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Home , Alison Etheridge, Catherine Morgan, Henry Snaith, Stephen Broadberry, University of Oxford

blueprint Staff magazine for the of | September 2016

Chemistry’s organic growth | Secrets of successful spelling | Oxford Time news in brief u Oxford has topped Higher research at the , set off at 6.30am World University Rankings for and arrived at Homerton, Harris Manchester’s 2016–17 – the first time in the 13-year of twin college, in the afternoon.

OxfordUniversity Images/Rob the rankings that a UK institution has secured the top spot. The rankings research-intensive u The University’s phone system is being across five areas: teaching, research, replaced by a new service called Chorus. citations, international outlook and knowledge The service is being rolled out on a building- transfer. In total UK institutions took 91 of the by-building basis between autumn 2016 and 980 places, with the University of spring 2018. Chorus will deliver replacement (fourth) and (eighth) phones together with access to a web portal, also making the top ten. which will provide additional functionality such as managing your voicemail, accessing u The University and local NHS partners have your call history, and sending and receiving won £126.5m to support medical research. instant messages. Details at https://projects.it. The money, from the National Institute for ox.ac.uk/icp. Health Research, includes £113.7m for the existing /Oxford University u The University has opened a new nursery Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, and on the in Headington, £12.8m for a new Biomedical Research Centre bringing the total number of University-owned specialising in mental health and dementia, nurseries to five. The Triangle Nursery has 98 run by the University and Oxford Health NHS full-time-equivalent places for children aged Trust. The two BRCs will work closely together, between 4 months and 5 years. For information and with the Oxford Academic Health on how to apply for a place at one of the Moreno Munuera Images/Silvia University Oxford Centre, to develop innovations in areas such as University nurseries or one of the community personalised medicine, working with big data, nurseries across the city with University- and tackling the problems of multiple long-term supported places, visit www.admin.ox.ac. conditions and dementia. uk/childcare. u A pioneering centre for the study of nanoscale u Academic Services and University Collections materials has opened at the Harwell Science (ASUC) has changed its name to Gardens, and Innovation Campus. The electron Physical and (GLAM). The GLAM Science Imaging Centre (ePSIC) is the result of group comprises the , the a collaboration launched in 2014 between the University’s museums and the Botanic Garden, University, the UK’s national synchrotron science and is led by Pro-Vice- Anne facility, Diamond Light Source, and the speciality Trefethen. The role of GLAM is to represent chemicals company Johnson Matthey. The these areas in the University’s governance centre contains two electron microscopes for the structure and to coordinate budgets, policy and physical , designed to provide scientists strategy in support of the University’s teaching, with atomic-level images which will significantly research and widening engagement activities and OxfordNatural History /Scott Billings enhance the development of new materials. its heritage and legal responsibilities. From top: The VC, Ralph Waller and u Harris Manchester College has raised £1m u The Museum of Natural History has friends ride to Cambridge; new nursery for student support through an Oxford to found a new home for its Utahraptor model. opens; the Utahraptor heads for the JR Cambridge bike ride. Eight members of the After a public call was put out for a new college undertook the ride on 12 September, home for the four-metre-long , over following an 86-mile route which took in Islip, 200 submissions were received from across Marsh Gibbon, Woburn and . The the world. The winning entry was from the group, headed by Dr Ralph Waller Children’s Hospital at the John Radcliffe and accompanied by the Vice-Chancellor and Hospital, where the model will take her husband Dr Thomas Jevon, who is a senior residence shortly.

u Building work has started on the new £8.5m Sports at Iffley Road Sports Centre. The sports hall, which will be sited next to the track where broke the four-minute mile, will include four courts, changing facilities and a multi- purpose activity room for fitness classes that will be Credit:JudgesRob open to the community. It is hoped the hall will also incorporate a light smart floor, which will allow LED Cover: Great Tom, toller of Oxford Time, floor markings to be changed at the touch of a button. is admired by Christ Church Archivist Judith Curthoys (see pp10–11)

2 | BLUEPRINT September 2016 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint research round-up

could help understanding of conditions such A penchant for the black pig? as psychopathy, where behaviour is extremely

Wikipedia antisocial. While being scanned in a MRI machine, volunteers had to work out which symbols were more likely to give them, or someone else, a reward. Researchers, led by the Department of Experimental Psychology’s Dr Patricia Lockwood, found people readily learn to make choices that benefit others, but not as quickly as they learn to benefit themselves. They also identified the brain area involved in learning to get the best result for others – the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex. Interestingly, people with higher empathy also showed increased activity there when benefiting others.

u A high-tech scanner acquired by the Faculty of and the Bodleian Libraries has been used to uncover the details of a rare Mexican book dating from before the colonisation of the Americas. Researchers u New research suggests that Polynesians, both hands and were right-handed. Each from the Bodleian and the Netherlands Europeans and the Chinese have had a person was asked to move individual fingers found the book, known as a ‘codex’, behind penchant for black pigs because of the novelty on their left hand. While there was less a layer of plaster and chalk on the back of their colour. Pigs have played an important brain activity related to the left hand in of a manuscript held in the Bodleian. The cultural role in Hawaii since Polynesian the amputees, the specific patterns making hyperspectral imaging scanner was bought in explorers first brought them to Hawaii 800 up the composition of the hand picture still 2014 after the Bodleian and Classics made a years ago. Researchers led by Professor matched well to the two-handed people bid to the University’s Fund. Oxford Greger Larson examined the DNA sequences in the control group, overturning an classicist Dr Charles Crowther says it will allow academics from across the humanities of modern feral Hawaiian pigs and discovered established theory in neuroscience. ‘to resolve details that previously have been that a novel mutation is responsible for their u Researchers at the Oxford-led hub unattainable and to bring to light significant black coats – a significant finding, because the for Networked Quantum Information new texts’. pigs were expected to have either the Asian or Technologies (NQIT) have achieved a the European genetic mutation leading to quantum logic gate – the fundamental their black colour. The study, published in building block of quantum computers – with the journal Open Science, says wild pigs record-breaking 99.9% precision. That is would naturally have camouflaged coats. the benchmark required theoretically to However, human societies have independently build quantum computers, which have the selected domesticated pigs that express the potential to dwarf the processing power trait of black coats on at least three separate of ’s conventional computers. Logic occasions. gates place two atoms in a state of quantum entanglement – a phenomenon described by u Our brains have a detailed picture of our Einstein as ‘spooky’ but which is at the heart hands and fingers, and that image persists of quantum technologies. Entanglement even decades after an amputation, researchers occurs when two particles stay connected, have found. This new information could have such that an action on one affects the other, implications for next-generation prosthetics, even when they are separated by great controlled directly from the brain. Dr Tamar distances. Professor David Lucas, of Oxford’s Makin and Sanne Kikkert, from Oxford’s Department of , described the new Hand and Brain Lab, used an ultra-high- record as an ‘important milestone’ on the power MRI scanner to look at brain activity road to quantum computers. in two people who had lost their left hand through amputation 25 and 31 years ago u A joint Oxford and UCL team has but who still experienced vivid phantom identified part of our brain that helps us sensations, and 11 people who retained learn to be good to others. The discovery

For more information, visit www.ox.ac.uk/news and www.ox.ac.uk/staffnews Hyperspectral imaging reveals rare text www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint September 2016 BLUEPRINT | 3 people and prizes

Dr Charis Antoniades, associate professor Barbara Casadei, Professor of Cardiovascular Respiratory Society. His research interests lie of Cardiovascular Medicine, has been Medicine, has been elected President of the in the clinical aspects of inflammatory airway awarded the Outstanding Achievement European Society of Cardiology; she is the diseases and he pioneered the use of non- award of the European Society of Cardiology. first woman to be elected to the post. invasive measures of airway inflammation His current research interests include the in the assessment of these conditions. interplay between adipose tissue and vascular/ Ben Davis, Professor of Chemistry, has been myocardial redox signalling. awarded the Ronald Breslow Award for Alan Percy, Head of the University Achievement in Biomimetic Chemistry, one Counselling Service, has become Chair-elect of Professor , of the American Chemical Society 2017 the Heads of University Counselling Services. Supernumerary Fellow National Awards. He will chair the organisation for the 2017/18 of Lincoln College, has and 2018/19 academic sessions.

Danny du Feu du Danny won the 2016 Grady– , Professor of Probability, Stack award for science has been named a Fellow of the Institute Emma Potts, Academic journalism, presented by of Mathematical Statistics. The accolade Registrar, has been the America Chemical recognises her outstanding research on appointed as Chair- Society for interpreting measure-valued processes and elect of the Academic chemistry for the public. Professor Atkins applications to population biology, and also Registrars’ Council. her international leadership and service to She will spend this is the author of more than 70 books, both Hamid OUI/Nasir seminal textbooks and books aimed at the profession. academic year as Vice- increasing public understanding of chemistry. President and assume the chairmanship next Alex Halliday, Professor of Geochemistry, has year, for a two-year period. Jo-Anne Baird, won the American Geophysical Union’s 2016 Pearson Professor of Harry H Hess Medal for his outstanding , Regius Educational Assessment achievements in research on the constitution Professor of History, and Director of and evolution of the Earth and other planets. has been awarded the Oxford’s Department Gerda Henkel Prize for Angus Kirkland, Professor of Materials, has of Education, has her ‘trailblazing studies been awarded the quadrennial European been appointed on social, gender, and Microscopy Award for Materials Sciences for Standing Specialist Advisor on Education psychological history his outstanding achievements in theoretical to the Select Committee on Education. as well as the history and instrumental areas such as pioneering exit- The Education Committee is appointed of the body [which] stand out for their wave reconstruction, EM ptychography and by the House of Commons to monitor the theoretical acumen, masterful command of detector design. He has also been awarded the policy, administration and spending of the an impressive wealth of source materials, and Royal Microscopical Society Alan Agar Medal Department for Education and its associated their superb prose’. for Electron Microscopy 2016 in recognition of arm’s-length bodies, including Ofsted and his expertise in this field. Ofqual. Dr Franziska Meinck Dr Manuel Berdoy of the Department lasker Award of Oxford University of Social Policy and Biomedical Services Professor Sir Peter Intervention has been has been awarded Ratcliffe has won awarded the C Henry the Sir Patrick Moore the Lasker Award, Kempe Award by the Award by the RSPCA one of the most International Society for for outstanding prestigious prizes the Prevention of Child Abuse & Neglect. The contributions to the understanding of in medicine, for his award, which recognises a young professional laboratory rodent behaviour and reducing work understanding or researcher for outstanding contributions to the numbers of animals used in experiments the mechanisms by which cells sense and the field of child abuse prevention, is primarily through better design and statistical analysis. hypoxia (low oxygen levels). for her work in South Africa as part of the Hypoxia is an important component , Parenting for Lifelong Health Network. of many human diseases including Professor of World cancer, heart disease, stroke, vascular Gero Miesenböck, Waynflete Professor Literature in English disease, and anaemia. A key success

Ana Brigidd Ana of Physiology, is one of the three joint winners and Director of The was defining the oxygen sensing and of the Massry Prize 2016. The prize, which Oxford Research Centre signalling pathways that link the recognises outstanding contributions to the in the Humanities essential transcription factor, hypoxia biomedical sciences and the advancement (TORCH), has won a inducible factor (HIF), to the availability of health, is awarded for his work on 2016 ESSE Book Award for Literatures in the of oxygen. optogenetics. English Language, presented by The European He receives the award jointly with US Society for the Study of English, for her book Ian Pavord, Professor of Respiratory researchers William G Kaelin and Gregg Indian Arrivals 1870–1915: Networks of Medicine, has been awarded the ERS L Semenza, who worked with him to British Empire. Gold Medal in Asthma by the European understand the processes.

4 | BLUEPRINT September 2016 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint british announces new Professor Sir David Research at the Centre political organisation; Cannadine, Visiting for Business Taxation Greek religion; island Professor of History at (SBS) and a fellow of studies; and Archaic John Stone John Oxford, Editor of the Worcester College. Her poetry. She was Oxford Dictionary of main research areas formerly Director of National Biography, are tax avoidance, tax the British School at and Dodge Professor and corporate social Athens. of History at Princeton University, is to be responsibility, the taxation of small business the 30th President of the British Academy. and the relationship between taxation and Duncan Snidal, He will take up office in July 2017 for a accounting. She was awarded a CBE in 2013 Professor of four-year term. for her contribution to tax research and and fellow u Eight other academics affiliated with policy. of Nuffield College, Oxford were among those recently elected , researches problems as Fellows of the British Academy. Professor of Music of international , and fellow of St cooperation and institutions – including Professor of Hugh’s College, is a international law and international musicologist and music organisations – with an emphasis on and professorial theorist. Her research institutional design. His current projects fellow of Nuffield interests lie in songs, focus on multi-partner governance of College, researches counterpoint, and singing, with a particular transnational production and the emergence the development focus on medieval secular lyrics in French. of informal international organisations of the world economy from 1000AD to She also studies music and philosophy, ideas (such as the ) as distinctive forms of the present, using a historical national of musical meaning, music analysis, music international governance. He is co-founder accounting approach to shed light on the and gender, and music in literature. and editor of the journal International of productivity and living Theory. Michael Macdonald, standards between Europe and Asia. He Research Associate in also studies comparative growth and Fiona Williams is the Faculty of Oriental productivity performance during the 19th a Research Affiliate Studies and Khalili and 20th centuries, and wars and economic at Oxford’s Centre Research Centre and performance. on Migration, honorary fellow of Policy and Society Patricia Clavin, Wolfson College, works (COMPAS), as well Professor of on the languages, inscriptions, and history as Emeritus Professor International History of pre-Islamic Arabia and the ways in which of Social Policy at the . and fellow of Jesus literacy was used in the ancient . She researches gender, ‘race’ and ethnicity College, studies the He is currently academic director of the in social policy and also studies the history of international Online Corpus of the Inscriptions of Ancient employment of migrant care workers, the and transnational North Arabia (OCIANA) Project which is place of care in contemporary society; and relations in the 20th century, especially the making available over 40,000 inscriptions how policy responds to this. relationship between international security from ancient Arabia in an easily accessible and economic and financial stability, and online database. u In addition, Justice Kate O’Regan, the role played by international and regional , Senior Research former Judge in the Constitutional (notably European) organisations such as the Fellow at All Souls College and Professor Court of South Africa and Visiting League of Nations. of Classics and Archaeology, specialises in Professor at the University of Oxford, Judith Freedman, Pinsent Masons Professor Classical archaeology of the Mediterranean, was elected an Honorary Fellow of the of Taxation Law, is also Director of Legal the Adriatic and the Black Sea; Greek British Academy.

zSL awards shortlist Oxford zoologists were amongst those honoured by the Zoological Society of The Blavatnik School of Government and the London at its recent awards. Weston have both been shortlisted for Peter Holland, Linacre Professor of , received the Frink Award – the the RIBA Stirling Prize, the UK’s most prestigious ZSL’s highest award – in recognition of his prolific research on the impacts of architecture prize. The winner will be announced gene duplication which has helped shed light on the complex history of vertebrate on 6 October. evolution. The Blavatnik School has also won the Kevin Foster, Professor of Evolutionary Biology, was one of three recipients of the award for the best use of civil engineering in ZSL Scientific Medal, which is awarded to individuals with the most distinguished the South East from the Institution of Civil 15 years of postdoctoral work in zoology. He was honoured for his work on social Engineers, recognising both its appearance and behaviours and evolution. its environmental credentials.

www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint September 2016 BLUEPRINT | 5 New Heads of House Three new Heads of House take office Mr Young, who gained a degree in royal Society this term: Modern History at New College, has had a distinguished career in advertising, joining recognition Corpus Christi College Ogilvy & Mather in 1982 and holding senior Five Oxford academics are among the positons in the London, Europe and Asia Steven Cowley FRS, recipients of the Royal Society’s 2016 Pacific parts of the company before becoming CEO of the UK Atomic awards and medals. Energy Authority, CEO of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide in Director of the 2008, based in New York, and then , Centre for Fusion Chairman in 2009. Professor of Energy and part-time Astrophysics, receives the Rosalind Professor of Plasma St Cross College Franklin Award Physics at Imperial Carole Souter CBE, and Lecture for College, London, becomes President of until recently Chief her research in the Corpus Christi College on 1 October. Executive of the cosmic microwave Following an Oxford BA (Corpus 1978) National Heritage background and her innovative project and a PhD from Princeton University, Memorial Fund and to support and encourage girls studying Professor Cowley has had a distinguished Heritage Lottery Fund, physics. career in theoretical physics with a particular has become the interest in plasma physics and nuclear fusion, of St Cross College. Simon Myers, holding posts at Culham, Princeton, UCLA She began her career in the civil service Professor of and Imperial. In 2012 he was awarded the and has over 20 years’ experience of policy Mathematical Glazebrook Medal of the formulation and operational management in Genomics, has for leadership in a physics context. He is a the Departments of Health, and Social Security been awarded the member of the Prime Minister’s Council of and the Cabinet Office. She is also actively Medal Science and Technology. engaged in the charitable sector and is a trustee and Lecture for of Historic Royal Palaces; Creativity, Culture transforming our New College and Education; the Horniman Museum; and understanding of meiotic recombination Miles Young, the National Communities Resource Centre. and of human population history. Worldwide Chairman She is a Lay of Salisbury Cathedral. , and CEO of Mrs Souter has a BA in PPE from Jesus Professor of Ogilvy & Mather, College, and an MA in Victorian Studies from Developmental the international the ; she is a Fellow of Biology, has won advertising, marketing the RSA, the Society of Antiquaries, and a a Royal Medal for and public relations member of the Academy of Urbanism. She her innovative work agency and one of the is an Honorary Fellow of Jesus College, within the field of world’s largest communications groups, has and was awarded the CBE in 2011 for mouse embryology become of New College. services to conservation. and development, establishing the pathways involved in early body planning of the mammalian embryo. noticeboard , Professor of Physics, u Sarah Whatmore, broadly concerned with cultures of has been awarded Professor of and the relationship between different the Kavli Medal Environment and forms of environmental knowledge and and Lecture for Public Policy and the attachment, with a particular interest his discovery and University’s academic in the role of evidence and expertise in development of champion for public environmental governance today. She is solar engagement with a Fellow of the British Academy, of the cells, which are expected to dramatically research, has been Academy of Social Sciences and of the increase the efficiency and reduce the cost appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education). Royal Geographical Society and is an of solar energy. A fellow of Keble College, she has appointed member of the Defra Science , previously held posts at UCL, Bristol, Leeds Advisory Council and Chair of its Social Professor of and the . Her research is Science Expert Sub-group. Engineering Science, receives the Milner Medal and Lecture for his work on

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6 | BLUEPRINT September 2016 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint arrivals board

Blavatnik Professor of Public Policy Foster Professor of Irish History logician who has made fundamental Jonathan Wolff, Ian McBride, Professor contributions to model theory, particularly Professor of of Irish and British geometric model theory and its applications. Philosophy and History at King’s He is interested in connections to algebraic of the Faculty of Arts College London, will geometry and to additive combinatorics, and and Humanities at take up this post in one of his major projects is a development of University College the Faculty of History a logical framework for global phenomena London, took up this on 1 October. He will in number theory and geometry, such as post in the Blavatnik also become a fellow of heights. School of Government on 1 September. He Hertford College. He is a Fellow of the American Academy also became a fellow of Wolfson College. Professor McBride’s research interests of Arts and Sciences and the Israel Academy Professor Wolff’s research lies in the broad encompass Modern Ireland; Memory, of Sciences and Humanities. area of political philosophy, including the Commemoration and Contested Pasts; the history of political thought (especially Marx), British Isles in the Long 18th Century; and contemporary political philosophy (especially Northern Ireland since 1920. equality, distributive justice and disadvantage) His most recent book, Eighteenth- and applied political philosophy (especially Century Ireland: The Isle of Slaves, is a Chief Executive Officer, Oxford public policy and health). general history of Ireland between 1688 University Innovation and 1800, and he is also researching the Dr Matt Perkins Chichele Professor of Medieval experiences of Irish Catholics during the has been History ‘penal times’ and the Irish writings of appointed as Julia Smith, Edwards . Other interests include the CEO of Oxford Professor of Medieval controversial role of collective memories University History at the and commemorations in Irish culture, Innovation with , the debates over truth and reconciliation effect from will take up this post in in Northern Ireland since 1998, and the 1 October. the Faculty of History relationship between political violence, He has a background in the space on 1 October. She also representations of the past and professional industry and was formerly Group becomes a fellow of All historiography. CEO of SSTL (a Souls College. spinout) and subsequently President, Following early publications on Professor of Mathematical Logic Space Imaging Technology, of e2v Carolingian political and social history, , Technologies. In 2013–14 he chaired Professor Smith’s research today focuses Professor of the UK Industry Association for Space. on women and gender and on ’ cults Mathematics at the Dr Perkins has a PhD in RF & and hagiography. Her current project, Hebrew University, Microwave Engineering and is a Fellow in Fragments, locates saints’ Jerusalem, takes of the Royal Academy of Engineering, relics at the intersection of material culture up this post in the the Institution of Engineering and and the cultural history of medieval Mathematical Institute Technology, and the Institute of Christianity, thereby substituting objects for on 1 October. He will Directors. He is also a visiting professor texts as the main field of enquiry. She isa also be a fellow of Merton College. at the University of Leeds. Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Professor Hrushovski is a mathematical

want to save on travel costs? If you’re one of the thousands of people money, they’re doing their bit to help reduce expanding Oxonbike bike hire scheme.

driving into Oxford each day you might congestion and CO2 emissions and ease the You’ll find them for hire at seven sites across want to consider joining the University’s problem of parking across the city. the city including the car-sharing scheme, where two or more Between them, the Oxford budi-teams Quarter, Begbroke, Old Road Campus and people travel together. The scheme, managed are estimated to be annually saving over the Science Area. by the Environmental Sustainability team, 250,000 miles, £60,000 in fuel costs and Also new on the block is the Science enables car owners to be matched with travel wear and tear, and 84 tonnes of carbon. And Transit Shuttle, making a regular appearance companions to help share journey costs, or that’s not to mention building friendships throughout the day to provide a half-hourly brings together two or more people to buddy and potentially improving their social lives connection service for staff and students up and share the burden of driving and car – what’s not to like? between the Science Area, Old Road Campus wear and tear, as well as fuel and parking fees. There are also other ways to save travel and Harwell Campus. Over 470 people are currently registered on costs or make your life easier getting around Visit www.admin.ox.ac.uk/estates/ the scheme, comprising 45 active budi-teams the city. If you like cycling but find it hard ourservices/travel to find out more about these who have been matched using criteria such work, you might enjoy using an e-bike. There’s and other staff travel initiatives, including as their postcode, route to work and their a growing network of these smart electric- season ticket loans, travel discounts, bicycle time and place of work. As well as saving power-assisted bikes now included in the servicing and safety training.

www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint September 2016 BLUEPRINT | 7 steering a safe course Plans are in place to safeguard the University’s financial future, Julia Paolitto discovers

lower surplus include a reliance on the annual An early home for University valuables - the Painted Chest, used from 1668 until the transfer from (which University opened its first bank account in 1756 has declined in recent years) and an expansion in the University’s estate of 25% in the last decade that has quickly added to the buildings and equipment that will need replacing. Taken together, these pressures mean the University is currently achieving a surplus of around 3%, which is about £25m short of the 5% needed. While this doesn’t amount to an immediate crisis, a number of new measures are being put in place to bring University finances back into line. Chief among these will be controls on the number of non-academic staff the University and its departments can recruit until the operating surplus reaches 5% again. The UniForum benchmarking exercise, in which Oxford is participating with a number of other institutions, will help us to better understand how administrative services are Imagine a giant supertanker crossing the ocean activities have outstripped its ability to recover delivered, and where the University could be that starts to drift ever so slightly off course. the fixed costs of those activities. structured to run more efficiently. It’s not very noticeable yet, but hundreds of Oxford’s expansion in research activity The University is also attempting to recover thousands of tonnes in weight takes a lot of has also brought with it a rapid increase in more of its research costs by asking all grant work to steer back on course if not corrected academic and especially non-academic staff agreements with industry to cover the full cost quickly. That supertanker is the best analogy numbers. Many large institutions develop of research. And a new matched endowment for the current state of the University’s financial fund has been established to support current position, according to Director of Finance ‘A number of things just academic activities. Giles Kerr. ‘The further you drift off course, The impact of Brexit adds another element of the harder it is to get back on track if you ’t below the surface have uncertainty – in the form of £60m in research start nudging things back in the right direction been chipping away at our income that currently comes from EU sources, as well as the uncertainty in status of some quickly,’ he explains. resources and making it cost Oxford continues to lead the UK in 2,000 staff and 3,000 students from Europe. generating high-quality research and winning more to carry on doing Both Kerr and Professor , Pro- grants, but rising costs and increasing what we’re doing’ Vice-Chancellor for Planning and Resources, complexities are causing it to miss its key emphasise that, until the terms of Brexit are set, financial target: the 5% operating surplus that the ways of planning for its impact are limited. is essential to maintain Oxford’s core activities. economies of scale that ensure they get James notes, however, that ‘in many ways, we This surplus target, which the University has more efficient as they grow. But at Oxford have much greater resilience than other UK failed to meet in recent years, reflects the annual ‘decentralisation means it is much more universities, and our focus at this point is in costs of renewing the University’s infrastructure difficult to reduce costs through economies reassuring staff and students from Europe and – the labs, libraries and IT systems that of scale,’ according to Kerr. The increasing elsewhere that they remain as highly valued as underpin the institution’s core teaching and complexity of the environment that ever, as a vital element in our academic life.’ research activities. administrators have to contend with, The coming months will see increasing So how and where has the University started combined with Oxford’s devolved operating efforts to make University staff more aware to go adrift? ‘The situation we face now is model spreading administrative work across of the University’s financial position. But the the result of several gradual changes in our departments as well as centrally, has driven take-home message is still an optimistic one, income streams and our cost base,’ notes Kerr. the increase in numbers in a way that is not according to James: ‘We are an extraordinarily ‘A number of things just below the surface sustainable in the longer term. This expansion successful university, with great resources, have been chipping away at our resources and has happened alongside greater expenses first-rate staff and a bright future. However, making it cost more to carry on doing what associated with attracting and retaining the financial environment is tight and, to we’re doing.’ Oxford has been subject to a academic staff, and an increase in pension and ensure we remain the best, we need to make series of external pressures common to many National Insurance contributions for all staff. prudent investments and be efficient in universities, as well as internal pressures and Other factors contributing to the University’s everything we do.’ constraints unique to the way it operates that make responding to those pressures harder. Both government and research councils have Read more at www.ox.ac.uk/financialsustainability and cut their funding for equipment and overhead www.ox.ac.uk/uniforum costs, and the University’s expanding research

8 | BLUEPRINT September 2016 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint getting the measure of big data Aiden Doherty tells Tom Calver how devices to record physical activity are coming on in leaps and bounds Rob Judges Rob

Television presenter James May can claim Officer recommends 150 minutes of moderate researchers. For the UK Biobank, an analytical (tenuous) credit for bringing Dr Aiden Doherty to vigorous intensity exercise each week, but task that could have taken almost 3½ years was to Oxford. If he hadn’t chosen to feature an Irish there are no guidelines on light activity, and reduced to a matter of days. research team working on wearable technology little on the consequences of too much sitting. Following a degree in Computer Science on one of his programmes, the team might not We don’t know whether it should be regular from Dublin City University, Aiden stayed on to have come to the attention of Oxford’s leading daily activity or if you get the same effect from complete a PhD on an Irish government research physical activity researcher Dr Charlie Foster, being a weekend warrior. The new measurement fellowship. He chose to look at the then-emerging and the fruitful interaction which eventually technology will help us in future, informing field of wearable technologies and ‘life-logging’. brought Dr Doherty to Oxford might never health guidelines and helping other researchers Supervised by Professor Alan Smeaton and have happened. – for example, if interested in the genetics of supported by leading tech companies, he looked Now, Doherty is part of the team at the obesity, it is important to know about physical at how best to process the data from a lifelog Nuffield Department for Population Health activity.’ of images collected by a wearable camera. (NDPH), bringing his expertise as a computer Then, in 2010, he received a prestigious Marie scientist to bear on the large-scale health research ‘In the US 50% of adults Skłodowska-Curie actions Research Fellowship programmes run by the department. from the European Union, which enabled him One of today’s great health challenges is thought they met the minimum to come to Oxford and apply his knowledge to physical activity: the lack of it is associated with 150 minutes of moderate health issues. around five million deaths worldwide each year. ‘It was an opportunity to have a more applied NDPH’s cohort studies follow tens of thousands exercise, while in 38% focus,’ he says. ‘Population health works on the of people, tracking lifestyle and health over years. did…technology suggested just most important problems. The overall aim is to The huge data resource created is then analysed 5% were hitting the target’ better measure lifestyle health behaviours. We’re to find associations between health issues and a only scratching the surface of what we can do. range of factors – including physical activity. As the technology improves, there will be the One issue is that asking people to record the The technology makes a significant difference opportunity to include it in more studies.’ physical activity they do can give inaccurate – studies found that in the US 50% of adults Now supported by a fellowship from results. Technology may have an answer. thought they met the minimum 150 minutes of the Centre for Dr Doherty has a range of devices used to moderate exercise, while in England 38% did. In Research Excellence at Oxford, Aiden adds: get more objective measures of activity. These both countries, the technology suggested just 5% ‘The key thing for me is to continue learning. include wrist-worn accelerometers – ‘Think of were hitting the target. The Big Data Centre opens in January and I’ll be it as a research-grade Fitbit’ – and wearable The challenge is the amount of data gathered. working with people in genomics, engineering, cameras. Already, over 100,000 participants in In just one week, wrist-worn devices return tens population health and across medical sciences. the Oxford-led UK Biobank population study of millions of movement readings, while cameras Five years ago I was not hopeful about have worn the devices, and 200 additional produce tens of thousands of images. That is automated analysis of sensor and image data in volunteers around Oxford have worn the where Aiden’s expertise is vital. He creates the health datasets. Now, at least semi-automated cameras. The images offer better understanding processing techniques that can turn these millions analysis is possible, and I am very excited about of the readings from the accelerometers, showing of data points into information useful for health the advances my colleagues and I are making.’ whether people are cycling or walking, for example. Aiden explains: ‘At the moment, health advice Find out more at http://po.st/AidenD is based on gross estimations. The Chief Medical

www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint September 2016 BLUEPRINT | 9 oxford’s own Time Lord Annette Cunningham investigates the temporal tradition of ‘Oxford Time’

From left: Judith gives Tom a ring; Great Tom himself; Oseney Abbey as it looked in 1640

Oxford is renowned for its charm and Following the arrival of trains, providing a new trouble and he probably felt that he earned fascinating eccentricities. Beating the link between the UK’s towns and villages, a need every penny.’ Bounds to mark parish territories (originating arose to bring the time zones together and in People are often curious about why the from a time before maps and deeds were 1852 Greenwich Time was adopted nationwide. bells are rung 101 times. ‘There was originally commonplace), city wall inspections carried Christ Church, however, chose to continue to a peal to mark and alert each of the 100 out by the Lord Mayor in full regalia, ring its 9pm curfew at exactly the same time Students attached to the college by Henry penny throwing on Ascension Day and an every day – which is 9.05pm to the rest of us. VIII to return,’ Judith explains. ‘The extra ring annual tortoise fair dating from the 1920s Tom started life along with seven other bells came later when an additional Student was – featuring the thrill of a tortoise race – are – all with their own charming names including added by bequest in 1663.’ just a few of the college traditions which The bells were, of course, originally rung are still in existence. by hand. There are rumours that the bell One of the best-known traditions is the ‘Great Tom’s 101 peals from ringer would quite often lose count and, instead tolling of Christ Church’s majestic ‘Great Tom’, ’s bell of hazarding a rough guess at where they had the largest of the cathedral’s bells, which lords tower have dominated the got to and continuing, they would start again it over the city every evening. Great Tom’s 101 from the beginning – resulting in numerous peals from Christopher Wren’s bell tower have night air for centuries’ peals filling the air, confused Oxonians and a dominated the night air for centuries. Ringing slightly later than normal curfew. The ringing at 9.05pm, they originally served to alert the Clement, Marie and Douce – at Oseney Abbey. has been automated since the 1960s so there’s college’s students to return to their lodgings The abbey was closed by Cardinal Wolsey (who no danger of that happening now. quickly before the gates were locked. claimed his own Oxford degree at the tender Great Tom could be forgiven for having Judith Curthoys, Archivist at Christ Church, age of 15) to fund his vision of creating a new something of an identity crisis. The bell has says there is no evidence for the exact date this college aimed at training young men for an been re-hung and recast (resulting in substantial tradition began. ‘The ringing of the nightly alert active life in the church or state. As Henry VIII’s weight gain) several times, the first such in is likely to have originated soon after 1546 chief advisor, Wolsey closed down several other 1612, possibly to rid it of a papist inscription. when the college was founded and its timing including the St Frideswide Priory It even spent a brief period known as Mary, now serves as a reminder of “Oxford Time”,’ and this provided the site for his new building. when it was renamed in honour of Mary Tudor she says. ‘Time marked by Tom’s chime also Christ Church was originally named Cardinal during her five-year reign. helped to mark the daily timetable and was College but, with Wolsey falling from favour Interestingly, Christ Church still clings to important in a place where lectures, meals and just four years after its foundation, the college Oxford Time in other ways too. Dinner starts curfews governed the day.’ was remade and renamed by Henry VIII. at 7.20pm and not at 7.15pm as in other Judith has carried out extensive research on Moving the bells from Oseney Abbey through , and cathedral services start at five Christ Church and her book, The Cardinal’s the streets of Oxford must have been something minutes past the hour. College: Christ Church, Chapter and Verse of a challenge in 1546, with Great Tom alone And so, in keeping with tradition, the 101 (2012), is the first complete history of Christ weighing in at several tons. ‘They were carted nightly tolls remain – serving to remind the Church compiled since Henry Thompson’s through St Thomas’ parish and into the city rest of the city that Christ Church is both volume back in 1900. by a Mr Willoughby of ,’ reveals loud and proud to be blatantly just a tad So what is Oxford Time? It dates from the era Judith. ‘He was paid twenty shillings for his behind the times. before the railway, when towns functioned on their own local time, calculated by their position on the line of longitude. The coordinates of Find out more about the history of Christ Church at Oxford result in the city being five minutes and two seconds precisely behind Greenwich Time. www.chch.ox.ac.uk/house/about-christ-church

10 | BLUEPRINT September 2016 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint The magnificent entrance to Christ Church houses Great Tom www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint September 2016 BLUEPRINT | 11 Oxford University Images/John Cairns Images/John University Oxford a century of organic growth The Dyson Perrins Laboratory and its successor, the Chemistry Research Laboratory, have been hugely influential in the development of organic chemistry, reports Stuart Gillespie

It might seem a little bizarre to attribute the philanthropist Charles William Dyson Perrins, Professor Chris Schofield, the current success of Oxford University as a research grandson of the pharmacist who co-developed Head of Organic Chemistry, has worked centre for organic chemistry to the enduring the recipe for Lea & Perrins Worcestershire at the University for more than 30 years. He popularity of Worcestershire sauce. But, 100 Sauce. recalls the passion, enthusiasm and work ethic years since the Dyson Perrins Laboratory (DP) The near-century from 1916 until the of the researchers and teachers based in the DP. was founded thanks to money from the Lea & opening of the CRL in 2004 saw four ‘The international nature of the research was Perrins condiment dynasty, organic chemistry Waynflete take the helm as heads enormously enriching,’ he says. ‘’s at Oxford continues to thrive – these days of the DP – the current Waynflete Professor group, of which I was a member, had scientists in the state-of-the-art Chemistry Research in Chemistry is Stephen Davies, who assumed from all over the world – a tradition we still Laboratory (CRL) just a few paces from the the post in 2006 and is a leader in the synthesis promote today in the CRL. And, of course, DP across South . of asymmetric compounds – and was a there was the smell of the DP – a complex The DP has a rich history, comprehensively time of great and innovation in mixture of thiol, phenol, ester, hydrocarbon detailed in a book by Dr John Jones, an the field of organic chemistry (a discipline and an infinite number of other molecules Emeritus Fellow of Balliol College and a former involving the study of various types of matter accumulated over a century of research that organic chemist at Oxford. At the beginning of containing carbon). This period included was literally embedded in the fabric of the the 20th century, Dr Jones explains, there was the awarding of a Nobel Prize to Sir Robert building.’ mounting pressure on Oxford to demonstrate Robinson for his work on plant alkaloids, Two of the labs in the DP – now recognised its commitment to scientific research. It was which included discovering the structures of by the Royal Society of Chemistry as a against this backdrop that funding was sought morphine and strychnine and which played historically important national Chemical for a new chemistry facility, with the final an important role in the synthesis of Landmark and adorned with a commemorative and crucial sum of £5,000 coming from the and antimalarial drugs. plaque – are still used for teaching chemistry to

12 | BLUEPRINT September 2016 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint undergraduates, and for outreach work. The improve flood tolerance for crops. There is rest of the building is today occupied by other nowhere better to conduct this research than areas of the University. the CRL: as well as the superb facilities, the Professor Schofield adds: ‘The legacy of the world-class expertise that surrounds you and work carried out in the DP not only inspires all the history of what’s gone on before you are so of our ongoing research in organic chemistry inspiring.’ at Oxford, but continues to influence the Other important research being carried out direction of synthetic and biologically related in the new CRL includes Professor Véronique chemistry worldwide. This is both directly Gouverneur’s work on fluorine, which focuses through its scientific output and indirectly on developing new methods of medical through the influence of the young scientists imaging that could lead to earlier diagnosis trained there, many of whom have gone on of diseases such as Parkinson’s, and Professor to hold positions of importance in academia Schofield’s own pioneering research into and industry. the mechanism by which humans sense and ‘Countless new medicines, agrochemicals respond to changes in oxygen levels, which and fundamental advances have been enabled has contributed to our understanding of how by research in synthetic, mechanistic and tumours grow and has led to the identification biological chemistry carried out in the DP, of new targets for the treatment of diseases such as anaemia. Professor Schofield adds: ‘In essence, ‘The smell of the DP was a nothing has changed in our research complex mixture of thiol, philosophy since leaving the DP – or indeed since it was built. We aim to support phenol, ester, hydrocarbon investigators in the long term to do whatever and an infinite number of science that interests them, which is a other molecules accumulated philosophy that we believe history shows works, both in terms of improving basic over a century of research that scientific understanding and delivering benefits was literally embedded in the for society. ‘Synthesis – making new organic molecules fabric of the building’ – and mechanism – understanding the principles that govern reactivity – are our or as a result of work by researchers now core activities, just as they were when the DP working in industry who were trained there. was built in 1916 and William Henry Perkin One good example is George Fleet’s work on Jr became its first head. These interests have synthetic sugars, which has not only enabled been maintained through subsequent heads new treatments for metabolic disorders but is and Waynflete Professors, right up to recent aiding development of new foods containing lectureship appointments such as Rob Paton compounds that look like sugar, taste like and Stephen Fletcher, whose research involves sugar and cook like sugar, but which have very the application of deep mechanistic insights few calories.’ to solving challenging problems in synthesis This important work in organic chemistry and biology.’ continues today in the CRL. ‘We are massively To paraphrase the Harvard professor fortunate in having, in the form of the CRL Jeremy Knowles, who looked back over and its occupants, what we believe is one of 90 years of research at the DP in a comment the best environments for organic chemistry piece for a 2003 issue of the journal Organic research in the world,’ Professor Schofield & Biomolecular Chemistry: the DP served says. ‘New buildings don’t necessarily result the University well, but we have now entered in better science – in its later years the DP was a bright new era for organic chemistry hardly modern, but the science was excellent at Oxford. – but they do help to attract and retain researchers.’ Left: Today’s Chemistry Research Laboratory; One of the researchers working in this Right: Snapshots from the Dyson Perrins days: cutting-edge environment is Dr Emily (from top) a 1950s laboratory; using the library Flashman, a University Research Lecturer. She in the new extension (1956-58); a group photo says: ‘My work indirectly builds on some of in the lab; Professor Perkin, first head of the the founding research conducted in the DP Dyson Perrins Laboratory by Jack Baldwin’s group, in collaboration with in the Dunn School of Pathology, on enzymes involved in penicillin Read more in The Dyson Perrins Laboratory and Oxford Organic and cephalosporin biosynthesis. We are looking at how oxygen-dependent enzymes Chemistry 1916-2004 by Rachel Curtis, Catherine Leith, Joshua – nature’s biological catalysts – contribute to Nall and John Jones; online at www.chem.ox.ac.uk/history/DP- stress tolerance in plants. Understanding and History/index.html manipulating their activity may be able to

www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint September 2016 BLUEPRINT | 13 what’s on

Exhibitions Concerts

Progressive steps: a recognition of early Iannis Xenakis’ piano music: Jonathan Powell women at the Bodleian (piano) Until 23 October Saturday 29 October, 7.30pm (pre-concert talk Proscholium (entrance to the Old Bodleian 6.45pm) Library) Gallery £12, stalls £8, students £8/£5, www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/whatson livestream £5 Set against the timeline of the Bodleian’s first http://jdp.st-hildas.ox.ac.uk/events/concert-series permanent female librarian, Frances Underhill, Jonathan Powell presents Xenakis’ complete this display looks at the work and lives of the mature piano music, rarely heard together in earliest female library staff at Oxford. one concert, plus works by other composers including Hugues Dufourt and Michael Monkey Days Finnissy.

Until 30 October Reuters/Alamy Haydn: Harmonie Messe www.ashmolean.org/exhibitions Wednesday 19 November, 7.30–9.15pm Celebrating 2016 as the Year of the Monkey, SJE Arts, St John the Evangelist church this special display showcases images on £12, £10 concessions paper of adventurous and mischievous www.ox.ac.uk/event/haydn-harmonie-messe Human Rights, Global Ethics and the monkeys in works from Iran to Japan. Oxford University Press Choir and Oxford Ordinary Virtues Sinfonia perform Haydn’s final Mass setting – Thursday 27 October, 5–7pm Oxford Photographic Society considered by many to be his finest. 22 October – 22 January Merton College Oxford University Museum of Natural www.ox.ac.uk/event/human-rights-global- History, Café Gallery Lectures and Talks ethics-and-ordinary-virtues investigates the impact www.oum.ox.ac.uk/visiting/whatson.htm Oxford Mathematics public lectures of human rights on the ordinary virtues The museum is hosting the Oxford October 2016 to January 2017 of daily life. Photographic Society’s annual exhibition, Building, ROQ this year themed on the beauty of the natural www.maths.ox.ac.uk/events/public-lectures- world. Family Friendly events A series of public lectures, enabling everyone Through the Lens to enjoy the experience of witnessing the best Monday 24 to Wednesday 26 October, 1–4pm in action, including Stephen Oxford University Museum of Natural Hawking and (also available History online). www.oum.ox.ac.uk/visiting/whatson.htm Shakespeare and the Victorians Explore the museum through the eyes of people and animals. Exciting activities all Wednesday 19 October, 1–1.40pm about vision, photography and the eyeball. Lecture Theatre, www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/whatson Object handling Robert Douglas-Fairhurst explores how Every Saturday, 11am–1pm the Victorians worked to keep Shakespeare alive in the 19th century through theatrical www.prm.ox.ac.uk/family-friendly-events- revivals, literary allusions, paintings and activities-and-workshops photographs. Free family-friendly object handling to Black History Month Annual Lecture: Baroness discover more about the museum’s unique Doreen Lawrence and fascinating objects. Thursday 20 October, 5.30–7pm (refreshments Museum trails from 5pm) Ashmolean Museum Pembroke College www.ashmolean.org/plan/families/resources Free, but booking essential Take one of the museum’s favourite family www.admin.ox.ac.uk/eop/race/bhm trails, available (together with sketching Baroness Lawrence is a co-founder of the materials) from the Families Activity Station Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, which during museum opening hours. works to promote fairness and justice in memory of her murdered teenage son. Visit www.museums.ox.ac.uk/content/family- friendly-events for more family activities

Compiled by Rose Downton of Wheatley Park Left: The magic of monkeys; Right: Baroness School on a work experience week with the Doreen Lawrence will give the Black History Public Affairs Directorate Month Annual Lecture

14 | BLUEPRINT September 2016 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint secrets of spelling Matt Pickles investigates a new approach to teaching children to spell iStockphoto/zimmytws

‘Is the correct spelling “definately” or spelling more interesting and fun, pupils get it in perspective,’ he says. ‘Modern society “definitely”? “Supersede” or “supercede”?’ will be more likely to learn how to spell places a huge weight upon orthography – Readers of Blueprint might have been asked certain words. spelling and punctuation. But the idea that these questions by their children – or perhaps Professor Horobin’s research found that there should be just one way to spell every struggle with the distinctions themselves. children have a natural propensity to play word is relatively recent – an invention of These struggles could become a thing around with language from an early age. the printing press and the formalisation of the past, thanks to a new project called Knock-knock jokes, riddles and rhymes are of the printing process in the 19th century.’ Supporting Spelling. It has been created commonly heard in school playgrounds across There are often complaints in the by Simon Horobin, Professor of English the country. Rather than telling children to media that the rise of electronic Language and Literature and fellow of stop making up words and ‘talk properly’, communication has led to young people Magdalen College, to teach children to Professor Horobin thinks children should using ‘text speak’ rather than properly spell difficult words by learning why be encouraged to be creative with words. spelled words. Twitter’s requirement for they are written in a certain way. He ‘Language play is an important means of people to fit messages into 140 characters has created a collection of online electronic encourages users to shorten words, using resources designed to help schoolchildren ‘u’ for ‘you’, ‘thx’ for ‘thanks’ and ‘cu and their teachers prepare for the primary ‘The idea that there should l8r’ for ‘see you later’. Others warn that school Year 6 Spelling, Punctuation be just one way to spell every the autocorrect function on phones and and Grammar Test. computers means young people have ‘The aim of the project is to help word is relatively recent’ become lazy with their spelling. But Professor children learn to spell by giving them a Horobin urges us to be more relaxed about better understanding of why words are developing metalinguistic awareness,’ spelling mistakes. ‘Many adults struggle spelled as they are,’ explains Professor he says. ‘Roald Dahl did this through the with spelling, or have blind spots that can Horobin. He says that if children learn the BFG, who came up with “delumptious”, last them an entire lifetime,’ he says. ‘Should etymology, or origin, of tricky words, it “catasterous disastrophe” and “fizzwiggler”. “acommodation”, “embarassment” or a will make it easier for them to remember Encouraging children to form their own misplaced apostrophe be sufficient reason the correct spelling. For example, ‘definitely’ nonsense words helps them learn about word to dismiss someone as illiterate? Does an comes from the word finis meaning structure – what linguists call morphology.’ ability to spell necessarily signal a more boundary or end, which is also found in the You might think an English professor at accomplished writer?’ words ‘finish’ and ‘finite’. ‘If we know this, Oxford would be very strict about the correct He points out that children who find we are less likely to spell it “definately”,’ use of spelling and grammar, but Professor spelling difficult are in good company. Professor Horobin says. Horobin argues that less emphasis should be ‘Roald Dahl’s letters reveal his spelling was The project builds upon Professor placed on uniformity of spelling. ‘I’m keen little better than that of the BFG,’ he says. Horobin’s research for his book Does to take away some of the pressure placed on ‘Yet he was one of the most successful Spelling Matter?, published by Oxford children learning to spell, or at least to try to writers of the 20th century.’ University Press in 2013. On the project website he will upload podcasts, information sheets, downloadable worksheets and For more information about the project, visit interactive quizzes specifically targeted www..com/spellingtrouble at Year 6 pupils. He says that by making www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint September 2016 BLUEPRINT | 15 advertisements

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www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint September 2016 BLUEPRINT | 19 why am i here?

Laura Hodsdon Researcher Development Officer in the Oxford Learning Institute and Policy Advisor, Race Equality, in the Equality and Diversity Unit

Two jobs? How do you divide your time? President emerita of Brown University, is Fluidly. I tend to work out which tasks need speaking for our Race in the Curriculum doing on a week-by-week basis, and divide my lecture series. days depending on what meetings I have for We’d really like everyone to get involved

which job – much easier than having set days, with race equality. There’s more information RobJudges given how much I work with colleagues across at www.admin.ox.ac.uk/eop/race, where the University. This flexibility is especially there are also links to our Twitter account valuable since I’ve recently rather ambitiously @OxfordRace, blog, and the mailing list for added a commute from Bristol into the our fortnightly (termtime) Race Equality Blueprint is published bimonthly for the staff of the logistics. Both of my managers are incredibly Newsletter. University of Oxford by the Public Affairs Directorate supportive in allowing me to work flexibly and Editor: Sally Croft What do you most enjoy/dislike about your Designers: Laëtitia Velia/Pippa Havenhand it really helps me to be productive. mixture of jobs? Picture research: Janet Avison There’s always something new to do, and Items for possible inclusion are welcome and should Tell us first about your role in the Learning be sent to [email protected] having two different offices to work in is good Institute Subscriptions The Oxford Learning Institute provides free to mix things up. There’s actually a lot of To subscribe to Blueprint either in print or online, visit crossover between the work of the OLI and the www.ox.ac.uk/staff/staff_communications/ training and resources to support the personal subscriptions and professional development of University EDU so it’s very helpful to be able to see things Advertising staff. I support research staff to get the most from both angles and make connections that I For details of how to advertise in Blueprint, visit might not otherwise make. Job sharing is also www.ox.ac.uk/staff/staff_communications/ out of their time at Oxford and help them blueprint/advertising a great way of working – I’d always thought it ensure they are best placed to move on to their The opinions expressed in Blueprint are those of might be hard to divide up work but with my the contributors and are not necessarily shared next step, whatever that is. For example, I by the University of Oxford. Advertisements fab colleague Machilu there is always someone are vetted, but the University accepts no work with the researchers who run the Oxford responsibility for them and their inclusion does to share thoughts with and bounce ideas off not imply endorsement by the University of the Research Staff Society (OxRSS), help with goods or services advertised. which really helps us both. (I’d recommend this a mentoring scheme in the Medical Sciences more fluid way of working to any managers Division, am a trainer for the Springboard considering it!) women’s development programme and run the A downside is that I often forget which hat termly Welcome Event for research staff (see viewfinder I’m wearing – awkward when I’m trying to www.ox.ac.uk/supportforresearchers). introduce myself and appear to have no idea Where’s this wonderful window? what my job title is. And what do you do wearing your Race See p6. Equality hat? So how do you come to be doing this? This is a job share with Dr Machilu Zimba, After an English Literature degree, I did and we work to advance race equality across my in Classics. I started temping the University. We’re currently aiming to at the Higher Education Academy while I achieve the Race Equality Charter Mark in was writing up my thesis and now I’ve been July 2017 and are using this as a framework working at Oxford for five years – first full- to advance our own race equality objectives, time at the OLI and for the past year dividing working with staff and students in departments my time across both jobs. and colleges. This means looking at issues such as race and the curriculum, the recruitment As a child, what did you want to be? and progression of Black and minority ethnic While every child at some point dreams of (BME) staff and students, and their experiences growing up to be a Researcher Development at Oxford. We want to use the charter as a tool Officer, I wanted to be various things to encourage frank conversations about race in depending what I was watching on TV, but the University. mostly an archaeologist – the combination of history and being in a muddy field is pretty It’s Black History Month in October – what’s enticing. I’ve ended up where I am by a series planned? of accidents but I’ve always wanted to help The highlight of BHM is an annual lecture people and so what I do now is very fulfilling. at Pembroke College by a high-profile BME I think that equality is something that speaker – this year it’s Baroness Doreen involves everyone – whether they’re white or Lawrence on 20 October (see p14). The BME, male or female, gay or straight, have a Women of Achievement Lecture will be given disability or not – in reflecting on how we can by Baroness Valerie Amos on 24 October and all as individuals make the University a place on 2 November Professor , where everyone is happy and productive.

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