blueprint Staff magazine for the University of Oxford | November 2013
Dinnertime at Balliol | Long-awaited Latin | Engaging your public news in brief u The inaugural Oxford China Lecture Camera to the Bodleian, and images will take place on 10 December in Shanghai. of Oxford are in high demand among Entitled ‘The Future City’, the lecture publishers, the press and the public. To will be given by Steve Rayner, James reflect this, the University’s online image Martin Professor of Science and Civilization, library has opened to external users, making who will discuss whether we can create cities it the first commercial university image that can reflect 21st-century needs and how library in the UK. Containing over 5,500 cities can help solve the seemingly intractable photographs as well as a range of video problems of climate change and resource clips, Oxford University Images offers scarcity. The Oxford China Lecture builds quick and easy access to a rich collection on the annual Oxford London Lecture series, of images, from the Oxford skyline to established in 2011, and aims to connect the student life. Access the library at www. widest possible audience to some of Oxford’s oxforduniversityimages.com. Frank Noon ground-breaking research. Details at www. ox.ac.uk/oxfordchinalecture2013. u Did you know the University comprises 235 buildings, ranging from the Divinity u Links between Oxford and Burma were School (1424) to the Andrew Wiles Building strengthened last month when the Vice- (2013), the new home of the Mathematical Chancellor met with Aung San Suu Kyi to Institute? The key principles for developing discuss a number of projects designed to the University’s estate over the next help revitalise academic and student life in five years and beyond are set out in the the south-east Asian state. Daw Suu laid University’s Estate Strategy 2013–18. One of down the challenge when she received her a number of enabling strategies that support honorary degree from Oxford in June 2012. the University’s Strategic Plan, it reflects Since then talks have been taking place over the key challenges facing the University in
a series of projects, including a training terms of estate planning, outlines future Images University Centre/Oxford History Oxford programme for the leaders of Rangoon developments, and highlights issues around University that will help the institution plan sustainability. A summary is at www.admin. its ongoing redevelopment. ox.ac.uk/estates. u The Weston Library (formerly the New u Are you a researcher who’s keen to Bodleian Library) has entered the final phase broaden their professional and social of its three-year redevelopment. The building network? The Oxford Research Staff is undergoing a major refurbishment and Society (OxRSS) is a cross-divisional will officially reopen in March 2015, though society which launched in July. It aims to 牛津大学之中国演讲系列 accessible to readers from October 2014. hold regular networking events to allow 由上海现代建筑设计（集团）有限公司冠名赞助 Redevelopment includes the rebuilding of the researchers to meet, discover common The Future City: Climate Change, Technology and the New Urbanisation bookstack and the creation of new internal interests and find out about research and 城市前瞻： 气候变化、科技应用与城镇化的新动力 spaces, from additional reading rooms to social groups. It also acts as a collective Delivered by Professor Steve Rayner James Martin Professor of Science and Civilization and Co-Director exhibition galleries and a digital media centre. voice for the Oxford research community, of the Oxford Martin Programme for Future Cities 由牛津大学科学与社会学James Martin 荣誉名衔教授， More at www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/weston. helping ensure that research staff are 牛津大学未来都市科系联席部长,史提夫雷纳教授发表演讲 represented on appropriate University u Oxford has some of the most iconic committees and decision-making bodies. architecture in the world, from the Radcliffe For details, visit www.oxrss.ox.ac.uk. From top: Daw Suu in discussions; buildings galore; Oxford goes to Shanghai
u In search of unusual Christmas Cover: presents? The University of Oxford shop A Christmas offers a festive gift collection, featuring card items commissioned exclusively for the from the shop and made in the UK, from baubles to Bodleian bags. The High Street shop will be open Libraries’ until 7pm every Thursday in December, shop when you can enjoy a 20% discount (double the usual staff discount). To take advantage of this offer, show your University Card prior to purchase. You can also enjoy the 20% discount at www. oushop.com – enter the code OUstaff20
at checkout. Photo by The Bodleian Shop
2 | BLUEPRINT November 2013 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint research round-up
pigment around the network, either concentrating it in the centre making the cells lighter, as the surrounding space is left empty and transparent), or spreading it throughout. The similar Oxford system is built from DNA and a motor protein called kinesin. Powered by ATP fuel, kinesins move along the micro-tracks carrying control modules made from short strands of DNA. ‘Assembler’ nanobots are made with two kinesin proteins, allowing them to move tracks around to assemble the network, whereas the ‘shuttles’ only need one kinesin protein to travel along the tracks. The study used fluorescent green dyes as cargo, but the same methods could be used to speed up chemical reactions by bringing compounds together at the central hub.
Wytham Woods shields against global warming Ben Sheldon u A study, led by Dr Lucie Cluver from the Department of Social Policy and Intervention, has identified that government grants in u A University classicist is bringing back to effective public health measure and should be Southern Africa can reduce HIV risks life the music of ancient Greece, unheard for considered alongside other measures to tackle for teenage girls. The longitudinal study, thousands of years. Dr Armand D’Angour, obesity in the UK.’ published in The Lancet Global Health, Fellow and Tutor in Classics at Jesus College, interviewed 3,515 young people between has embarked on a two-year research u Forests with dense canopies such as 2009 and 2012, with 97% follow-up in four project, part-funded by the British Academy, Wytham Woods can partially shield ground- urban and rural areas of two South African to reconstruct the songs and music of the level plants from the local effects of global provinces. They found that teenage girls from classical world. Piecing together the lyrics, warming, reports a study in Proceedings of households receiving grants were two-thirds rhythms, instrumentation and notation the National Academy of Sciences. As the less likely to take much older boyfriends, through the painstaking study of ancient planet warms, the general trend is for species and half as likely to have sex in exchange documents, he aims to show that the music adapted to survive at higher temperatures to for money, food, school fees or shelter. The is not lost beyond recovery. Dr D’Angour thrive at the expense of those better-suited findings have major implications for HIV says: ‘Suppose that 2,500 years from now to colder climates. But when researchers prevention: government grants in South all that survived of the Beatles’ songs were compared plant species in 29 forests across Africa have expanded massively and currently a few of the lyrics. Imagine if we could then the past few decades, they found that thick reach about 70% of eligible children, but, reconstruct the music and hear the words forests including Wytham Woods can slow, if all those eligible were reached, 77,000 once again in their proper setting. This is halt or even reverse this effect. ‘We believe new relationships of teenage girls with sugar about to happen with the classic texts of that the effect of the tree canopy is to daddies could be prevented each year. The ancient Greece.’ moderate changes in temperature at the lower levels in the wood – particularly where woods findings are particularly significant at a time u A 20% tax on sugary drinks could see have been becoming denser and shadier in when many sub-Saharan African countries 180,000 fewer obese adults in the UK, recent years,’ explains Dr Keith Kirby from are considering the introduction of social researchers at the Universities of Oxford the Department of Plant Sciences. welfare systems. and Reading have estimated. The impact on obesity is likely to be much greater in u Tiny self-assembling transport networks, younger adults who drink more soft drinks, powered by nano-scale motors and they write in the British Medical Journal. A controlled by DNA, have been developed 20% tax would put around 12p on a 330ml by Oxford physicists. The system can can of fizzy drink from a supermarket, or construct its own network of tracks spanning about 40p on a 2 litre bottle. A typical sugary tens of micrometres in length, transport drink can contain anywhere from 6 to 15 cargo across the network and even dismantle teaspoons of sugar. According to Dr Adam the tracks. Researchers were inspired by the Briggs of the British Heart Foundation Health melanophore, used by fish cells to control Promotion Research Group at Oxford: their colour. Tracks in the network all come ‘Such a tax is not going to solve obesity by from a central point, like the spokes of a itself, but we have shown it could be an bicycle wheel. Motor proteins transport
For more information, visit www.ox.ac.uk/news and ◢ www.ox.ac.uk/staffnews All aboard? Green dye-carrying shuttles on a ‘nanotrain’ network
www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint November 2013 BLUEPRINT | 3 people and prizes
Dr Ivan Ahel has Luciano Floridi, Professor of Philosophy Martin Maiden, Professor of the been awarded a 2013 and Ethics of Information at the Oxford Romance Languages and Fellow of Future Leaders in Internet Institute and Fellow of St Cross Trinity College, has been awarded an Cancer Research College, has been elected as a corresponding honorary doctorate by the University Prize by Cancer member of the Académie Internationale of Bucharest in recognition of his work in Research UK in de Philosophie des Sciences. promoting Romanian Studies. recognition of his research into DNA John Furlong, Emeritus Professor of Gero Miesenböck, damage, and for Education, has been appointed to the Waynflete Professor the quality of his biochemical work and expert panel reviewing teacher training of Physiology publication record. infrastructure in Northern Ireland. and Director of the Centre for Alan Hudson, Director of Leadership Dame Valerie Neural Circuits Programmes for China, has recently been Beral, Professor and Behaviour, awarded the Shanghai Magnolia Gold Award of Epidemiology is one of three by Mayor Yang Xiong for outstanding at the Cancer researchers to share contributions to the city. He is responsible Epidemiology Brandeis University’s 16th Annual Jacob for writing the curriculum training Unit, has been Heskel Gabbay Award in Biotechnology programmes in UK public policy and public selected as the 2013 and Medicine. The three are recognised for administration which have been delivered by recipient of the their contributions to the discovery and the Department for Continuing Education to American College applications of optogenetics, a technology over 1,000 senior Chinese public officials at of Epidemiology’s Outstanding Contribution that allows scientists to control the brain’s municipal, provincial and national level. to Epidemiology Award. activity by genetically engineering neurons to Alastair Buchan, Catriona Kelly, fire in response to light. Head of the Professor of Russian Medical Sciences and Fellow of New Tony Venables, Phil Sayer Phil Division and Sasha Snow College, has been BP Professor of Professor in Stroke elected as President Economics and Medicine, has for 2015 of the Director of the been elected an American Association Oxford Centre Honorary Member for Slavic, East for the Analysis of the American European, and of Resource Rich Neurological Association for his unique Eurasian Studies – the first time that a Economies, has contributions to neurology and neurological scholar not working at a US university has been elected to the sciences. been elected. Council of the British Academy.
excellent teachers new research fellows Thirty-four Teaching Excellence Awards Nine Oxford academics have recently been deep tissue neural were presented by the Vice-Chancellor awarded Royal Society University Research processes with this year, together with eight grants to Fellowships. The scheme aims to provide nanodiamond); support projects to develop new courses or outstanding scientists, who have the Dr Simon Walker, new approaches to teaching and learning. potential to become leaders in their chosen pictured left, The awards acknowledge outstanding fields, with the opportunity to build an (Biomechanics of contributions from teachers and also from independent research career. the insect flight the librarians and IT and support staff whose They are: Dr Andrew Angel (Mathema- motor); and Dr work supports the University’s high teaching tical modelling of gene regulation); Dr Stanislav Živný standards. Details at www.ox.ac.uk/news. Alfonso Arturo Castrejon-Pita (Liquid (Optimisation of separable functions). droplet generation and deposition); In addition, Dr Sofia Gripenberg (Plant-eating Dr Ana Marques, great investors insects and the structure of tropical pictured left, plant communities); Dr Stefan Kiefer (Mechanisms of The Finance Division has been awarded (Quantitative analysis of infinite-state intergenic long an Investors in People accreditation for systems); Dr Joshua Nunn (Scalable non-coding RNAs improved performance and realising photonics via ensemble atomic Raman in homeostasis objectives through the effective management scattering); Dr Andrew O’Bannon and disease) has and development of its people – the first (Strong coupling, strange transport, and been made a Royal department in the University to achieve the holography); Dr Brian Patton (Imaging Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellow. accreditation. The division is now planning to achieve silver status by 2015.
4 | BLUEPRINT November 2013 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint leverhulme prizewinners appointed to the oldest chair in London Two Oxford researchers have been awarded 2013 Philip Leverhulme Prizes. The £70,000 Dr Belinda Jack, of the Faculty of Modern Languages and Official awards recognise early-career academics with Student and Tutor in French at Christ Church, has been appointed exceptionally promising futures whose work as the 47th Professor of Rhetoric at Gresham College, London’s has already had a significant international oldest higher education institution. impact. The chair was created at the foundation of the College in 1597, Dr Anna Lora- when Rhetoric was considered to be one of the seven subjects Wainwright, of the essential to a well-rounded gentleman’s education (alongside School of Geography Astronomy, Divinity, Geometry, Law, Music and Physic). Its holder and the Environment gives a series of free public lectures – though they are no longer required to deliver these and the School of in Latin as well as English – and Professor Jack’s theme will be ‘The Mysteries of Reading Interdisciplinary Area and Writing’. Previous holders of the post include Nevill Coghill, Stephen Spender and Studies, will use the Cecil Day Lewis. award to further her research mapping the evolution of what constitutes a ‘good life’ for Chinese villagers; their ambivalence towards urbanisation and industrialisation; and the intelligent spectacles see into the future perceived importance of health, a clean Dr Stephen Hicks, Research Fellow in Neuroscience environment and development. and Visual Prosthetics, has been awarded a Royal Dr Hannah Sullivan, Society Brian Mercer Award for Innovation. of the Faculty of Dr Hicks has developed a novel technology that English Language and makes use of a visually impaired person’s residual Literature, researches vision to allow them to navigate freely and 19th-and 20th-century confidently. His ‘smart glasses’ (prototype English literature, pictured) use cameras and software to detect especially modernism nearby objects and project them in a simple and and literary style and intuitive way onto the lenses of a pair of glasses. form. She intends to work on a non-semantic version of ‘distant The £50,000 prize will be used to develop reading’ – working with a programmer and a the new software needed to include object large corpus to investigate, for example, what and text recognition features in the glasses, the most common stanza form was in poems including audible descriptions of nearby published in 1880, or what percentage of signs and objects. poems in 1910 used iambic pentameters.
The rapid rise in the amount of data media sites such as LinkedIn, it offers don’t be a target and the number of mobile devices we use advice which applies to both your work on a daily basis means that information and home life. security is now an issue that affects us The site also profiles the range of all. By failing to protect our personal training available. For a general overview, details we risk falling victim to cybercrime sign up to ‘You are the target!’, a one-hour or identity theft, while failing to protect course that describes why your personal
Mzedig /Dreamstime Mzedig the details of others, such as patient information is valuable, how it may identifiable data, could result in criminal get into the wrong hands, and practical prosecution. measures to reduce the risk of data theft. Taking a few simple measures will Subject-specific courses are also on offer, help you stay secure online and prevent from creating secure passwords to sharing you from becoming another cybercrime documents in the cloud. statistic. These range from choosing strong New this term is an online course passwords to using encrypted memory on information security awareness. sticks for sensitive data and updating The 45-minute module, which you can your anti-virus software regularly. complete at work or at home, aims to The University’s Information Security equip University staff with a greater website (www.it.ox.ac.uk/infosec) provides understanding of the common risks a wealth of information about protecting associated with handling data and yourself online. From how to spot phishing working online. To find out more, visit scams to using privacy settings in social www.it.ox.ac.uk/infosec.
www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint November 2013 BLUEPRINT | 5 arrivals board
Vinerian Professor of English Law for dark matter and of host–pathogen interactions; innate Hugh Collins, Professor the study of dark immunity, especially the Complement system; of English Law at the energy. He chairs the and pathogen evasion of host immunity, London School of Mark Simmons Collaboration Board particularly serum-dwelling spirochaetes. Economics and Political of the Compact Muon Science, took up this Solenoid Experiment Wood Professor of Forest Science post in the Faculty of at the Large Hadron John MacKay, Law on 1 October. He Collider at CERN, is a Professor of Forest also became a Fellow member of the Board Sciences at Université of All Souls College. of Directors of the Large Synoptic Survey Laval, Québec, Professor Collins’ chief areas of interest Telescope Corporation, and was formerly the Canada, took up are employment law and human rights law, co-coordinator of the LHC Physics Center this post in the contract and commercial law, and legal at the US’s Fermi National Accelerator Department of Plant theory. Visiting professorships have included Laboratory (Fermilab). Sciences on 1 October. posts at New York University Law School and Professor Shipsey, who has received several He is also a Fellow Boston University Law School, and he has awards for outstanding teaching at Purdue, of Linacre College. served as a member of the editorial committee is profoundly deaf. He has given over 60 Professor MacKay’s research focuses on the of The Modern Law Review since 1991, colloquia and talks to the public on hearing, molecular regulation of wood formation and and as a founder and editor of the European cochlear implants and perception since a the genetics of wood properties in softwood Review of Contract Law. He was elected a cochlear implant restored his own hearing. (spruce, pine) and hardwood trees (poplars), Fellow of the British Academy in 2006. through investigations that encompass gene Professor of Egyptology discovery, functional genomics, association Professor of Experimental Physics Richard B Parkinson, studies and quantitative genetics. Current Ian Shipsey, Julian Schwinger Distinguished Assistant Keeper activities also include genome sequence Professor of Physics at Purdue University, (Curator) in the exploration with next-generation sequencers, USA, took up this post in the Sub-Department Department of Ancient and research outcomes include applications of Particle Physics on 1 October. He is also a Egypt and Sudan, in tree breeding (gene-base selection) and Fellow of St Catherine’s College. The British Museum, biotechnology. Professor Shipsey is an experimental has been appointed particle physicist whose research focuses to this post in the Professor of the Study of the on quarks and the Higgs Boson, the search Faculty of Oriental Abrahamic Religions Studies. He took up the post on a 20% basis Carlos Fraenkel, on 1 October and will become full time on Associate Professor noticeboard 1 January. He is also a Fellow of The in the Departments of Queen’s College. Philosophy and Jewish u Stephen Professor Parkinson’s research interests Studies at McGill Rouse has been centre round the interpretation of ancient University, Montreal, appointed Head Egyptian literature, especially the poetry of Canada, took up this of the News the classic age (1940–1640 BC). As well the post in the Faculty of and Information philological study of manuscripts, he works Theology and Religion on 1 October. He is Office in the on material contexts, actors’ perspectives, also a Fellow of Lady Margaret Hall. Public Affairs literary theory and modern receptions in Professor Fraenkel’s research interests span Directorate. literature, art and film. He is also interested ancient philosophy, medieval philosophy Stephen has been handling news media in issues of performance practice, cultural (mainly Jewish and Islamic) and early modern at the University of Cardiff for several power and LGBT history. philosophy (mainly Spinoza). He is also years, and has also been overseeing interested in political philosophy, particularly the preparation of that institution’s Professor of Microbiology questions related to cultural difference, REF impact case studies. His earlier Susan Lea, Professor identity and autonomy. His most recent book journalistic career included news editor of of Chemical Pathology is Philosophical Religions from Plato to the Journal, the leading daily newspaper in the Sir William Spinoza: Reason, Religion, and Autonomy in Newcastle. He is an Oxford alumnus Dunn School of (Cambridge University Press, 2012). and an ex-editor of Cherwell. He will take Pathology, Tutorial up his new post mid-January. Fellow in Biochemistry at Brasenose College
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6 | BLUEPRINT November 2013 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint access all areas Oxford’s John Fell Fund can provide a helping hand in every field, says Sally Croft
John Fell, widely regarded as a capable administrator
What do the following have in common: own independent research.’ Awards are made Research Fellowships,’ says Jenny Nix. ‘In the ‘Wildcat’ driverless vehicle; a conference for six purposes: MPLS and Medical Sciences, there tends on the global significance of Abraham u Pump-priming for innovative projects and to be a smaller number of applications but Lincoln; a study of pain pathways in the proof-of-concept work that is currently for larger grants, and the divisions use their developing spinal chord; the digitisation of at too early a stage to put to an external special allocations primarily towards matching early printed ballads held in the Bodleian; the sponsor; external grant applications and the provision treatment of depressed adolescents; and an u Start-up funds for early-career researchers of high-spec laboratories for incoming senior investigation into the effects of broadband (within their first five years in post at researchers.’ in East Africa? Answer: all these areas of Oxford); The Fund has made over 1,300 awards so Oxford research have benefited, at an early u Other academic activities likely to lead to far, ranging in size from £200 to £500,000. stage, from funding provided by the John Fell new research initiatives, such as a seminar ‘Success rates are pretty good – around 50% OUP Research Fund. series or international interactions; for pump-priming, early-career and other The John Fell Fund is unique to Oxford. u Research facilitators to encourage and academic activities,’ says PRAS administrative Since 2006, Oxford University Press (OUP) assist with the preparation of bids to assistant Liam Murphy. ‘Tracking awards has transferred £5m per year to the Fund, external sponsors; through our system of final reports on each which is named for John Fell, Dean of Christ u Support relating to bids for external project also shows us that leveraging is Church, Vice-Chancellor of the University funding (eg matching funds); working well. On average, Fell Fund awards (1666–69), Bishop of Oxford and ‘father’ of u Strategic investment for projects needing are leveraging other funding at a ratio of up the modern Press. over £100k towards the cost of equipment. to 1:7.’ The Fund is intended to foster creativity and Applicants also appreciate the short a proactive approach to research opportunities ‘On average, Fell Fund turn-round time. There are three application across all subject areas; applications from deadlines, one at the start of each term. interdisciplinary fields are particularly awards are leveraging Each application needs to be approved by welcome. The Fund makes seedcorn and start- other funding at a ratio the applicant’s department, then a divisional up grants, and aims to stimulate applications of up to 1:7’ committee reviews and prioritises all to external agencies by providing the staff and applications from the division. The John Fell funds to get projects off the ground. ‘There are three award streams within the Committee, which is chaired by Professor Ian It is also one means of supporting Fund,’ explains Emma Toward, the planning Walmsley (Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research key strategic aims within the University, officer in the University’s Planning and and ASUC) and includes two members from which include developing global reach and Resource Allocation Section (PRAS) who each division, makes the final decision. All in promoting interdisciplinary collaborations. handles applications. ‘Main awards, which are all, the process takes about a term. An online Awards have been made for the Oxford– over £7,500; small awards, for sums less than application process is under development and Princeton partnership, for instance, which this; and, in addition, a budget of £250k is set is expected to be operational early in 2014. seeks to deliver mutually selected projects aside for each of the four academic divisions Beneficiaries of the John Fell Fund undertaken jointly by academics at both to meet special divisional priorities.’ featured in this issue of Blueprint include institutions. Each division has different priorities. the Dictionary of Medieval Latin from ‘Any employee of the collegiate University ‘Generally speaking, researchers in the British Sources (pp10–11) and the ‘intelligent who holds an academic post or a competitively Humanities and Social Sciences Divisions spectacles’ for partially sighted people for awarded research fellowship can apply,’ tend to receive larger numbers of smaller which Dr Stephen Hicks has just won a Royal says Jenny Nix, Secretary to the John Fell awards and the divisions put their own special Society innovation award (p5). He applied for Committee. ‘Applicants must hold a post that allocations into, for instance, providing a Fell Fund award in August 2010. ‘The John includes responsibility for developing their matched funding for Leverhulme Early Career Fell Fund was an important source of funding as it allowed us to try out our initial ideas,’ he says. ‘The timing was superb and without it For further information see www.admin.ox.ac.uk/pras/jff ◢ we would have had to push the project back at least 12 months.’
www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint November 2013 BLUEPRINT | 7 Piers Nye Piers the oldest dinner party in britain? Balliol College’s St Catherine’s Day Dinner is a feast to please both the palate and the traditionalists, discovers Spencer Lenfield
Balliol celebrates its 2010 patronal feast
Many lavish annual dinners take place under as many people as could be fed in style. speaker, often a Balliol alumnus; the list of the vaulted halls and towering spires of Nowadays, undergraduate and graduate names reads like a Who’s Who of intellectuals in Oxford’s colleges. Not every dinner, however, finalists normally attend, allowing each 20th-century Britain. The diplomat and writer has been taking place for at least five centuries Junior Member the opportunity to celebrate Harold Nicolson and the economic historian – and possibly as many as seven and a half. the patronal feast once in their time at Balliol. Arnold Toynbee were featured back to back; Balliol College’s patronal feast – its yearly The documents that Balliol has kept relating one year, the college invited the Archbishop celebration in honour of its patron saint, to its feast portray the way it has evolved. In of York alongside economist and social St Catherine of Alexandria – may well go the 1930s, endless pages of correspondence reformer William Beveridge – a combination all the way back to the foundation of the between the Bursar’s office and various High which was, unfortunately, precluded by the college, which is now celebrating its 750th Archbishop’s unavailability. Dr Jones recalls anniversary year. And when St Catherine’s ‘In the middle of the 16th that in his days as a Balliol undergraduate, Day (25 November) came around this year, century, the college feast Prime Minister Harold Macmillan attended it was another landmark event for a tradition and spoke movingly about President Kennedy’s that hearkens so far back that some of its was bigger than Christmas assassination. earliest history is written in Latin in ancient or Easter’ But he also notes that the dinner is as parchment-bound account books. prominent in his memory for decorum as for Dr John Jones, Emeritus Fellow of Balliol Street shops chronicle the attempt to negotiate a little bit of licensed silliness such as sending and author of the most extensive account of hiring a newfangled microphone for less the traditional sung insults to Trinity College the college’s history, says that in the middle of than seven guineas. And notes that read like – called ‘the Gordouli’ – over the wall. Indeed, the 16th century the college feast was ‘bigger liturgical orders of service specify the exact notes from the Bursar in 1957 request that the than Christmas or Easter’. Delicacies from sequence in which the Master was to make Head Scout try to dissuade the younger college distant lands were brought in, and phenomenal the ritual toast of ‘Floreat Domus!’; the staff members from singing during the passing of amounts were spent – the dinner cost more than to bring in dessert and cigars; and a Grace the Grace Cup. Not all such displays could be ten shillings, a small fortune back then – and Cup (also known as The Loving Cup) – chalked up to extreme youth, however. Jones oysters, peacocks and almonds (then a rarity) mostly claret, with a dash each of cloves, admits: ‘I confess that in my first term as a decked the tables. Curaçao and cherry brandy – to be passed junior research fellow, at the age of 24, I stood For most of its history, the dinner was around (although this last tradition no longer on a seat under Trinity’s wall and conducted a an event closed to all except the fellows takes place). rousing rendition of the Gordouli myself after and various grandees of the college. Only The dinner has always featured a guest the dinner.’ at the comparatively late date of 1897 did E J Palmer – briefly a Balliol fellow before he became Bishop of Bombay – suggest that Balliol’s association with St Catherine, patron saint of scholars, is undergraduates might also be invited. And described in detail at http://archives.balliol.ox.ac.uk/Exhibitions/ ◢ so the modern form of the ancient tradition exhib05.asp commenced, with the hall thrown open to
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credit a vital and elementary resource Nurtured by the Bodleian and the Classics Faculty, the complete Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources is finally here, Matt Pickles explains
On 6 April 1913 a Mr Robert J Whitwell be typed up. The typescripts were checked, had a letter published in The Times, in which revised and typeset, first as galley proofs in he called for volunteers to help compile a individual columns and then as three-column new dictionary of the Latin used in medieval pages. ‘Within a year we transformed the times. By the end of this current year – a design and printing process, and we were able century after Whitwell’s original appeal – the to clear our long backlog of prepared slips last instalment of the Dictionary of Medieval that had been built up by many previous years Latin from British Sources (DMLBS) will be of steady research,’ says Dr Ashdowne. ‘The Lives and miracles of saints, such as this published. dictionary team can now research and prepare 12th century manuscript about St Kenelm, Latin in the medieval era was not spoken entries more efficiently and accurately than are an important source for the DMLBS as a native language, but commonly used for could ever have been imagined by Whitwell.’ writing. A selection of the huge quantity of Crucial in the history of the dictionary has legacy will be felt for many years to come,’ surviving source material, written between been the help of volunteers. ‘Like the Oxford says Professor Shearer West, head of the the years AD 540 and 1600 by thousands of English Dictionary, the DMLBS is one of the Humanities Division. authors who were born or worked in Britain, early examples of a crowd-sourced project,’ ‘Users include not only those working in is the basis for the dictionary. The sources says Dr Ashdowne. ‘The list of individuals diverse fields within universities (history, cover many topics, from religion to science who have served the dictionary over the years linguistics, theology, philosophy, music etc) to war. The dictionary records the meanings is long, running into several hundreds. The but also many others, both professional (eg in and uses of more than 58,000 Latin words majority of these were volunteers who read heritage organisations, archivists, genealogists, identified from these sources, many known source material to identify examples of each lexicographers) and amateur (eg members of from classical Latin but many newly coined by local history societies),’ says Tobias Reinhardt, the medieval Latin writers. Corpus Christi Professor of Latin and A few years after Whitwell’s proposal, the ‘Like the OED, the DMLBS chairman of the British Academy’s DMLBS decision was taken to produce dictionaries is one of the early examples committee. ‘It is thus a vital and elementary recording the use of medieval Latin in of a crowd-sourced project’ resource, which, given its size and scope, countries across Europe. After years of would not be proposed today.’ discussion and the accumulation of source The process of compiling the dictionary has material, work began in earnest on the meaning of each word.’ Volunteers all had thrown up some interesting discoveries. For DMLBS in 1967 as a research project of the a good grasp of Latin, but they came from example, the sources confirm that a common British Academy. The first part or ‘fascicule’ very different backgrounds. One was Colonel modern understanding of the medieval of the dictionary, covering the letters A and Drew, a First World War hero who never punishment for treason, ‘hanging, drawing B, was published in 1975. Over time, the went to university but was an expert on the and quartering’, is mistaken. The sentence project moved to the Bodleian Library history of Hampshire. In more recent years, was last given in 1782 and, since the mid-19th and was eventually adopted by the Classics volunteers have contributed expertise century, ‘drawing’ has been interpreted as Faculty. in reviewing the drafted dictionary text removing the victim’s entrails. But Dr Mark The fate of many of the sister dictionary before it goes to press. Many of these are Thakkar, one of the assistant editors, says: projects across Europe is testament to the retired academics who believe strongly in ‘Examination of the medieval sources shows difficulty of the task of keeping a project the project’s mission. that to draw a criminal (‘trahere’ or ‘tractare’) going over decades. Some dictionaries folded The resulting dictionary is a compre- was actually to drag him through the streets after a few years without finishing. The Polish hensive, authoritative resource, which is behind a horse, usually on his way to be dictionary is on the letter ‘S’, the Czech on already benefiting scholars and students hanged.’ ‘M’, and the German on ‘H’. ‘Many people worldwide in the many disciplines with The completion of the DMLBS will involved with the project, myself included, reason to study medieval Britain. The be marked by a conference in December, did not believe we would ever get to the numbers are impressive: 58,000 entries which will be attended by editors from the letter Z,’ says the DMLBS’s current editor contain more than 100,000 different senses international dictionaries of Medieval Latin. Dr Richard Ashdowne. ‘In recent years we and approximately half a million quotations. The project’s history will also be narrated in have had to apply for renewed funding every A further 30,000 entries for spelling variants a display in the Bodleian Library. In 2014 the few years – an unsuccessful application would direct readers to the relevant entries. It is team will disband. ‘We’ve already received our have brought the dictionary to a premature one of the British Academy’s best-selling notice,’ Dr Ashdowne jokes. The last entry in end. We decided the best way to guard against titles. ‘The DMLBS is a monumental effort, the dictionary will be zythum, ‘an Egyptian this was to find a way to speed up the process a great example of what can be achieved beer’. Nobody could begrudge the team while not undermining the quality of the from a large-scale research project, and its raising a few glasses this Christmas. scholarship.’ This was done by introducing XML technology in 2010. Before then, publishing More information at www.dmlbs.ox.ac.uk; exhibition and lecture the dictionary was very labour-intensive. ◢ details at www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/whats-on Definitions and quotations were written by hand on slips of paper, which would then
www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint November 2013 BLUEPRINT | 11 enlightened engineering Dr Eleanor Stride spends her days making bubbles to help treat disease – and her nights talking about them on radio and TV, she tells Jamie Condliffe Rob Judges Rob
You only need speak to Dr Eleanor Stride – or, they’re required then burst open, delivering ways to manufacture them more effectively, for that matter, watch her on TV – to realise pharmaceuticals at a specific point. from using microscopic channels of liquid that she’s a scientist who delights in explaining Dr Stride arrived in Oxford in 2011 as to pump out a stream of individual bubbles, her work simply. That’s perhaps not surprising a University Lecturer at the Institute of to applying ultrasound to create emulsions – given how she came to find herself an engineer. Biomedical Engineering, also becoming a essentially, highly scientific froths. ‘I decided as a teenager that I wanted to do Fellow of St Catherine’s College. She’s been The results, understandably, vary, but engineering,’ she explains. ‘But really it was working with – and talking about – bubbles her team has developed a technique to keep with a view to heading to the Royal Academy ever since. ‘We’ve recently developed a new a check on things. ‘We’ve created the first of Arts to become an industrial designer.’ kind of magnetic bubble,’ she explains. system to look at a stream of bubbles in As with many of the best intentions, ‘They’re coated not just with drugs but real-time using ultrasound and laser beams, though, a true love got in the way of her magnetic nanoparticles. To ensure the bubbles so now we know exactly how they’re turning desire to blur boundaries. ‘Come the third are in the right place at the right time, we can out,’ she explains. In turn, she hopes to make year of my engineering degree, I started apply a magnetic field and make them cluster bubbles that work better for the patients working on a project with bubbles,’ she they’ll be delivered to. admits. ‘And I became a little… addicted.’ ‘I started working on a Dr Stride’s simple explanations belie the That addiction endured, seeing her complete project with bubbles. And complexity of her work – but that’s because a PhD on how microbubbles can be used in she still manages to blur boundaries as she medical ultrasound to help improve contrast I became a little… addicted’ intended to years ago. ‘I was always keen to in images, then take up a Fellowship at the tell people about the work we were doing,’ Royal Academy of Engineering, based at in one spot.’ Then, a short burst of high- she explains. ‘But what really kickstarted it University College London, where she began intensity ultrasound – sound with such was a short YouTube video I made while I to design and manufacture bubbles for use in a high frequency that humans can’t hear it was at UCL that a lot of people seem to have medicine. – can be focused (from outside the body) watched. I’m not exactly sure why!’ If that sounds strange, consider this: on the bubbles, breaking them and depositing From that modest start, she has since drugs are often injected into patients, so the drugs where they’re required. given talks across the country, helped raise they travel through the bloodstream having Easy in theory, but making tiny bubbles awareness of women in engineering, provided an effect on the entire body. For many can be difficult. ‘Some will be stable for two commentary on the radio and, most recently, treatments, however, like killing cancer or seconds, some for two years; some will be appeared in a handful of BBC documentaries. dissolving blood clots, it’s best to target loaded with drugs, others will carry very In other words, she’s now part engineer, part drugs so their effects are localised. Dr Stride’s little,’ she explains. ‘If you’re using them in explainer. ‘It’s part of the responsibility of research group, part of the University’s patients, that’s a problem.’ So her research being a scientist,’ she explains. ‘I wouldn’t be Biomedical Ultrasonics, Biotherapy and group spends a lot of time developing new doing my job properly if I didn’t do it.’ Biopharmaceuticals Laboratory (BUBBL), is manufacturing microbubbles specifically designed for the purpose. These tiny For more information visit www.ibme.ox.ac.uk/research/non- hollow spheres carry drugs to where ◢ invasive-therapy-drug-delivery/people/dr-eleanor-stride
12 | BLUEPRINT November 2013 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint what’s on
exhibitions
Barbara Pym and the Bodleian Until 8 December Bodleian Library, Proscholium www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/whatson Exhibition celebrating the centenary of Pym’s birth, with a display of items from her literary papers, including manuscripts of her novel Excellent Women, and letters from other writers.
Beauty, grace and power: the horse in drawings of the Renaissance and Baroque Christ Church Picture Gallery Until 23 December Tickets £3/£2 Concerts www.chch.ox.ac.uk/gallery Family friendly Selection of nine Old Master drawings from Advent wassail Beautiful baubles the Christ Church collection show how 16th- Sunday 1 December, 8pm Thursday 5 December, 10.30am–12.30pm and 17th-century artists studied and portrayed Jacqueline Du Pré Music Building and 2–4pm the horse. Tickets £5 on the door Pitt Rivers Museum www.st-hildas.ox.ac.uk/jdp-music-building www.prm.ox.ac.uk/events.html Great medical discoveries: 800 years of A concert that takes a fresh look at traditional Make your own Christmas decoration Oxford innovation carols and wassail songs, exploring their inspired by wintery objects in the museum. Until 18 May 2014 roots in the rich heritage of British, Irish Free drop-in sessions for the under-5s. Bodleian Library, Exhibition Room and Appalachian folk music. www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/whatson Pitt Stop: Lyra’s furs Exhibition telling the story of Oxford’s place The Sixteen’s Christmas concert: Saturday 7 December, 1–4pm in the history of medicine, from the medieval A ceremony of carols Pitt Rivers Museum period to its current position at the forefront Saturday 7 December, 7.45pm www.prm.ox.ac.uk/events.html of medical research and clinical practice. S John the Evangelist Church, Iffley Road Discover the collection of Arctic clothing that Tickets £40/£30/£20 inspired Philip Pullman. Then follow in Lyra’s Lectures and talks www.sje-oxford.org/events footsteps and prepare for a journey north. A festive programme featuring the music of Making sense of big data Francis Poulenc and Benjamin Britten, as Sport Tuesday 3 December, 5pm well as familiar early carols. Oxford Martin School, 34 Broad Street Varsity rugby match www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/event/1671 Open days Thursday 12 December, 2pm Sir Mark Walport, Chief Scientific Adviser Twickenham Stadium to the UK Government, discusses how we Digital day at Oxford e-Research Centre Tickets £25 / £38 can make sense of the phenomenon of big Monday 9 December, 12pm–5.30pm www.thevarsitymatch.com data in order to reap the benefits. 7 Keble Road The 132nd Varsity rugby match between www.oerc.ox.ac.uk Oxford and Cambridge – one of the longest Reading, writing and the joy of books Event for researchers to find out how running sporting events in the world. Friday 6 December, 5pm innovative digital technologies can enhance Junior Common Room, Mansfield College and accelerate research. www.mansfield.ox.ac.uk MONDAY 9TH DECEMBER Talk by Carmen Callil, writer, critic and Workshops IS publisher, who founded Virago Press in 1973. Fruit tree pruning DIGITAL DAY AT OXFORD E-RESEARCH CENTRE How to access EU funding Saturday 14 December, 10am–1pm Thursday 16 January 2014, 8.30am University Botanic Garden Begbroke Science Park Tickets £40 www.begbroke.ox.ac.uk/Media/Events www.botanic-garden.ox.ac.uk/events Breakfast seminar on how to access the Waterperry Orchard Manager Chris Lanczak €70bn of innovation and research funding passes on his top tips for keeping trees in available through the European Commission’s peak condition and guides you through the new Horizon 2020 initiative. practical steps of pruning them.
• Discover how digital technologies are transforming research across the University • See the bene fi ts of digital research in and across different disciplines • Speak to researchers using new tools to answer new research questions • Explore possibilities for collaboration
PROGRAMME DETAILS 12.00 Buffet www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint Lunch November 2013 BLUEPRINT | 13 12.45: Presentations from Oxford e-Research Oxford e-Research Centre Centre & interdisciplinary This event is open to all and no collaborators 7 Keble Road booking is required. 2.15: Oxford e-Research Centre Please feel free to join us for as much Oxford Open Afternoon or as little of the event as you wish. 5.00: Drinks reception OX1 3QG For more details please contact [email protected] Oxford e-Research Centre In Rogue planet, Ossie travels through time and space, trying to find his way home
14 | BLUEPRINT September 2013 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint sparks of inspiration A new portal invites the public to engage with the exciting science taking place across the University, report Harry Dayantis and Annabel Cook
Public engagement is fast becoming an and Facebook. Information on training and essential factor in modern scientific research, funding is shared, as well as Oxford research but although many great initiatives taking news of interest to the wider public. place across the University reflected this, The idea for Oxford Sparks originated in there was, until recently, no central hub at the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Oxford. That all changed early last year (MPLS) Division, driven by Professor Tim when Oxford Sparks was launched. Softley of the Department of Chemistry Oxford Sparks (www.oxfordsparks. and the division’s Assistant Registrar for net) supports Oxford scientists in sharing Education, Lou Sumner. Members of staff their research with the public. The hub uses from across the University lend their support animations, blogs, podcasts, social media to the project, informing the creative process and other digital formats, and allows the and the overall direction of the project. public to explore Oxford research from one David Pyle, Professor of Earth Sciences, readily accessible portal. At its core sits a is the project’s academic lead. ‘Now that rich repository of over 400 (and growing) we have six animations, we’ve reached a resources, including activities, videos and sort of critical mass,’ he says. ‘There are educational material – all developed with enough there to attract people, so I’d like to a general audience in mind. have even more content across the website. Two-minute, fun and quirky animations We’re always looking for people to get have been developed to showcase and involved with the project, whether that’s explain cutting-edge areas of research. by producing new content or sending us These follow the adventures of a character what you’ve already made. For example, called Ossie, and find him colliding with you might have a presentation you give to protons in the Large Hadron Collider schools once a year. Instead of letting it (and discovering the Higgs Boson), being gather dust on your hard drive, we can link frozen to absolute zero, folded into a heart to it from the Oxford Sparks website so protein, and much more. The animations more people can benefit from your work.’ are supported by specially commissioned Annabel Cook, MPLS Science teaching resources and ‘science behind the Communication Officer, who looks after the animation’ pages. They have also attracted day-to-day running of the project, is also celebrity support with voiceovers supplied keen to involve scientists from across the by comedians including Jon Culshaw, University: ‘Although the project came from Ed Byrne and Ruby Wax. MPLS, we encourage contributions from all The animations and teaching resources scientists and engineers – it doesn’t matter are developed in consultation with a panel which division you belong to. We’re also of experienced teachers. The panel includes happy to work with people at any stage of Neil Dixon, an Advanced Skills Teacher their career, from postgraduate students to from Bromsgrove. ‘The project brings heads of department. If you have a passion cutting-edge research at one of the UK’s for public engagement, or just want to leading research and teaching universities learn more and explore your options, get directly into the classroom, enriching the in touch. There are many ways you can get learning of students and enthusing them involved – from writing a blog to filming about science and technology,’ he says. your fieldwork. We’d love to help you share ‘Teachers are well supported through the your passion!’ provision of high-quality resources that Oxford Sparks will shortly be are tailored to specific age groups.’ piloting a series of workshops and As well as the main website, there is an networking events to build Oxford’s active social media presence, including public engagement offering. So don’t Flickr and YouTube, as well as Twitter hesitate – engage!
Visit Oxford Sparks at www.oxfordsparks.net, www.facebook. Ossie in action. From top: A trip towards com/OxSparks or @OxfordSparks. To investigate how you absolute zero; about to investigate underwater ◢ might engage the public in your own research, email oxfordsparks@ volcanoes; a look around the lhc. Bottom: mpls.ox.ac.uk Comedian Ed Byrne narrated Underwater volcano disaster
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www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint November 2013 BLUEPRINT | 19 why am i here?
Matt Blandford Head of Financial Systems Support Centre
What do you actually do? So how did you get from there to here? I manage the team that supports the I became a financial accountant with the financial systems of the University. As part Co-op Group Financial Control and then of that role, I ensure we’re available to moved into the system development team. support users currently using the system, In 2005 I joined Liverpool John Moores and that we work with them to look University as System Accountant and at improving processes where possible while there, in 2009, implemented R12 and make maximum use of the systems Oracle Financials. So I brought four years’ available. experience of R12 with me when I joined What’s your most prized possession Oxford three months ago. – and why? Aren’t you currently working on a new My international air cadet exchange system? What do you enjoy outside work? blazer. Only 80 cadets in the UK are Many Blueprint readers will be aware of I like travel and the usual reading. I also entitled to wear it each year and I was the big change earlier this month when enjoy baking when I can – I have 12 one of those chosen back in 1992. I’ve Oracle Financials was upgraded to R12 Christmas cakes to bake shortly! kept it in its suit holder ever since. – the culmination of a large project over a number of months. Out of the back What’s your greatest extravagance? If we gave you £1,000 right now, what of this massive change, the Financial My nephews – I spoil them rotten. would you spend it on? Systems Support Centre will be working An Apple Mac – I need a new computer! What’s the most unexpected thing on enhancements to the system over the you’ve found yourself doing? Your three ideal dinner guests? coming months and years. Being involved in an Oracle Financials George Lucas – I love Star Wars. What do you most enjoy/dislike about R12 upgrade four years after doing my Plain and simple. I’m not a huge geek your job? first. It doesn’t happen that often unless but they’re my favourite films. My I like providing people with the tools that you’re an Oracle consultant. paternal grandfather. He passed away make their job easier, whether finance is when I was 11 but he loved University Your favourite website? And best fact core to their job and we make it easier for Challenge and was in awe of students you’ve learned online? them, or whether finance is part of their from Oxford and Cambridge, so he The BBC – sad but true! First thing I look job so our tools enable them to complete would love the fact that I now work at in the morning to see what’s happened their transactions quickly and return to for one (the better) of those. Sir Isaac overnight in the world. The most their primary role. I dislike that no matter Newton. As a maths graduate, it would interesting thing I’ve learned online is that how hard we try, we can never provide be fascinating to speak to him about how there is a prime number called Belphegor’s a system that everyone likes. he came up with the theories that much Prime Number. Belphegor is one of is now based on. Childhood ambition? And your first job? the seven princes of hell and the prime I wanted to be a pilot in the Royal Air number is not only a palindrome but is And finally, what would your colleagues Force. After a maths degree I became a 1000000000000066600000000000001 be surprised to learn about you? Customer Service Advisor for the – 666 with 13 zeros each side of it – I’ve flown a glider solo – one of the Co-operative Bank in Manchester. spoooooky! scariest things I’ve ever done.
viewfinder Where’s this marvellous mosaic? Answer on p6. Blueprint is published bimonthly for the staff of the University of Oxford by the Public Affairs Directorate Editor: Sally Croft Designers: Laëtitia Velia/Katy Dawkins Picture research: Janet Avison Items for possible inclusion are welcome and should be sent to [email protected] If you would like to receive an email alert when future issues are published, please send a blank email to [email protected] Blueprint is printed by Oxuniprint on recycled paper. Advertising To advertise in Blueprint, please contact Rosalind Cuomo on 01865 280548 or email blueprint.ads@ admin.ox.ac.uk The University accepts no responsibility for the content of any material in Blueprint. Readers should note in particular that the inclusion of news, editorial items and advertisements does not imply the endorsement by the University of the matters reported, the views expressed or the goods or services advertised.
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