THE SHSK SOCIETY Old Girls’ Magazine 2019–20 Reconnecting, reuniting The SHSK Society 2019 Reunions Taking to the sky to save lives One Old Girl’s experience of lifesaving aeromedical training in Australia A year in the School Archives 2019 in pictures Introductions From the Alumnae Office From the Headmistress 2019 was a year filled with a host of successful events for our Old Girls and I have been delighted that so many of you have used these events to reconnect with both the School and each other. With two hugely popular reunions here at the School in March and June, two Professional Networking Events in Oxford and London, our Old Girls Lacrosse Match in September, and a range of careers and higher education events taking place throughout the year, hardly a month has passed Dear SHSK Society members, where we have not been welcoming Old Girls back to a school event. reconnecting with former school friends and, We are very proud that the first holders of I love reading this publication every year It has been a pleasure, once again, to meet many of you during these occasions and to hear your memories sometimes, teachers can bring enormous joy the Foundation STEM Sixth Form bursaries (well done to Faye and all our contributors) of life at St Helen’s, and indeed, to be reminded of the warmth of feeling and generosity of spirit towards the and fun to the here and now, as shown by will join us in September and very grateful because it is so interesting to learn about School which is held amongst our community of Old Girls. the unfolding lives of people who, like me, the Golden Reunion. to the donors who have made this The articles and stories in this edition really showcase the breadth of career experiences amongst you – both have had a connection with St Helen and So what is new at St Helen’s? Obviously, there development possible. young and old (although always young at heart!), whether giving an internet talk viewed by thousands on the St Katharine. There is so much professional are new student and staff faces each year. In older news you’ll be pleased to know inner workings of the gut, or winching a seriously ill patient into a helicopter above an Australian canyon. One purpose on display and so many, varied that we had a fiercely contested 2p race in We continue to evolve systems of pastoral of our youngest Old Girls travelled to California and witnessed how the tech industry is diversifying, whilst one instances of women who are making a November (and it was such a pleasure to support and information to anticipate of our oldest Old Girls reflected on her own experiences of early ‘tech’ during World War II as a codebreaker at difference to the here and now in their own welcome back to it the originator of this and respond to the world that the current Bletchley Park. What all these Old Girls clearly demonstrate is a sense of curiosity and a willingness to ‘give it a lives and in the lives of others. St Kate’s Day tradition, Joy Gilliver) and we teenager inhabits; it’s a world full of positive go’ – a theme which shines through in all your news updates too. To me, a dynamic Old Girls’ Association is possibilities but it also includes elements absolutely thumped Abingdon in the annual one which blends its fascination with, and (notably online) that many of us might be lacrosse match. The School’s rich history continues to be celebrated and researched in our ever-growing Archives, and Georgina Blackmore, our Archivist and Curator, and St Helen’s Old Girl, will be embarking on several new fond (and otherwise) memories of, the glad we didn’t have to manage when we were I do hope that I will meet lots of you at this exciting projects to make our collection more interactive and accessible to all. School’s past with a clear commitment teens. Of course, the vast majority of students summer’s reunion or at a future networking to celebrating the present and potential navigate these challenges successfully. event. We love to hear your news and we are 2020 promises to be just as busy with another full calendar of events and opportunities to get involved. achievements of its members. For the current New subjects are incorporated into the very clear that your pasts, presents and futures Most notably, we look forward to welcoming many of you to our SHSK Society Garden Party in June. students of St Helen and St Katharine, the curriculum and September will see the start can inspire, amuse, move and, dare I say it, just With my very best wishes and thanks for your continued support to the SHSK Society. Society represents a very present source of of Computer Science A-level. We continue occasionally shock the current students of inspiration and advice and I cannot thank to grow our cohort of modern languages St Helen and St Katharine. Stay in touch! Faye Anderton enough those of you who have been able to teacher trainees, and we are planning to Alumnae Services Manager provide academic or careers guidance in the commence construction of our new Sixth [email protected] last twelve months. Our ongoing hope is that Form Centre in the spring. Our partnership our calendar of networking events means with Iffley Academy and a number of local that the school of your past contributes state primaries in the area of arts education is to your current and future professional flourishing, critical at a time when its presence Rebecca Dougall Contents lives. Above all, we know that the power of is being eroded in so many schools. Headmistress Introductions Women in STEMM 22 From the Headmistress 2 St Kate’s Day 2019 24 From the Alumnae Office 3 SHSK Society Golden Reunion 26 Feature stories Archives Communicating science 4 Delving in... From the School Archives 28 The flying doctor 7 Voices of St Helen and St Katharine 28 If you’re going to San Francisco... 10 The progress of science at St Helen’s 29 Living history 13 A year in the School Archives 2019 30 Ten questions with... 32 SHSK Society news St Helen and St Katharine Foundation 14 Congratulations 34 New Sixth Form bursaries 15 35 SHSK Society grants 16 Old Girls’ news Sharing creativity 17 In memoriam 50 Old Girls’ events 2019 Results and destinations 2019 52 SHSK Society Annual Reunion 2019 18 Trainee teachers of modern languages 20 What’s on The 2019 Old Girls Lacrosse Match 20 Old Girls’ events 2020 54 The 7 Reasons 21 Staying connected, get involved 55 2 3 Feature story Communicating science Katerina Johnson (2011 leaver) Dr Katerina Johnson from the University of Oxford is passionate about her role in science communication, as well as research. She explains more about how each of these passions evolved and why she feels strongly about engaging the public in science. Katerina, tell us about your educational journey attend their weddings!). I also keep up to My big dream is to be to date. Did you study science at A-level? date with old school friends via social media. the Brian Cox of I studied biology, chemistry, maths and What are you future career ambitions? geography (plus French at AS-level) and biology! I think there’s then went on to study Biological Sciences My big dream is to be the Brian Cox of so much cool and at Pembroke College, University of Oxford. biology! I think there’s so much cool and Following this I embarked on my PhD in interesting science that the public needs interesting science Interdisciplinary Bioscience, completing to know about. I don’t think anything is too that the public needs in 2018. My research focuses on the complex, it’s all in the way you explain it, Clockwise from bottom right: communication between the brain and and I believe any aspect of science can be to know about. lab work; parliamentary visit; the community of microorganisms living understandable, engaging and fun. live interview for Sky News; in the gut called the gut microbiome ie the Katerina presenting at TED What advice would you give to someone science of that ‘gut feeling’. considering going on to study for a DPhil/PhD? Thinking back to your time at school, do The key thing is that you have to love you have any special memories of your the topic you’re studying – I couldn’t time at St Helen’s? imagine spending three years researching Oh so many… It’s hard to pick them out. I something I wasn’t really interested in. I like the independence of research so I enjoyed What do you think is the single most important remember every year I used to bring in my issue for scientific research at the moment? traditional Greek Name Day cakes on St Kate’s my PhD, but you also have to be prepared Day that were covered in icing sugar and for things not always to work out as you’d Oh that’s a tough one… Given that I the teachers weren’t too impressed with the planned and be persistent! research the microbiome, I would say carpet afterwards! And of course beating the What is it that attracts you to scientific antibiotic resistance is a big challenge boys at lacrosse! Even back at school I used research? facing society. Bacteria are fast adapting to to enjoy speaking, and winning the speaking survive antibiotics and can then pass on prize at our debating competition in Middle It can be exciting to research something their ‘survival genes’ to other bacteria, even School helped give me the confidence to nobody has ever looked into before.