslater, he was appointed Executive Assistant toSebastian Coe, Chair of the Organising Committee(LOGOG), and was given the opportunity tomanage both the logistics and legacy of London2012.

Originally from the North East of England, Josephwas ‘first convinced of the UK’s ability to hostincredible sporting events’ by observing the 2002Commonwealth Games in Manchester. ThoseGames, he remembers, had ‘an enormous impact inunleashing a sense of civic pride across the wholeof the region’, and it was with that sense ofanticipation that he applied to be Sebastian Coe’saide, after stints working for the Low PayCommission and for Peter Mandelson (1973, PPE).

When he joined in 2008, LOGOC employed justover 200 people. Today, over 6,000 ‘dedicatedstaff, enthused with the vision for the Games’work alongside some 70,000 volunteers and over100,000 contractors. Joseph’s role initially involvedsupporting Lord Coe’s work as Chairman, a role heremembers as being ‘incredibly diverse, with eachday presenting new and exciting challenges’. Heaccompanied Lord Coe to Beijing, to have the ‘oneand only first-hand experience available to a hostcity to see an operational Olympic Games’.

Working closely with Seb Coe was clearly anenviable experience. Joseph describes him ashaving ‘accomplished brilliance’. Lord Coe’swinning presentation which helped London to winits bid to host the Games, Joseph insists, ‘struckjust the right note by emphasising London’spotential as a host city determined to deliver alasting Olympic legacy’. As organiser of the Games,

Lord Coe has ‘demonstrated an intimateunderstanding of the needs of the athletes’; hissporting background, Joseph says, is alwaysevident.

In 2011, after three years supporting Lord Coe in‘implementing the vision for London 2012 acrossthe entire organisational structure’, Joseph tookon his ‘Games-time role’ as Protocol Manager ofthe Velopark. The 6,000-seat stadium, which willhost track cycling, was the first Olympic Parkvenue to be completed, opening in February2011. Its ‘revolutionary design’ encompasses theuse of recycled building materials throughout,while skylights will provide natural lighting for thestadium, nicknamed ‘the Pringle’ owing to itsdistinctive shape. Cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, GreatBritain’s multiple Olympic gold medallist assistedin its design, and has dubbed the new velodrome‘the best in the world’.

Despite his clear excitement for 2012’s summerof sport, Joseph is equally enthusiastic aboutsecuring the Games’ lasting impact. He is‘extremely proud’ of the way that Olympicredevelopment is rejuvenating ‘one of the mostdeprived areas of London’, while simultaneouslyencouraging young people all over the country totake up new sports. Joseph describes how herecently heard from the head teacher of hisformer sixth-form college, where a local rowingassociation has begun training students who hadnever before considered rowing:

‘Studying at Catz gave me unparalleledopportunities to row, and it’s amazing that wecan count a rower of Sir Matthew Pinsent’s(1989, Geography) distinction amongst ouralumni. What’s incredible about London 2012 isthat it is encouraging young people across thecountry to think seriously about rowing for thefirst time. To see the progressive power of sportin action will mean that these Games willcontinue long after the Closing Ceremony hasended and the athletes have gone home.’ ■


Dates for your Diary CLUES ACROSS1 No synthetic element (8)6 Capital piece by Michael Frayn (10)13 Roman numerals embodying a Greek epic (5)14 Triggering of a taut icon (9)15 Leave bed clothes (3-2)16 & 18 The only show in town this summer (6, 8)19 Lay— by the sound of it— a wreath (3)20 Start where a film actor should be (5)22 Oddly barbarian aid you're using now (5)24 River? Mm... (3)26 Nearly enough of French composer (5)28 Hoover could be found at this writing desk (3, 6)30 We'd be bound by this to be neck and neck (3)31 & 40 I join bedlam due to Queen's recent shindig

(7, 7)32 Black — and as many white — birds on board

(5) 33 No neon — not any (4)34 Chances are they could be even! (4)36 Has in mind the wherewithal (5) 40 See 3142 Letter from Prince Philip (3)43 Type of recession having ups and downs (6, 3) 45 Fish in amber (5)

46 A letter makes it hear (3)47 With these the play's the thing (5)49 Feast at beginning of Passover (5)50, 52, 54 He got the college ball rolling (3, 8, 6)57 Fellow points to poet (5)58 Ill-turned out without an Oxford education (9)59 Mistakes at the Press by blood donors, we

hear(5)60 Small merit in college flower (4, 6)61 She turns into counterpart of 2 down (8)

CLUES DOWN2 Heavenly object in atomic or ionic form (5)3 Finish in the ascendency (3)4 Middle Eastern country and how I got there?

(4)5 Uncrowned Queen or Roald Dahl heroine(7)6 But oh! that deep romantic — which slanted

Down the green hill athwart a cedarn cover! —Coleridge (5)

7 Live and gripe about a right not granted to all (9)

8 Three of them are required to summon the cops (5)

9. Wine dark backdrop of 13 (6, 3)10 Praise previous partner to love (5)11 William to send the queen a paster-up of ads

(4, 6)12 Singular sign of ill-conditioned hair (5, 3)17 Dismissed with a score that leaves others

behind (7)21 Spot look-alike (3, 6)22 Seasonal worker such as 36 down in Greece

(3)23 Most of newts caught in these (4)25 Overdose in SAS — with fizzy drinks! (5)27 You need to be at least this to be

ambidextrous (3-6)29 Container in 17 down, evenly (3)33 Relative point in Nice (5)35 Peformed in Desert Island Discs to begin with

(3)36 She could prove aimless (7)37 Informer's ideal turf (10)38 What half of NY prison — or 37 will do? (4)40 Long-suffering chap's problem in boy scout's

agenda (4, 2, 2)41 Sci-fi author on PM in yellow jacket: fruity but

superficial! (5, 4)42 Ring you in and about Tiptree to go for a spin

(9)44 The Downs have these as well (3) 48 Butterfly king (7)51 Boredom in France (5)52 Oranges are not the only ones (5)53 Quantum of information (5)55 Iberian snacks of chopped pasta (5)56 Primitive garden in Sweden (4)59 Hill of historical interest (3)

©CM

M 2012

For your chance to win twotickets for Much Ado AboutNothing, have a go at thisedition’s prize crossword byCollege Enigmatist, ChrisMaslanka (1973, Physics)*

To enter the draw, send yourcompleted crosswords to:The Editor, CatzEye, St Catherine’s College, Manor Road, Oxford, OX1 3UJ

by Friday, 3rd August 2012

*Please note that thetickets are only available forthe evening performance ofMuch Ado on Thursday 30August. It begins at 7.30pm,at The Courtyard Theatre,Stratford-upon-Avon.

Prize Crossword

OUT OF ARCHITECTURE An exhibition celebrating 50 years of St Catherine’s College and the work of its architect Arne Jacobsen.

25 June – 31 AugustArup, Phase 2 Gallery, 8 Fitzroy Street,London, W1T 4BJ, 10.00 – 17.00 weekdays

6 September – 23 SeptemberSt Catherine’s College Library, 10.00 – 16.00 every day

JULYSaturday 9 and Saturday 14Degree Day

SEPTEMBERFriday 750th Anniversary Dinner

Saturday 850th Anniversary Talks and Lectures Series50th Anniversary Dinner

Sunday 950th Anniversary Lunch

Friday 14 – Sunday 16Oxford University Alumni Weekend

OCTOBER Friday 12 Autumn Golf

Saturday 20 Degree Day

To book your place on any of these events, please contact Lucy Thompson.Email: [email protected]: +44 (0)1865 281 596Check the College website,www.stcatz.ox.ac.uk, andwww.facebook.com/stcatz, for furtherdetails.

FIND US ON FACEBOOKWWW.FACEBOOK.COM/STCATZ

From being among the first to receive College news, to catching up with alumni andfriends, or following our events and seeing photographs, ‘Liking’ the Catz FacebookPage will give you access to everything going on in our diverse and exciting community!

Catzeye (TT 2012) [F]_Layout 1 14/06/2012 11:08 Page ii

catzeye (tt 2012) [f] layout 1edited by nathan jones cover image: the college gardens and bernard...

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