Gunfire and Music at the Strand

COMMENTTHE COLLEGE NEWSLETTER ISSUE NO 153 | MAY 2004

TOM WHIPPS Gunfire and music at the Strand

HIGHLIGHT of the College’s 175th The duel, re-enacted by actors in Retreat played by The Band of Her

anniversary celebrations was a costumes of the day and complete Majesty’s Scots Guards followed by The firework finale Aspectacular re-enactment of with pistols, was performed by the duel. After which they played the 1829 duel fought between the Martin Wimbush (Wellington) who Beethoven’s Battle Symphony concluded with the Trumpeters of Prime Minister of the time, the Duke of performs his own one-man play ‘Wellington’s Victory’ arranged by the Irish Guards, a magnificent Wellington, and the Earl of Winchilsea. Wellington around the country and the Director of Music for the Scots firework display – the climax of The duel, which was in part fought Peter Symonds (Winchilsea) who Guards Major Bob Owen. During the which was ‘175’ lit up between the over the foundation of King’s, took has worked extensively with major music members of The Napoleonic columns of the arch at the river end place on Friday 30 April in the Quad repertory theatres and also with Association enthusiastically re- of the Quad – and a stunning shower at the Strand campus. More than television. Narrators took the enacted part of the 1813 Battle of of silver confetti. 450 staff, students, alumni, guests audience through the performance Vitoria at which Wellington defeated As one member of the audience and sponsors watched the evening’s and retold the history of the College. Napoleon. commented there had been nothing proceedings. The event began with Beating This truly memorable evening as spectacular seen at the Strand since the Luftwaffe excavated the TOM WHIPPS Quad labs during World War II. Christopher Coe, Director of Communications said: ‘I feared the worst as the weather forecasts predicted a sodden evening, but we were blessed with perfect conditions. It turned out to be a wonderful event and one that brought the whole College community together. Tribute must be paid to the many staff – particularly in site services – who worked so hard to make it a success.’

Take aim: Members of The Napoleonic Association with The Band of Her Majesty’s Scots Guards in the foreground

patronage would become a Trojan The 1829 Duel horse designed to catholicise the Home thoughts from South Africa protestant establishment. When

Winchilsea refused to apologise for DOMINIC TURNER HE DUEL, on the morning of 21 UST BEFORE EASTER I was the remarks, Wellington demanded March 1829, was the only one finally able to accept an satisfaction on the duelling field. Tfought by the Duke of invitation to visit the The duel took place beside the J Wellington. It took place amid the Johannesburg campus of Monash Thames on Battersea Fields, now controversy surrounding the University. The timing was perfect. the site of Battersea Park. reluctant granting of Catholic Only a few days earlier I had said Winchilsea probably never intended emancipation by Wellington’s farewell to Desmond Tutu after his to fire, and perhaps distracted by administration in the face of civil unforgettable period of residence his unmoving adversary, unrest in Ireland. The decision with us, and I had his inimitable Wellington’s shot was sent wide. brought furious denunciation from chuckle still ringing in my ears. Winchilsea then discharged his more conservative supporters of I will never forget his personal pistol harmlessly in the air before the religious status quo. These warmth and kindness, his agreeing the wording of a included the Earl of Winchilsea, enormous fondness for and satisfactory apology. who, like Wellington, was a commitment to King’s, and the As the narrator said after the re- prominent financial backer of King’s quiet, simple prayer he shared enactment ‘And so, not for the last College. with anyone he spoke to in his tiny time in British history, a Prime but the narratives of oppression He published a letter accusing office at the Strand. And I had Minister is satisfied that his honour and liberation which have Wellington of dishonesty in been trying to think how we could has been restored after being characterised South African championing the cause of a maintain that personal link and called publicly a liar!’ history have been overtaken in the protestant King’s College. Instead, build up our engagement with minds of younger people by the argued Winchilsea, emancipation South Africa in general. Monash’s imperatives of black economic had shown the Duke to be a friend Duel role: ‘The Duke of Wellington’ selects newly-opened operation in empowerment. It is clear that of popery while King’s under his his duelling pistol Johannesburg could well be the truth and reconciliation have TOM WHIPPS springboard for collaboration we played an enormous part in this need. onward movement. Located at a 100-hectare site There are many actual and some 20 kms NW of central potential collaborations with Johannesburg, Monash South Monash which could be located in Africa is by any standards a Johannesburg. I have agreed to remarkable achievement. In less fund two delegates to an inaugural than five years, an entire small symposium on ‘Politics, history university has been built and and memory’ in October; there equipped to the highest are numerous opportunities to standards, together with student work on ICT applications to accommodation and a wide range infrastructure projects in rural of sports facilities. economies, and, obviously, huge Some 450-500 students are potential in nursing and public enrolled on programmes in three health. faculties: Arts, Business and I will be discussing these and To learn more about the early Economics, and Information other ideas with senior colleagues 175th Anniversary history of King’s visit the online Technology. About half of the in the weeks to come, in the hope exhibition designed by Archives & students are from South Africa that King’s can make a ING’S IS MARKING its 175 Corporate Records Services at itself with the majority of the contribution to the renaissance of anniversary with a year of www.kcl.ac.uk/archives. remainder from sub-Saharan South Africa and repay at least Kevents and celebrations. As There will be further online Africa. some of the debt we owe to our well as the duel, these include exhibitions and physical displays No less remarkable has been most distinguished alumnus. lectures; the publication of a College forming part of the 175th anniversary the transformation of South Africa history; a film festival; exhibitions; a celebrations, including an exploration itself since the transition to service at Westminster Abbey, and of the life and career of the Duke of democracy ten years ago. It is still Barry Ife much more. www.kcl.ac.uk/175 Wellington. a country of enormous contrasts, Acting Principal

2|COMMENT | May 2004 News

Chinese Medicines Conference

© SINOPIX DTI GLOBAL WATCH MISSION led by the College investigating Athe discovery of new drugs from natural sources fed back to a one-day conference in the Great Hall in March. The team also launched a Mission Report that drew several conclusions. Firstly the differences between modern Western pharmaceuticals and mixtures of natural products comprising natural medicines present a significant challenge for the development of conventional drugs from traditional Chinese medicines. While natural medicines can be as potent as pharmaceutical drugs, how they work is not understood so they cannot be licensed as pharmaceuticals and prescribed by doctors. Dedicated investment in research is necessary to unlock the huge potential of natural traditional Chairman of the Shanghai Institute Professor Robert Hider, the these are quite well controlled.’ medicines and also to protect the of Materia Medica and Dr Cui academic leader of the mission, The lead co-ordinator of the public from unsafe and unregulated Yongquiang, Chief Physician of spoke to The Guardian, resulting in mission, Caroline Quest, Director of herbal remedies. Guang’anmen Hospital, Bejing. a major story, saying that Knowledge Transfer at King’s said: The conference heard a range of Professor Monique Simmons from increasingly Chinese doctors go to ‘The mission so far has been very talks from UK and Asian experts the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and great lengths to underpin their successful in achieving knowledge including Dr Tony Buss, President Dr Daryl Rees, Chief Operating medicine with science: ‘We thought transfer and exchange across and CEO of MerLion Pharmaceuticals, Officer of Phytopharm were among that they really didn’t do clinical disciplines, professions, economic Singapore, Professor Xing-Zu Zhu, the UK academics who spoke. trails over there but increasingly sectors and countries.’

Funding and applications

HERE HAS BEEN positive Hefce recurrent grant an increase of four per cent in increase for any English Russell news recently with the The total Hefce grant allocated to cash terms, before allowing for Group university. Tannouncement of the King’s the College for 2004/05 was increased activity. This is a greater Medical applications in particular grant from the Higher Education £105.33 million. This consists of rate of increase than that achieved have risen and the College has Funding Council for England £56.74 million for teaching, by most other Russell Group received 4,700 applications for the (Hefce), and the rise in numbers of £42.53 million for research and universities. 360 places (on the MB BS and the people applying to study at the £6.06 million for special funding, graduate entry programme), making College. which includes widening access UCAS applications King’s the most popular School of initiatives, funding for minority The number of students who have Medicine in the UK. Applications subjects, etc. applied for a place at King’s has have risen by 38 per cent mainly due Overall the College has received risen by 11 per cent – the biggest to the new graduate entry programme.

May 2004 | COMMENT | 3 News

New HIV initiative for women

HILE condom use remains could help to curb its spread. involves 29 institutions and has media interest as an international the most effective The European Microbicides Project four main aims: conference took place in London. Wprotection against sexual (EMPRO), led by King’s and funded • discovery of new potential Professor Kelly spoke to The transmission of HIV, it is clear that by the European Commission with microbicides Guardian and a feature on Radio 4’s in many parts of the world women a grant of ¤11.7 million, is • rigorous testing of microbicides Today programme also mentioned are not empowered to insist on it. recognising the urgent need for using cells and tissue the project. The United Nations estimates that novel strategies to block HIV-1 • investigation of the means of ‘This international collaboration worldwide around 16,000 people transmission and aims to develop formulating microbicides so that provides much varied expertise become infected every day with new products, called microbicides, they can be applied, and also and we hope to exploit this to full HIV, the majority through containing molecules that block the investigating ways in which they potential,’ said Professor Kelly, unprotected sex, and now an virus’ ability to attach itself to the could be produced on a large adding: ‘This is a relatively new Europe-wide consortium of genital mucosal surfaces. scale at reasonable cost field and we have high hopes for scientists are launching the biggest Charles Kelly, Professor of Oral • Phase I clinical trials the development of these ever international effort to develop Immunology in the Dental Institute, The trial was announced in a week alternative approaches to a new class of products which is co-ordinating the project that when microbicides attracted much preventing HIV infection.’

to provide a safer environment for Sir John said: ‘There is no doubt Met chief all in the local community.’ that closer working between police, The PCWO will be an community wardens and police administrative base for two Home community support officers will launches new Beat police officers, two police bring results through regular daily community support officers and contact. We are happy to be part of five community wardens. The this initiative and responding to the facility at Guy’s Metropolitan Police Service is particular needs of this community. committed to running weekly It offers a wide network of services drop-in advice surgeries at the from all those working to make IR JOHN STEVENS, the staff, patients and visitors, as well office. Southwark safer – supporting staff Metropolitan Police as everyone who lives and works The community wardens will at the hospital and nearby SCommissioner, officially locally. patrol a three square mile area that businesses, reducing crime and opened a brand new base for local extends from Blackfriars Bridge to providing reassurance to the whole Shad Thames. community.’ police Beat officers, police The first facility of its community support officers and the It’s a fair cop: Acting Principal, Professor Barry Ife, delivering his speech at the opening the the Bankside and Pool of London kind in London Police & Community Wardens’ Office. Sir John Stevens, Metropolitan Police Commissioner, looks on community wardens, at the Guy’s campus on 19 April. This is the first facility of its kind The Police & Community in London and was launched in the Wardens’ Office (PCWO) at Guy’s presence of Acting Principal has been made possible by a unique Professor Barry Ife and partnership between King’s, Guy’s representatives of the College’s & St Thomas’ Hospital NHS Trust, partners in this initiative, including the Metropolitan Police Service, Councillor Nick Stanton (Leader, Southwark Council, Better Bankside Southwark Council) and Patricia and the Pool of London Partnership. Moberly (Chairman, Guy’s & St The Office, based on the end of Thomas’ Hospital NHS Trust). Shepherd’s House, will provide a Professor Barry Ife, commented, focal point for all the agencies ‘I am delighted that King’s has been involved to help make the campus, able to provided the premises for the hospital and the surrounding this important initiative and to work area a safer place for students, with some of our closest partners

4|COMMENT | May 2004 News

Network security

As an institution dedicated to the advancement of knowledge, learning and understanding, King’s places tremendous value not only on its academic community but also its information, writes Ewan Mathieson, Information Services & Systems (ISS) Communications Manager.

NFORMATION SYSTEMS, and the Security breaches, often involving Security group remit of the Network Security information they contain, are of prominent commercial Operational aspects of systems Group is to develop and implement Ivital importance to the efficient organisations, are reported security are discussed and systems and procedures to functioning of the College. These periodically in the press and often addressed by a College Network enhance information security as a various systems, tools and services generate substantial publicity. Such Security Group – a sub-group of the cornerstone of the College’s – including individual desktop com- incidents tend to fuel the popular College ISS Committee. This new approach to business continuity. puters, email, the web and the conception that the major threat to Group, chaired by Richard Osborne All members of staff have underlying network – now pervade information security comes from (Information Systems Technical a role and responsibility in teaching and learning, administra- hostile attacks perpetrated via the Director), meets fortnightly and has maintaining network security; tion and research. Internet. an invited membership from all here are some simple steps that schools plus representatives from everyone should follow to Information security central administration units. The protect their computer: With increasing reliance on React promptly and electronic information comes a appropriately to any corresponding concern for the ✔ USE anti-virus software on internet connected computers and security of that information. In security incident keep it up dated. (See relevant information on the College website common with all other large at: www.kcl.ac.uk/antivirus). organisations, King’s must be able ‘The internet however is not the to rely on the three key aspects of only threat, electronic information ✘ DON’T open unknown email attachments – even if you recognise information security: is at risk for a whole variety of the sender. • availability (knowing that the reasons; natural disasters, failure ✔ MAKE sure you make regular backups of work on a removable information can always be of technical equipment and disk or CD. accessed) services, as well as from accidental • integrity (knowing that the and malicious acts,’ explains David ✘ DON’T run a programme that information is accurate and up- Clyde, Director of Information you don’t know the origin of. to-date, and has not been Systems. ✔ TURN off your computer or deliberately or inadvertently He continues: ‘Investing in disconnect it when you are not modified from a previously suitable security measures has a using it – an intruder cannot approved version) significant cost. It is inevitable that attack your machine when it is • and confidentiality (knowing that security concerns will consume switched off. sensitive information can be considerable staff time, especially accessed only by those that of skilled IT staff, and in most ✔ ENSURE that all software is authorised to do so). cases there is likely to be additional kept current with all relevant More precisely, since neither the security-related expenditure on updates installed – systems themselves nor those who hardware, software and services.’ software operate them can ever be totally A common error when companies reliable, the College must be able to considering this issue is to think of release react promptly and appropriately to security as purely a technical new any security incident, and to restore problem, requiring technical patches its information systems to their solutions. Often the most important when a weakness or normal operational state in an parts of security are the human and hole has been discovered. acceptable period of time. organisational ones.

May 2004 | COMMENT | 5 News

A prescription for success

UNIQUE COURSE at King’s is prescribing responsibilities to examination and passing an unseen exceptionally high standard,’ Anne opening up opportunities for pharmacists would, he said, provide written exam, all students have to Lovejoy says, ‘and the high success Aexperienced nurses and many opportunities for improving complete 12 days of supervised rate illustrates the potential of this pharmacists to qualify as patient care and chronic disease practice under the direction of a mode of assessment in the field of prescribers. management, as well as extending medical prescriber and must present professional education. We’re proud Until recently only doctors and career opportunities for a portfolio which demonstrates what to be contributing to an extension of dentists were qualified to write pharmacists. Mr Smith presented they have learned. options for patients and to be part prescriptions in the UK. This the prize for Best Pharmacist to ‘Many of the portfolios of the first of a re-skilling of the local healthcare prerogative has recently been Peter Rhodes. cohort of students were of an workforce for the NHS.’ extended to nurses, and now to The course is led by Alison pharmacists, who have undertaken Hobden from the Florence the appropriate training. Nightingale School of Nursing & The King’s course is structured Midwifery and by Anne Lovejoy from Recognition spin-out for nurses and pharmacists learning the Department of Pharmacy with together, and in March the first joint help from Alison While, Professor of cohort of some 60 nurses and Community Nursing. company launched pharmacists qualified at King’s for ‘Our course is unique in several professional registration with the ways’, explains Professor While. ‘It’s RINGING TOGETHER population of users if the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the only such course designed expertise in physics, vocabulary is small. the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of equally for nurses and pharmacists, Bacoustics, linguistics and Professor Pike said: ‘This Great Britain. The nurses qualified offering the opportunity for inter- phonology has enabled King’s to revolutionary new approach is as independent and supplementary professional learning and the input create and launch a company very important for speech prescribers while the pharmacists of specialist lecturers from both which promises to bring the age of recognition because it will enable qualified as supplementary Nursing and Pharmacy. Its approach talking effortlessly to computers, people to interact much more prescribers only, since a change in to learning combines web-based or other devices, a step nearer. naturally with electronic devices the law is required to enable them materials with compulsory, topic- It aims to revolutionise the way than is possible at present.’ to prescribe independently. based seminars and learning in in which humans interact with The project is an example of Attending a reception to mark the practice. It also focuses on machines by overcoming the good team work between KCL ocassion, the Chief Pharmacist, Jim problem-based enquiry relevant to current limitations of speech Enterprises’ Technology Transfer, Smith, described the event as ‘a the clinical practice of students.’ recognition technology. SIMFONEC (King’s Science watershed in the development of As well as undertaking an Founder academics Roy Pike, Enterprise Centre) and IP2IPO pharmacy’. The extension of objective-structured clinical FRS, Clerk Maxwell Professor of (one of King’s preferred seed Theoretical Physics, and funding partners). Jim Smith presents Peter Rhodes with his prize HOWARD ASHTON acoustician and speech scientist, ‘The project was a real team Dr Barbara Forbes, have expertise effort with each party contributing in disciplines that have never its skills in a collaborative spirit,’ before been brought together in said George Murlewski, King’s speech recognition research. Spin-Out Company Mentor. By exploiting newly discovered The company will, through a fundamental physical principles of research contract with the speech production in the vocal Department of Physics, sponsor tract, the new company, further research and Phonologica Limited, will seek to development through King’s. bridge the existing gap between For more information about large vocabulary systems that spin-out companies, contact must be tailored to a single George Murlewski on speaker, and those that can adapt 020-7848 3665 or to the characteristics of a wide [email protected]

6|COMMENT | May 2004 Departmental focus

and survival than conventional laboratory tests. The team has led a quiet revolution in MND care through the assessment of every MND Care & patient for respiratory support with non-invasive ventilation. The MND Centre has also been instrumental in developing the Centre for Palliative Care in Research Centre Neurology, thus far a neglected field. ‘Professor Irene Higginson and I became aware of the A successful collaboration providing wide-ranging expertise and leadership complex needs of patients with progressive neurological disorders,’ Professor Leigh says. HE KING’S Motor understanding the genetics of ‘We have also used PET to ‘We have support from the MS Neurone Disease MND, and investigating the explore the relationships between Society to fund a Research T(MND) Care & Research mechanisms of neuronal damage. genotype and phenotype in Consultant in Palliative Care who Centre was established with a We are now creating a national MND,’ Professor Leigh explains. will identify the palliative care grant from the MND Association MND Biobank for genetics, ‘Studies of a group of people from needs of patients with advanced in 1994. Working in partnership proteomics and metabonomics. Northern Sweden who have a MS and gather information on with the Association, the which will provide an enduring characteristic slowly-progressive how care is (or is not) provided at Institute of Psychiatry (IoP), the resource for international form of MND show that specific present. With funding from School of Medicine and King’s collaborations to identify MND disease-causing mutations King’s NHS Trust we are now set College Hospital, the Centre set genes and genetic risk factors.’ occurring on a comparatively to develop an ambitious out to establish a new model of So far only one gene has been homogeneous genetic programme of research that will multidisciplinary care under one shown to have mutations which background yield a characteristic help to define the needs of roof. cause familial MND, but it is pattern of selective vulnerability patients with longstanding and The expertise of now clear that many other MND and physiological disturbance.’ progressive neurological disease, physiotherapists, occupational genes exist, and if these can be Magnetic Resonance Imaging to integrate palliative care with therapists, speech and language identified it may be possible to (MRI) also provides a molecular rehabilitation and to evaluate and therapists, dieticians, nurse develop a rational basis for new approach to neurodegenerative develop new treatments and specialists and many others have treatments. The Centre’s diseases. The Centre is patterns of care.’ been brought to bear on the genetics group, led by Dr Chris developing new pharmacological Finally, the Centre has been complex needs of patients and Shaw, has found a new challenge techniques with involved in the design and their carers. chromosomal locus for familial functional MRI (fMRI) to further execution of clinical trials since MND on chromosome 16 and is test the hypothesis that cortical the early 1990s, and helped to Brain Bank now screening candidate genes to excitability is altered in MND plan the trial of Riluzole, the first The Centre has a unique role in identify this new MND gene. Dr and that this may contribute to drug shown to slow progression in harnessing care and research, as Ammar Al-Chalabi is using neuronal damage. any neurodegenerative disease. Professor Nigel Leigh, Head of techniques such as DNA pooling The Centre is now expert in the Neurology, points out. ‘From the to identify other genetic risk Respiratory support design, management and outset we established a clinical factors in (apparently) sporadic Improving the care of people execution of academic-led and database, a DNA resource and a MND. Professor Chris Miller has affected by MND is central to industry- sponsored clinical trials. brain bank, now part of the IoP discovered new evidence that the Centre’s philosophy. ‘With Dr ‘Our goal is to find new and more MRC-funded Brain Bank. These altered axonal transport may be a Rebecca Lyall and Professor John effective treatments that will, initiatives have enabled us to key factor in motor neurone Moxham of Respiratory eventually, allow us to halt the take a leading role in defining the degeneration. Medicine, we were able to show progression of this disease at a molecular pathology of MND, in The Centre’s studies using that non-invasive ventilation stage when quality of life remains Positron Emission improved the quality of life in good,’ Professor Leigh says. ‘We Tomography (PET) show patients with MND who have have obtained MRC funding to A PET scan showing that cognitive difficulties developed respiratory failure. We develop human stem cells for microglial suggestive of frontal lobe have also shown that non- neural repair in MND, and we activation in a damage in MND are linked invasive ventilation markedly are collaborating with Re-Neuron patient with progressive to impaired activation of prolongs survival. Dr Lyall has to assess the effectiveness of degeneration of specific brain areas, also shown that the simple, non- stem cell therapy in laboratory upper motor demonstrating that MND is invasive test known as the Sniff models of MND.’ neurons not a pure ‘motor system Nasal Pressure is a far better For further details see (Primary Lateral Sclerosis). Microglial activation is seen in motor areas (arrow), and in the brain stem disease’. predictor of respiratory failure www.mndcentre.org

May 2004 | COMMENT | 7 King’s people

Paul Black and Jonathan Osborne David Beighton Nigel Leigh and Paul Sharpe igel Leigh, Professor of rofessors Paul Black and contributions, provided notable Clinical Neurology, has been Jonathan Osborne, leadership, and made a substantial avid Beighton, Professor of honoured for his work in PDepartment of Education & impact in the area of science Oral Microbiology, and Paul N amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) Professional Studies, won awards education’. DSharpe, Dickinson Professor by the American Academy of from the American National Exceptionally this award was also of Craniofacial Biology at the Dental Neurology. Association for Research for won previously by another King’s Institute, have won Distinguished Professor Leigh has been Science Teaching (NARST), a world- professor, Ros Driver, in 1997. She Scientist Awards from the awarded the 2004 Sheila Essey wide organisation of professionals succeeded Professor Black as International Association of Dental Award - An Award for ALS committed to the improvement of Professor of Science Education in Research (IADR). Research. The Sheila Essey Award science teaching and learning 1995. David Beighton, whose work recognises an individual who has through research, recently. King’s academics also won a focuses on the microbial ecology of made significant research Professor Paul Black, Emeritus second NARST award for an article dental plaque in relation to the contributions in the search for the Professor of Science Education, published in the Journal of initiation and progression of dental cause, prevention of, and cure for was awarded the prestigious Research in Science Teaching (a caries in children and the elderly, ALS. ALS is a motor neurone ‘Distinguished Contribution to leading journal in the field) which received the Dental Caries Research disease, which is characterised by Science Education Award’ in was judged to be the most award supported by Pfizer Inc. the gradual degeneration and death recognition of ‘an individual who, significant for that year. It was Paul Sharpe, who conducts of motor neurons. Both the upper through research over an extended awarded to a team led by Jonathan research on the molecular control of motor neurons and the lower motor period of time, has made Osborne, Professor of Science tooth development and on tissue neurons are affected in ALS. outstanding and continuing Education. engineering/stem cell approaches in

REHAN JAMIL JO FISHENDEN regenerative dentistry, received the Craniofacial Biology Research award sponsored by Oral B/Gillette Co. Another Dental Institute academic, Dr Maxine Partridge, received last year’s Distinguished Scientist Award for Oral Medicine and Pathology. The IADR promotes and enhances the quality of oral and dental research world-wide. Through these awards the IADR recognises the outstanding contribution of researchers of international excellence to the Professor Leigh’s research scientific community. focuses on understanding the cause of motor neurone disease (MND), encourage applications from all the year is: identifying better ways to care for Golf Society members of College staff. To this Wednesday 12 May 09.30 patients with MND, and developing end they are currently offering a Pine Ridge Golf Club, Camberley new treatments that might T A RECENT King’s College substantial discount to those Thursday 17 June 10.30 significantly slow down or even London Golf Society AGM, interested in membership, on one Redbourn Golf Club, St Albans arrest deterioration. He directs the ARichard Burridge, The Dean of the Society’s days this summer. Wednesday 14 July 09.30 MND Care & Research Centre at of King’s College, was elected Those joining in May will pay only Bletchingley Golf Club, Bletchingley King’s (see page 7). Captain, joining a committee of £15.00 for 18 holes of golf followed Wednesday 18 August 09.30 The American Academy of Andy Perrin (MIS) Secretary and by a meal and prizegiving. The cost Reigate Hill Golf Club, Reigate Neurology, an association of more Keith Jeremiah (Finance) will be £20.00 for anyone joining on For further details and an than 18,000 neurologists and Treasurer. the other days. application form contact Andy neuroscience professionals, is The Society is keen to The Golf Society programme for Perrin, [email protected] dedicated to improving patient care through education and research.

8|COMMENT | May 2004 King’s people

Trialogue

PA UNIQUE THREE-WAY CONVERSATION between Asome of the world’s most eminent religious leaders was held King’s on 2 March. Entitled ‘Faith in Pulic Life’ the participants were The Most Revd Desmond Tutu FKC, Archbishop Emeritus and Visiting Professor in Post-Conflict Societies at King’s; Professor Jonathan Sacks FKC, Chief Rabbi and Visiting Professor in the Department of Theology & Religious Studies at King’s, and The Most Revd Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury and The King’s College Visitor. The Trialogue, held in front of more than 350 staff, students, guests and journalists, was wide- ranging, incisive and good humoured. The event was chaired by The Revd Dr Richard Burridge FKC, Dean of King’s. Conversation piece: from left: The Dean of King’s, the Chief Rabbi, Archbishop Tutu, the Archbishop of Canterbury on stage at the Greenwood Theatre, Guy’s campus for the Trialogue

Katharine Rabson, Business sional gives comments of her own! latest Research TV feature which Marathon success Development Manager for the The Cheltenham Festival of was broadcast last month and School of Humanities (four hours Science, is a five-day science and distributed to more than 2,000 ongratulations to the and 28 minutes) raised more than arts festival aimed at the general news organisations worldwide. See following who ran the London £1,500 for a Brighton-based breast public. Inkha will act as receptionist www.research-tv.com Cmarathon on 18 April: cancer charity called the Pink in the Town Hall showing schools, Professor Ian Craig, Head of Dolphin Appeal. adults and families to the various Molecular Genetics at SGDP, IoP, different venues, events, workshops completed the course in four hours Inkha roles and free science experiments on and six minutes and raised nearly offer. The Town Hall is the only point £1,500 for MIND. of entry to events so she will Dr Mike Harrison, senior lecturer nkha, the Strand’s Robo welcome more than 24,000 people and honorary consultant in receptionist, is on her travels – during the Festival. paediatric dentistry in the Dental Ishe is to be the ‘face’ of the There will also be daily Institute (four hours and five Cheltenham Science Festival held demonstrations by Inkha’s creator minutes) raised money for the from 9-13 June. and King’s former MSc student, Evelina Children’s Hospital appeal. Driven by nine motors and a Matthew Walker, and Mark Miodownik, Emma Meaburn, PhD student at small laptop computer, Inkha Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering. the IoP (four hours and 35 minutes) (interactive neurotic King’s head Inkha’s visit has been made raised around £2,000. assembly) responds to touch possible through funding from the Mike Parsons, PhD student at the screen enquiries, directs visitors to School of Physical Sciences & IoP (four hours and 25 minutes) their destinations within the College, Engineering. raised money for Whiz-Kids offers events information and occa- Inkha is also the subject of King’s

May 2004 | COMMENT | 9 King’s people

Long Service Awards

DOMINIC TURNER IX MEMBERS OF STAFF were honoured recently for Sachieving 40 years’ service to the College, or its constituent institutions, at a reception in April at the Strand campus. Also recognised were 37 people who have worked for the College for 25 years. Forty years: pictured with the Acting Principal, Professor Barry Ife (second right), and Vice- Principal, Professor Sir Graeme Catto (third left), are, from left, Barry Eley, Professor of Periodontology, Dr Roland Emson, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Life Sciences, Anne Duggan, Professor of Medieval History, and Miss Patricia Adams, technician, Department of Life Sciences. Not present were Ms Jackie Broadey of the Institute of Psychiatry and Mr Moses Manuel, Purchasing Officer, Department of Physics

Triathlon call up Catering retirements

DAVID BRAGG r Margaret Sills, Academic WO MEMBERS of the Catering Most recently, Peter has played a Director of the Higher Department have retired after major part in the design of new DEducation Academy LTSN Ta combined 53 years’ service catering and dining facilities, for the Subject Centre for Health Sciences to the College. Jenny Briggs, Strand Redevelopment Project and & Practice, hosted at King’s and a Director of Facilities & Services, he retires formally from King’s just as Visiting Teacher in the Department pays tribute to them. the work begins on site for this exciting development. We look of Education & Professional Studies Peter Hoffman forward to welcoming him back as the for the MSc Health Promotion, has Peter Hoffman first joined King’s in works progress and are completed. been selected as a member of the 1979 when he joined the Catering TRI UK Gatorade triathlon team in Above: two Catering Below: Marcia Lovi Department at the Strand. Swiftly Marcia Lovi Services Managers: pictured with another 2004. promoted in 1983, Peter became Peter Hoffman (left) familiar face Bill Many former students of King’s with Terry Hope Causon, now the Head of the Catering Department in College School of Medicine & Assistant Site 1985, following the merger of King’s, Dentistry will remember Marcia Lovi Services Manager at Denmark Hill Queen Elizabeth and Chelsea who supervised the Refectory in the Colleges. Old Medical School Building, and From that point Peter oversaw more recently in the Weston numerous high points in the Education Centre. department’s operations at the Marcia worked with the staff and Strand, Kensington and Chelsea and students of KCSMD for a more recently at Denmark Hill. In remarkable 28 years, and she his 25 years Peter’s support for retired from the College last corporate College activity, and his summer to return to Spain with her help in developing the all-important husband. Friends and colleagues conference and vacation trade in were pleased to come together to the late 1980s and 1990s has been wish Marcia health and happiness in much appreciated by his the future, and to thank her for all colleagues. her kindness and dedication.

10 | COMMENT | May 2004 Profile

undergraduates will study both languages, with the relevant history and culture, including the year abroad which makes such a Judith Herrin difference. This important new venture will also be expanded to graduate study. We hope that a deeper Judith Herrin, Professor of Late Antique and Byzantine Studies, joined King’s knowledge of the shared roots of in 1995 from Princeton University. In 2002 she was awarded the Golden Cross their cultures, the intertwined history of their modern countries, of Honour by the President of Greece. and an awareness of contemporary issues, such as Turkey’s application to join the What did you do before coming to JO FISHENDEN What can we learn from EU, will present a beacon for this King’s? Byzantium? field of combined study. Before coming to King’s I held The role of Byzantium is critical What are your research interests? the Stanley J Seeger Chair of to an understanding of medieval Professors today must combine Byzantine History at Princeton history. In the seventh and eighth teaching and training at both University, a post that was centuries, the Byzantine undergraduate and graduate created so that I could introduce Empire’s resistance to Islam levels, with entrepreneurial teaching of the subject at both permitted the West to strengthen development and fundraising, undergraduate and graduate its own power and culture, which and research and publishing. levels. It was a thrilling was directly influenced by College and university experience which I greatly Constantinople and sometimes administration, national enjoyed. But when the job at inspired by the East. Byzantium evaluations and international King’s came up I was glad to was, of course, seminal in the projects also require time and it is return. conversion of Bulgaria, Russia hard to balance these demands. and other Balkan countries to You were Director of the Centre Since The Formation of Christianity, and made notable for Hellenic Studies at the College Christendom, which surveyed the contributions to the European until recently, what does it do? entire post-Roman world from Renaissance and Reformation I was appointed to head the AD 500-850, I have published through its art and theology. Centre for Hellenic Studies, one widely across the field of Byzantine scholars preserved of the Humanities Research modern times. Byzantine history. I collected and commented on ancient Centres, well established by my Further conferences followed descriptions of daily life from a Greek philosophy, drama, predecessor Professor Averil on the Greek Civil War, great variety of sources for A mathematics, medicine and Cameron, with the co-operation Personifications in the Greek Medieval Miscellany. In Women in Homer’s epic poetry, as well as of an active group of people from World, Images of Socrates, and Purple I examined three Roman law, which remained in many departments at King’s, who Logos. Controlling Language: the exceptional Byzantine empresses force in Greek translation until share Hellenic interests. It had Greek Experience, takes place in who had a real influence on the fall of the empire in 1453. already built up a tradition of September 2004. By coincidence medieval development. organising conferences and three volumes in the CHS series What is your involvement with the I am currently working on publishing their proceedings in a will be published this year, so the Greek and Turkish communities in another Byzantine book and after series of books. current Director, Dr Karim London? that I would love to devote time My first major effort in this Arafat, will launch them at the I am delighted to have helped in to a history of Ravenna, the city field focused on a conference CHS’s Fifteenth Anniversary the development of the new BA known for its magnificent devoted to the Hellenic culture meeting on 10 May. degree in Turkish and Modern Byzantine mosaics rather than for of Alexandria, ancient, medieval With the support of Mr Greek Studies, since these its significance as a great and modern. Funds were raised Nicholas Egon, the CHS hosts countries share major monuments metropolis. Between the fifth and to bring an international array of the Annual Runciman Lecture, of the Byzantine era and I have eighth centuries AD, however, speakers including the Orthodox which is dedicated to Sir Steven spent many years in both. In this Ravenna filled the role of capital Greek Patriarch of Alexandria Runciman, a great historian of collaboration with the School of city, competing with Rome which and the Executive Director of the Byzantium and of the Crusades. African and Oriental Studies suffered a gradual decline. new Bibliotheca Alexandrina. This event takes place on the (SOAS), King’s is making an The abundant sources, both The theme, Images of first Thursday of February every important contribution to better Latin and Greek, and Alexandria, was brilliantly year and brings an internationally mutual understanding of two outstanding art and architecture elaborated, making unexpected famous speaker to lecture on a distinct but related cultures. make this most exciting and connections between ancient and subject related to Hellenism. For this new degree, challenging.

May 2004 | COMMENT | 11 175th anniversary

Citizenship Symposia Global Partnerships HIS SYMPOSIA SERIES (see Comment 151) continues on Thursday 13 May with Does Tthe NHS treat its patients as citizens? in the Symposium Governors’ Hall, St Thomas’ Hospital. The speakers are Sir Ian HIS ONE-DAY SYMPOSIUM is a celebration participants, they include major academics Kennedy, Shadow Chair, and promotion of international from the College’s overseas partner Commission for Healthcare Tpartnerships in higher education. King's institutions. The speakers include: Audit and Inspection, and has enjoyed a wide range of international links • Professor Sir Graeme Catto, Vice Principal, former Head of the School of since its foundation and the aim of the King’s and President of the GMC Law at King’s, and Lord symposium is to help foster and develop • Professor Sir Cyril Chantler, Chairman, Sutherland, President of the collaborations between schools, research Great Ormond Street Hospital, Former Dean Royal Society of Edinburgh disciplines and international institutions, and of the Guy’s, King’s and St Thomas’ Schools and former Principal of promote exchanges. of Medicine & Dentistry King’s. Professor Sir Graeme The event, to be held on 23 June in Lecture • Dr David Cornblath, Director, Neurology EMG Catto, Vice-Principal of King’s Theatre 1, New Hunt’s House, Guy’s campus, is Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University will take the chair. aimed at vice-chancellors, international • Professor Michael Gibbons, Secretary Top: Sir Ian Kennedy To register attendance officers, senior administrators, academics, General of the ACU Bottom: Lord researchers and anyone interested in • Professor Michael Johns, Director, Robert W Sutherland please contact the Central Enquiries Unit on ext 2929 or globalisation and exchange. Woodruff Health Sciences Center, Emory email [email protected] Discourses will be interspersed with panel University discussions and will include: • Professor Stephen Parker, Deputy-Vice • educational and research challenges across Chancellor and Vice-President, Monash the world University Alumni Weekend: • educating the healthcare workforce of the • Professor Mark Walport, Director, The future Wellcome Trust 11–13 June 2004 • importance of international research To attend please contact Rachel Harnett on ext collaboration 3103 or email [email protected] WEEKEND OF EVENTS has been planned • forging new partnerships and learning from for alumni to celebrate the College’s 175th experience Aanniversary. Details can be found on the • ethical challenges for scientists and Alumni webpages (www.kcl.ac.uk/alumni) or by health professionals in higher contacting the Office on ext 3364. education Staff and students are particularly welcome to The speakers are attend a lecture entitled The Dimensions of the international experts in American Military Experience by Professor Brian their fields with Holden Reid, Head of the Department of War experience of Studies, on Friday 11 at 17.30 in the Weston Room, promoting Maughan Library. international Also, on Saturday 12 a debate entitled Religion, collaboration. Queen of the Sciences – are science and religion Together with inextricably intertwined or inevitably opposed? King’s will be held at 16.00 in the Arthur & Paula Lucas Lecture Theatre, Strand campus. Speakers will include the Revd Dr John Polkinghorne KBE FRS, formerly President of Queen’s College, Cambridge and Professor of Mathematical Physics, Dr Fraser Watts, Starbridge Lecturer in Theology and the Natural Sciences at Cambridge and Dr Stephen Minger, Lecturer in Biomolecular Sciences at King’s.

12 | COMMENT | May 2004 Flashback

peaceful riverside refuge from the noisy bustle of the city to the east, comprising one of the Mud, murder and earliest herb gardens in England, tree-lined walks and bowling greens.

Smirke John of Gaunt The old Somerset House was demolished and replaced in the 1770s with the present buildings, Geoff Browell, Archives & Corporate Records Services, provides background then containing government offices and space for the Royal to the College’s original building at the Strand as the current major Society. The King’s plot refurbishment begins. remained a complex of overgrown ruins until work began on the College in 1829. Its HEN KING’S College College in June 1829. Supporters southern portion of the Strand, architect, Sir Robert Smirke, was was first established in of the College were divided on including the future College, responsible for a number of W1828 it was without a the merits of the site, with critics formed part of the Savoy estate of important public commissions home. The interim Provisional complaining that the naïve young John of Gaunt, whose fabulous including the British Museum. Committee charged with setting students risked being led astray palace was located beneath the However, he faced serious up the College considered by the numerous local pubs and present Savoy Hotel and which logistical difficulties when work dozens of suggestions submitted theatres or menaced by the was seriously damaged by rioters began, particularly as the site was by members of the public, proximity of the slums that during the Peasants’ Revolt in surrounded by other buildings including locations near Guy’s comprised Dickens’ notorious 1381. and largely inaccessible. He was Hospital and next to London Zoo ‘rookery’. Prior to the Reformation, when also required to ensure that the in Regent’s Park. This latter the Strand became the preserve river frontage conformed to the proposal was defeated by the Danes of powerful nobles, the site was neo-classical style of the objections of local residents, The story of the King’s site was home to a series of magnificent neighbouring Somerset House. which the national press joked often colourful and dramatic. It bishops’ residences. These old During the building, theft of owed more to a fear of the break- was first occupied by the Anglo- buildings were swept away by the materials was a problem and a out of prospective students than Saxons and a Danish colony Protector Somerset’s new palace suspected murderer was even an escape of wild animals. established in the ninth century, in 1549. The original Somerset apprehended among the The problem was finally solved close to the site of the present House was the popular venue for labourers. when the Crown granted its church of St Clement Danes. Tudor and Stuart royalty and Smirke demolished two houses largely vacant Strand estate to the During the 14th century the aristocracy, and it was when it was in the Strand to improve the residence of Queen Anne of pedestrian access, while building Denmark, consort of James I, that materials arrived by barge on the The garden of Somerset House in the 17th century it hosted the famous 1604 Anglo- river. An average of 300 workmen Spanish Peace Conference. (The were engaged at any one time in anniversary of this conference is laying the foundations, which being celebrated this year in a were sunk to a depth of 20 feet series of summer events jointly using cement that would harden organised by Somerset House in the waterlogged ground. The and King’s – see Comment 152). main structure was to a high Two new wings for public specification in Portland stone functions were added to the and incorporated several Palace in the early 17th century. advanced features such as fire One was above what is now the breaks and chimney flues that north end of the College car park, could be cleaned by machine and the other behind a façade of rather than using children. town houses accommodating a Building was rapid and multitude of businesses including completed in time for the official printers, taverns and brothels, opening in October 1831, by and even the residence of the which time it had cost nearly famous astrologer, William Lilly. £86,000. The work of King’s The remainder of the site was a College was now ready to begin.

May 2004 | COMMENT | 13 Research

Social Care Unit set up King’s study cited NEW Social Care Workforce Research Unit Ahas been established at King’s as part of the by US Government International Policy Institute (IPI) in the School of Social Science & Public Policy. CIENTIFIC EVIDENCE provided studies on the effects of ingestion of testosterone for anabolic With funding from the by a recent research study1 such doses of androstenedione on purposes,’ explains Dr Andy Department of Health, the Unit Sundertaken by scientists from blood testosterone in men, the Kicman, Head of Research, Drug will be conducting research into the Pharmaceutical Sciences results indicating no to very modest Control Centre issues relating to the social care Research Division, School of Health increases, although potentially It follows that, if androstenedione workforce. It is currently & Life Sciences at King’s, has been harmful increases in female was repeatedly used, it may cause working on various research used by the Food and Drug hormones occur. irreversible masculinising effects in projects, continuing work Administration (FDA) of the USA to By contrast, the effect of women. Worried by potential risks developed by the former advise companies to cease androstenedione ingestion in of ‘andro’ to the health of both men National Institute for Social distributing products sold as women has not been reported until and women, the FDA has sent Research Unit, with new dietary supplements that contain recently by two groups, one in the warning letters to 23 companies interests and activities around the steroid androstenedione. USA and the other at King’s – the asking them to cease distributing the social care workforce as a Androstenedione, also known as two studies being referred to in the products sold as dietary whole. There are seven andro, is a steroid produced within US White Paper. Both studies supplements that contain members of the Unit and the Co- the body and is naturally converted report large increases in blood androstenedione and warning them Directors are Professors Peter to other steroids, including the male testosterone following that they could face enforcement Huxley and Jill Manthorpe. hormone, testosterone. administration. actions if they do not take ‘The Unit aims to generate An FDA press release stated ‘In the King’s investigation, it was appropriate steps. knowledge, to provide ‘While andro products may seem to found that ingestion of a single dose Within the UK, the Medicines and information, advice and have short-term benefits, the (100 mg) of androstenedione Healthcare Products Regulatory recommendations for science shows that these same caused blood testosterone in ten Agency regard androstenedione as policymakers, service providers, properties create real and young women to increase by an a medicinal substance and have employers and social care significant health risks’. average of 16-fold, well into the high already notified companies who service user and carer groups,’ The FDA launched a White Paper end of the male range, supply this steroid as a explained Professor Manthorpe. in March on the ‘Health Effects of concentrations being similar to supplement. The Unit’s main focus is on the Androstenedione’. Over the last ten those encountered in abuse of 1 Kicman, Bassindale, Cowan, Dale, Hutt and Leeds description and investigation of years, androstenedione has been interpersonal, policy- and readily available as a dietary The study’s authors: from left, Dr Andrew Hutt, Dr Andrew Kicman, Thomas Bassindale and service-related issues that supplement and has been sold Professor David Cowan affect the capacity of the social without restriction in most care workforce to promote best countries, including the USA and UK. practice in employment and Manufacturers market training, and to achieve the androstenedione as a ‘prohormone’ highest quality care and best that can increase blood outcomes for service users. testosterone concentration, She continued: ‘With more resulting in increased lean body than a million people working in mass and strength. It is available in social care in the UK, and over capsules containing 50 to 300 mg of 66,000 employers of all sizes the steroid and the manufacturers and types, workforce suggest that the ‘desired’ effects intelligence is crucial to the can be gained by taking 100 to 300 quality of care and service mg/day orally. planning.’ There have been a number of

14 | COMMENT | May 2004 News

The three Library and Archives Visiting Fellows for 2004-2005 are: • Dr Elizabeth Greenhalgh of the Library and Archives Australian Defence Force Academy, University of New South Wales, who is researching the military career of Marshal Visiting Fellowships Foch • Dr Devoney Looser of the University of Missouri-Columbia, OW IN ITS second year of UK higher education institutions to encouraged to become fully who is researching British women operation, the College’s introduce a scheme of this kind,’ involved in College life during the writers and old age from 1750 to NLibrary and Archives Visiting explains Katie Sambrook, the term of the fellowship. 1850 Fellowship scheme provides Special Collections Librarian. ‘The benefits of the scheme to • Dr Shef Rogers of the University financial support to advanced Applications are judged both on the fellows are obvious: financial of Otago, who is researching 18th researchers from all over the world their intrinsic academic merit and support, scholarly contact and century English travel literature. who wish to make prolonged use of on the use of the College’s Special affiliation, and the opportunity to In addition, a discretionary award the collections held in either the Collections or Archives which the make prolonged use of a major has been made to Anna Greening, Foyle Special Collections Library at project proposal will involve. research library in the heart of archivist at Queen’s College, Chancery Lane or the College Up to three visiting fellowships London,’ she continued. ‘It also London, who is researching a topic Archives and Liddell Hart Centre for are awarded each year and the raises the international profile of of particular interest to the College Military Archives at the Strand. recipients may take up the our significant research library and in this 175th anniversary year – the ‘Visiting fellowship schemes of fellowship whenever they wish archival collections, builds links with role of F D Maurice in the formulation this type are fairly common in the during the course of the academic academic institutions all over the of educational policy at King’s and large North American research year. Each fellow is assigned a world, and fosters new and exciting Queen’s College, now a noted girls’ libraries but King’s is one of the first ‘home’ academic department and is research.’ school.

Governor-General visit

HE GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF AUSTRALIA, Michael Jeffery, Tvisited the Menzies Centre for Australian Studies, part of the School of Humanities, in March The Governor-General is the Queen’s representative in Australia undertaking ceremonial roles such as opening parliament and the greeting of visiting foreign heads of state. His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery was in the UK to meet The Queen as is tradition in the first year in office of a new Governor-General. During his stay he visited the Menzies Centre where he learnt about the Centre’s role in promoting scholarly and public understanding of Australia’s history, politics, economy, life and culture in Britain and Europe, as well as talking to some of the From left: Michael Cook, Menzies Centre Chairman, HE Major General Michael Jeffery, Governor-General of Australia, and Professor Carl Bridge, Centre’s students. Head of the Menzies Centre

May 2004 | COMMENT | 15 News

and Physical Sciences Research Council, the DTI, the National Patients Safety Agency, and Invest King’s collaborates in Northern Ireland. Combined with similar sums from industry in cash and ‘in-kind’ commitments, MATCH will be hospitals technology project able to create a critical mass of leading research and business talent, focused on developing faster and better methods to bring healthcare products N5 April MATCH (Multidisciplinary Assess- Around 20 companies have already signed up to market. ment of Technology Centre for Healthcare) to the partnership, and support is steadily rising, Owas launched in Whitehall. augmenting MATCH’s unprecedented resources, Matching partners: the MATCH team with Lord Sainsbury and MATCH is a £6-10 million, five year collaboration which include £4.3 million from the Engineering industrial partners. Far right is Dr Patricia Grocott, Research Fellow, Florence Nightingale School of Nursing & Midwifery, the between King’s and the universities of Nottingham, King’s lead academic for the programme Ulster, Birmingham and Brunel, and a cohort of industrial partners, aimed at speeding the transition of critical medical technologies from the research lab into hospitals, homes and clinics. At the launch, Lord Sainsbury, Minister for Sci- ence and Innovation, praised MATCH as ‘an extremely good example of a knowledge transfer partnership which can help the flow of world- class science and technology out of our universities and into industry.’ ‘MATCH is expected to set new standards in UK academic-industrial collaboration to boost the competitiveness of the British healthcare industry,’ comments Dr Jane Gate, Business Develop- ment Manager, Medicine and Healthcare, KCL Enterprises.

was equipped with a range of skills that are highly Acting Principal Professor Barry Ife, and iGrad training relevant to writing my thesis and useful transfer- Monash Vice-Chancellor, Professor Richard programme able skills. Now that I have started to write up my Larkins have agreed to commit the equivalent of thesis, it’s made life much easier knowing how to £10,000 each annually to jointly sponsor Monash- go about setting up paragraphs, indexes, tables King’s conferences at Prato for five years. HE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF HEALTH of contents, headers and footers etc,’ she says. ‘This initiative is an ideal way to progress col- SCIENCES’ mission is to enhance the expe- ‘Not only would I recommend that PhD stu- laborative research and academic endeavour Trience of graduate students in the six dents enrol on as many of these courses as pos- between King’s and Monash,’ said Professor Ife. Health Science schools at King’s. sible, I would also strongly suggest that their An open bidding contest is proposed as a way Part of this process is to support and provide supervisors play an active role in encouraging of building bridges between cognate areas. Rele- a programme of transferable skills training for them to do so. After all, it’s in their interests to vant departments and schools at King’s and postgraduate research students. This includes have a more confident, efficient and competent Monash will be invited to submit joint conference the latest initiative, the ‘iGrad’ programme, which student working for them!’ proposals. Guidelines will be disseminated soon is designed to enhance information retrieval and See www.kcl.ac.uk/igrad and also available on the Monash London website IT skills. www.monash.ac.uk Student enthusiasm for this new project comes King’s-Monash Forthcoming King’s-Monash collaborative con- from Sarah Wooderson, a third year PhD student conference ferences at Prato include an International Pallia- at the Institute of Psychiatry. She says that partici- tive Care Nursing Research Conference in 8-10 pation on a number of courses on the iGrad IT June 2004 and a Clinical Skills Conference in May training programme has been very rewarding. HE STRATEGIC ALLIANCE between King’s 2005. A proposal for one on Mediterranean ‘The ‘Word Quick Tips’ and ‘Long Documents’ and Monash University has given rise to a Encounters: Australian and British in September sessions are just two of the many courses that Tnew initiative to support joint conferences 2005 could involve a range of areas in the have helped me. In just two three-hour sessions I at the Monash Prato Centre. humanities and social sciences.

16 | COMMENT | May 2004 News

Student Student news Recruitment New sabbaticals successes KCLSU elections were held in March. The new full-time sabbaticals, who will take up their posts Careers Conference on 1 September, are: The Student Recruitment and Widening Participa- tion teams held a Careers Teachers’ Conference President: Michael Champion (succeeds David on 10 March at the Waterloo campus. Sixty Dunne) careers teachers and advisers from across the VP Education & Representation: Rajesh ‘Josh’ UK attended the event. Joshi (succeeds Polly Mackwood) Given the range of issues students now face VP Sites & Services: Lee Peterson (succeeds when considering their higher education options, Caristeen Hickey) the Conference’s aim was to provide the careers VP Media & Publications: Samantha Williams advisers with up-to-date information about the (succeeds Alexi Duggins) College and answer questions regarding King’s VP Student Activities: Ben Philips (succeeds provisions for students. Toby Boon) The day included talks covering admissions cri- teria and the personal statement, degree pro- There was a turnout of 2,233 out of a potential grammes and graduate destinations, student 19,000. Above: Michael Champion and Below: The panel discuss finance and student support and welfare. Careers Samantha Williams celebrate higher education their election victory teachers had the opportunity to meet College staff from each of the undergraduate schools of Prizewinners education in the UK. It was organised by the Stu- study to discuss individual departments and Polly Mackwood, VP Education & Representa- dents’ Union as part of the 175th anniversary degree programmes in greater depth. tion, has been nominated ‘London Student of the celebrations. Claire Gascoigne, Higher Education Marketing Year’ in a competition run by Waterstones to find Stephen Mccabe MP, Parliamentary Private Officer, commented: ‘The feedback we received the most dynamic student across the University Secretary to Charles Clarke, Secretary of State from the attendees was very positive, and we of London. for Education, Chris Grayling MP, Shadow UK hope that the Conference will become a regular David Dunne, KCLSU President, has been Minister for Public Services, Health & Education, event.’ awarded the President’s Cup: a University of and David Rendel MP, Liberal Democrat London Union (ULU) award given by the ULU Spokesperson for higher education, took part in President, Chris Piper, for the student he thinks the debate held on 16 March in the Auditorium of Manchester Information has done the most for ULU throughout the year. the Franklin-Wilkins Building. Evening Alexi Duggins, VP Media & Publications and The Acting Principal, Professor Barry Ife, and Student Recruitment held their third annual Infor- editor of Roar, has been elected as editor of David Dunne, KCLSU President, were also part mation Evening in Manchester on 26 March at the London Student for next year. of the panel which was chaired by Chris Piper, People History Museum. This year there was a President, University of London and former impressive attendance of 160. KCLSU President. Debate centred on the univer- ‘The evening offered prospective undergradu- HE debate sity funding reforms that have been outlined in ate students and their parents the opportunity to Politicians representing the three main parties the Higher Education Bill, and there was a spir- find out more about King’s and the realities of stu- took part in a debate on the future of higher ited question-time session to end. dent life in London, which often has a negative perception outside the M25,’ commented Claire Gascoigne. In addition to talks on the College, finance and accommodation, current King’s students spoke about their own reasons for and the experience of moving to the capital to study, and were able to offer positive insights about studying at King’s. A similar evening was held in Bristol on 6 May.

May 2004 | COMMENT | 17 Research

for mobile communications use – witness the very high prices paid by mobile operators in the auc- CTR celebrates tions for 3G radio spectrum. Users are becoming increasingly mobile and making connections to a variety of indoor and outdoor, local and wide area coverage radio 10th anniversary networks; this in turn increases the complexity of the infrastructure of the networks which must locate, track, authenticate and bill the users Professor Ian Groves FIEE, Visiting Professor in the King’s Centre for correctly. CTR is providing leadership for academic institutions to take a wider and longer Telecommunications Research, reflects on the history of the Centre and view of the whole process of mobile wireless examines the research opportunities for the future. communications. The research agenda of the Network Group at S THE COLLEGE CELEBRATES its 175th technologies appeared that are revolutionising CTR spans a wide range of state-of-art Wireless anniversary, the King’s Centre for modern telecommunications: first cellular or Networking issues representing goal-oriented ATelecommunications Research (CTR), the mobile telephones, and subsequently the Internet research themes which form part of various leading UK research laboratory in the area of and, more specifically, the World Wide Web. national/European or Industry-based funding wireless communications, is marking its tenth The next few years will see a merger of mobile research topics. (See Comment 147) year of operation. communications and the Internet, enabling the The Radio Access Team is developing wireless Celebrations include an Open Day for industry users of tomorrow’s mobiles not only to access transceiver technologies that allow the transfer of and academia on 19 May and a dinner on 20 May, the Web, but also to make transactions, conduct very high data rates over a limited radio with Dr David Goodman of WinLab, USA, the guest business, link up with friends and family, play spectrum. The team has evaluated 3G speaker. This coincides with the 4G Forum: an games, watch videos and listen to and download technologies and is now actively researching into annual international workshop established by CTR music – a process starting to emerge now with 4G systems which will allow ultra-high data rates two years ago to explore, within a wider the advent of 3G mobile phone networks. anywhere at any time to anybody. commercial context, future emerging wireless An increasingly important area of research in technologies worldwide. The Internet mobile communications is the potential for mobile As third generation (3G) mobile networks begin This merger of mobile communications and the terminals to be reconfigured. Reconfiguration to roll out commercially, the research interests Internet provides a far greater challenge than the could be the installation of a new radio move naturally to explore what the fourth transition from fixed lines to mobile phones for interface/multiple access system, upgrades of generation (4G) will comprise. voice services because of the diversity of multi- terminal functionality or operating system. The pioneering work in telecommunications at media user applications. Wireless links are intrin- This prestigious national and international King’s stretches from the mid-19th to the 21st sically unreliable and variable in quality. There is a research will continue in CTR’s new home at Drury century. Charles Wheatstone joined King’s in 1834 shortage of radio spectrum set aside exclusively Lane. as its first Professor of Experimental Philosophy and pioneered the electric telegraph from the late The image shows an overview of how the various radio and network technologies might integrate into a future application for health 1830s. Sir Edward Appleton received the Nobel monitoring. A range of sensors attached to a patient can monitor conditions which may alert a local medical centre to offer help and advice, or in the extreme be prepared for a medical emergency admission. Prize in 1947 for his identification of atmospheric layers crucial for wireless transmission, while the current CTR Director Professor Hamid Aghvami FREng, is an international leader in mobile communications technology.

Early days CTR had its early beginnings at King’s and Chelsea Colleges in the 1970s (see Comment 141). Telecommunications had developed from the wire telegraph of Wheatstone’s day and the first demonstration of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876 to become, by the early 1980s, a universal world-wide network of wired communication systems. In the mid 1980s, however, two ‘disruptive’

18 | COMMENT | May 2004 Obituaries

changes through was followed by a to many of her students and Sara García very rapid expansion in the Centre’s colleagues when in February this Peralta teaching, both on degree year her condition very suddenly programmes and external courses, deteriorated and she was taken (1947 – 2004) and again Sara played a crucial from us - before she had had time part, in liaising with colleagues to make all the arrangements she r Sara Elena García Peralta, across the newly-merged College, in had carefully envisaged, but not who was born and raised in the skilful deployment of staff and, before she had received messages DArgentina, joined King’s in perhaps above all, in understanding of affection and concern from a 1991 after teaching posts in the the real needs of individual students huge number of well-wishers from Dominican Republic, in France and and the problems they sometimes King’s and elsewhere. A memorial at Reading University where she encounter. service for Dr García Peralta will had obtained her PhD in applied Her busy and demanding role left take place in the College in May. Linguistics. At King’s she led the her almost no time for research, Spanish teaching team in the then but Sara saw herself above all as a Tony Thorne Language and Communication teacher and promoter of teaching Director of Language Services Centre before becoming and learning. Her qualities, of Programme Director – effectively determination and absolute both Manager and Director of dedication to the task in hand, Derek Glass Derek Glass Studies - of the restructured together with a tenderness and Modern Language Centre in 1997. fellow-feeling which she couldn’t (1944 - 2004) above all to encourage students in During her time at King’s Sara conceal, inspired fierce loyalty and the development of their own ideas; presided over two very difficult respect from her fellow teachers ith the sudden and these he treated with the utmost transitions. The first, the creation of and enormous affection from the untimely death of Derek respect, while seeking gently to the Modern Language Centre as a students to whom she taught WGlass at the end of March, mould them through discussion and re-modelled unit, was a complex Spanish or Applied Linguistics. An the Department of German has the detailed marginal comments exercise and a potentially bruising ideal colleague and a consummate been deprived of its longest-serving which he was renowned for making experience for staff, but was professional, she never indulged in member of staff, a much-loved on their written work. Students successful largely due to her own either small-talk or gossip, but colleague and teacher, and a responded warmly to his combination of efficiency and privately cultivated a mischievous scholar highly regarded by his unpretentious manner and his sensitivity. She found herself sense of humour and a wry professional peers. Generations of regard for each one of them as supervising a large department appreciation of life’s absurdities. former students remember him individuals, and many remained in hosting a volatile mix of cultures Sara had lived with progressive with affection as their first point of contact with him long after leaving with a remit which also involved illness for many years, but had contact with the Department in his the Department. balancing academic and never at any time allowed the fact capacity as Admissions Tutor, a role Derek’s meticulous and patient entrepreneurial priorities. to interfere with her professional which he fulfilled for more than 20 scholarship bore fruit particularly in Her success in seeing these duties. It therefore came as a shock years. his contributions to bibliography Educated at Leeds Grammar Dr Sara García Peralta and the history of literary School and at New College, Oxford, translation. Descriptive and where he was awarded an bibliographical essays on Theodore outstanding First, Derek was Fontane in English translation and in appointed to King’s in 1967. His translations into other languages principal area of teaching and set new standards for the study of research was the literature of the this author’s reception world-wide, 19th century. His teaching at and they established Derek’s undergraduate and postgraduate international reputation in these levels ranged widely over the period fields. Important further work on in courses on the Novelle, realist Fontane was in progress at the time fiction, drama, and poetry. of his death. Informed by a profound The expertise demonstrated in understanding of 19th century his Fontane studies led to his most history and a keen sense of style significant undertaking, a and literary values, his teaching was entirely undogmatic and aimed continued over page

May 2004 | COMMENT | 19 News

continued from previous page bibliography of translations of Goethe into English made in the News in brief 20th century. This work was commissioned by the English Goethe Society and will be Online pg form e-learning Confirmation Service published in the Bibliography Series new online postgraduate re you involved with or his year’s College Confirmation of the Modern Humanities Research application form has been interested in e-learning at Service will be taken by Bishop Association. The product of A A T launched. The form has been King’s? There are two recent Edward Holland (AKC 1964) intensive research over several created by Studylink, working with developments: one, the formation formerly Suffragan of Europe 1986- years, it contains many discoveries, the Academic Registry and with of the e-Learning Project Board, 95 and Bishop of Colchester 1995- bearing testimony to Derek’s the support of the Student chaired by the Acting Principal, 2001, and now retired but consummate skill and persistence Recruitment & Exchanges Professor Barry Ife, to provide Assistant Bishop in London. This, as a bibliographer. The final touches Department. As well as good for guidance over College-wide the last service of the academic were put to this volume at the potential students, it is very useful e-learning. The second is the year, will take place in the Chapel beginning of this year. Sadly, Derek to the College, particularly in formation of the Educational at the Strand on 9 June at 13.00. will not see it in print, but it will facilitating the recording of Interest Group for E-learning and certainly attain the status of a applicant information. Research (EIGER) as a teaching standard work of reference and will Advantages to the student and research forum. See Fit 4 Uni? be a fitting monument to his include the speed with which they www.kcl.ac.uk/elearning, which will scholarship. series of free Wednesday can apply, the flexibility of the be regularly updated with news The last of his work which Derek Aafternoon sessions to prepare system and the ability to track and developments. lived to see in print appeared in the local students for higher education progress. The online form is three-volume Internationales has been organised by Aspire currently accessible from the Germanistenlexikon 1800-1950, (Aspire Aimhigher South East online postgraduate prospectus Dignity at work published in 2003, for which he London, a partnership of King’s, www.kcl.ac.uk/pgp04/ wrote entries (partly co-authored ing’s has developed A Dignity at Goldsmiths, South Bank and with John Flood) on several KWork Policy which outlines the Greenwich). King’s is running Professors of German in the Global success College’s, line managers’ and sessions, aimed at local FE and University, including two who had employees’ responsibilities in sixth form students, on study skills, occupied the Chair at King’s. These he handbook, A Human Rights achieving and maintaining an managing money and stress- historical articles bear witness to TApproach Prison Management, environment free from harassment busting. For more information, the commitment to his subject and written by Professor Andrew and bullying. contact King’s Aspire Project to his Department which Coyle, Director of the International The procedure includes a Officer, Ali Redford, on ext 3479 or characterised Derek throughout. Centre for Prison Studies, and process for staff to raise issues email [email protected] During his 37 years at King’s he launched by Foreign Secretary informally, and formally by lodging did much to shape the character of Jack Straw in November 2002, has a complaint. A central feature of the Department: through his eye for now, or is about to be, translated the policy is the role of Contact Annual lecture the potential in applicants whom a into more than ten languages. The Officers who will be specially he Department of Education & less discerning Admissions Tutor handbook is well on the way to trained to offer advice and TProfessional Studies are holding might have rejected, through his becoming the principal support to staff who believe that their annual lecture on 17 June in firm grasp of what was essential in international reference text for they or their colleagues have been the Great Hall at the Strand a humanistic education, and through prison management. The latest subjected to harassment/bullying. campus at 17.30. The lecture, his unassuming, courteous, and government to order copies for If you would like to become a entitled Education for sale! The ever-helpful dealings with students prison staff is Brazil with 40,000 Contact Officer, and receive full commodification of everything, will and colleagues. Those who had the editions being distributed. It is also training, contact Sarah Peskett, be given by Professor Stephen Ball privilege of studying and working used the British Council and the Personnel Administrator on ext of the Institute of Education and a with the gentle and cultivated man United Nations. 3471 or e-mail former Professor of Education in that Derek was will miss him sorely. [email protected] the School of Education at King’s.

Martin Jones Head of the Department of German

20 | COMMENT | May 2004 Alumni & Development news

King’s, who was very pleased by the Reunions and events level of support. He commented: ‘It Alumni is a great tribute to King’s that the institution both pre- and post- HERE HAVE been a number of John Glyn Williams FKC. John fundraising mergers is held in such high regard reunion and events held Williams, who studied Spanish at by its former employees.’ The group Trecently. Listed below are King’s and graduated with a BA in HE DEVELOPMENT OFFICE will meet again in the autumn. details on some of them. 1958, was a member of the KCLA is happy to report another Former members of staff who Council throughout the 1990s and Tsuccessful telephone would like more information should made an enormous contribution to fundraising campaign for the Dental Clinical Day contact: Dr Barrie Morgan, c/o the the development and importance of King’s Annual Fund and the This year’s Dental Institute Clinical Alumni Office or by email: the KCLA. Guy’s, King’s & St Thomas’ Day took place on 28 February and [email protected] Annual Fund. During the four- was a great success. More than 300 week campaign in March, dentists attended the day, which is New former staff US alumni events student callers contacted more recognised for verifiable Continuing than 3,000 alumni who together group King’s alumni in New York and Professional Development. The donated nearly £30,000. The Nearly 80 King’s alumni met at the surrounding districts Herbert Memorial Lecture was Development Trust will meet this College on 26 March and proved enthusiastically supported a social given by Professor Edwina Kidd, month to disburse the funds that you don’t have to be a graduate event held at a cocktail bar in Professor of Cariology in the raised this year – currently to be counted as an alumnus. A Manhattan at the end of March. A Division of Conservative Dentistry. around £200,000. group of former members of both good mix of alumni of all ages and The newly formed GKT Dental academic and support staff, from professions, including recent Alumni Association held its AGM King’s and the merged institutions, graduates and Junior Year Abroad Dean of the Dental Institute, was the during the day. met in the Council Room at the students came along and support guest of honour. The Dental Clinical Day 2005 will Strand for lunch and the inaugural for King’s through the American American alumni support an be held on Saturday 5 March. meeting of the King’s College Friends of King’s College London annual scholarship for an American Contact the Alumni Office for London Former Staff Association. was strengthened. student who is accepted onto a details. After lunch Professor Sir Vice Principal, Professor Sir one-year full-time Masters degree Lawrence Freedman, Vice-Principal Graeme Catto, and Chairman of in any discipline offered by the John Williams gave a talk on the current defence Council, Baroness Rawlings, were College. Memorial Service and intelligence issues particularly hosts at a reception held at the related to affairs in Iraq and Harvard Faculty Club for King’s Around 100 alumni and current and Palestine. alumni from the Boston area. Principal’s Concert former King’s staff joined family The group is the initiative of Professor Catto gave a talk entitled On 22 April more than 250 alumni members in the Chapel at the Dr Barrie Morgan FKC, formerly Are Doctors Good for our Health? donors attended the traditional Strand on 9 March to remember Director of External Relations at Professors John and Diane Principal’s Concert and Reception Greenspan, both alumni of the Royal held in recognition of their support Dental Hospital, welcomed around for the Annual Fund and GKT Fund. Forthcoming events 50 alumni and friends of the College The concert was performed by living in the San Francisco area to a students of the Department of LL STAFF are invited to friends of the IoP are welcome to reception at their home at the end Music. attend any of the following. attend the first IoP reunion on 26 of April. Professor Nairn Wilson, AFor further details please June. After an afternoon of talks, The reception after the Principal’s Concert contact the Alumni Office on visits and debate there will be an [email protected] or ext 3364. opportunity to catch up with contemporaries and IoP staff, past and present, at the reunion 175th anniversary drinks reception. Alumni Weekend See page 12 for details. KCLA Anniversary Dinner & AGM IoP Reunion This will be held on 8 October in Former students, former staff and the Great Hall.

May 2004 | COMMENT | 21 In the news

Jeremy Ward, Professor of who wished to register as NHS Madrid bombing Language barrier Respiratory Cell Physiology, patients. The question of how this explained the physiology of death should be addressed was discussed Following the atrocities in Spain, Mr Tony Thorne, Director of by crucifixion.¶ in relation to the shortage of newly Language Services, was interviewed academics were extremely busy qualified dentists, in spite of the on Radio 4’s The Art of Indecision with national and international overwhelming popularity of courses, about how indecision – often feigned Downfall media requests. Mr Diego Muro and in particular those run by King’s.¶ Dr Stephen Jacobson, Lecturers in – is built into the linguistic behaviour Dr Peter Hallward, Lecturer in the Modern Spanish History and of many British speakers. He was French Department, wrote an European Studies, were also interviewed by Vanessa Feltz on Allot-a-ments article in the Guardian regarding the interviewed on Spanish politics BBC Radio London following the downfall of the Haitian president, The resurgence in popularity of the and the Spanish election result. In publication of the Plain English Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Dr Hallward allotment was reported on in the the International Policy Institute, Campaign’s report condemning the discussed the events leading to Independent recently. Research by Centre for Defence Studies, and use of clichés in communication, and Aristide’s removal from office, and the Allotments Regeneration International Centre for Security subsequently on slang and street the political motivations behind it. ¶ Initiative (ARI) showed that city Analysis, Professor Michael Clarke, language and its affect on declining dwellers, especially young women, Air Marshal Sir Tim Garden, Dr Paul literacy among young people. He have gone back to the garden to ‘de- Cornish, Dr John Gearson, Mr Bill was quoted in an article in Metro Palliative care stress’. Dr Richard Wiltshire, Senior Durodié, and Mr Andrew Garfield about the use of slang in the Alison Richardson, Professor of Lecturer in the Geography were all interviewed about workplace. ¶ Cancer & Palliative Nursing Care, Department, commented on this terrorism by most national news was quoted on BBC Online after popularity, particularly in inner channels and broadsheets.¶ Killing truths she headed up the team which urban areas.¶ drew up new national guidance on Professor Clive Coen, GKT Centre Testing times cancer and palliative care on behalf for Neuroscience Research, and New leaf of life of National Institute of Clinical Dr Bethan Marshall, Lecturer in Dr Gary Sheffield, Defence Studies Excellence. Professor Richardson A speech given at a symposium by English Education, wrote several Department, were interviewed for stressed the guidance would Dr Mohammed Sharief, Senior articles in the Guardian about the the Channel 4 documentary The ensure access to support services Lecturer in Neuroimmunology, key stage 3 Shakespeare paper, and Truth About Killing. The programme that would benefit patients and was referred to in an article in The in the Independent about national looked at the brutality of conflict, carers alike.¶ Times about the potentially wider curriculum tests in England. She the reality of death in warfare and therapeutic role of cannabis in was also quoted in the Guardian the psychology of killing.¶ modern medicine. Dr Sharief and the Sunday Telegraph about the Slowly does it stated that the drug was useful at teaching and testing of Shakespeare, Allergies and Research published by Dr Anthony reducing pain such as that in and on assessment in the TES. Dr Leeds in the Department of Nutrition cancer patients owing to its Marshall also wrote an opinion piece asthma & Dietetics was discussed in The analgesic properties, its use as a in the Independent about the difficulties Professor Peter Burney, Head of Times. The article (written by Peta muscle relaxant, and its schools face in filling senior positions.¶ Public Health Sciences, was Bee, formerly a student at King’s) simultaneous ability to reduce interviewed on BBC Breakfast from looked at the benefits of the GI diet, nausea and stimulate appetite.¶ Robotic reception the Global Allergy and Asthma whereby a ranking system based on European Network conference in the rate at which food raises blood The Times and the Pittsburgh Post- Elderly falls Brussels at which he was delivering glucose levels is used as a healthier Gazette produced articles about the a paper on the epidemiology of approach to losing weight.¶ The work of a team in the Applied development and use of Inkha the allergy and asthma.¶ Biomedical Research Group, which robot in the Strand reception by aims to probe why elderly people Mr Matthew Walker, a College Dental crisis are more prone to heavy falls, was alumnus and animatronics Unusual questions? Dr Mark Woolford, a Senior publicised on BBC Online. It is hoped consultant. Both Mr Walker and Several King’s academics answered Lecturer in Conservative that the research of Dr Kirsty Elliott Dr Mark Miodownik, Lecturer in the curious questions posed in ‘The Dentistry, was interviewed in The and her colleagues will lead to new Department of Mechanical Science Behind the News’ in the Times, following scenes of huge ways of minimising the risk of death Engineering, were subsequently Guardian recently. Simon Lovestone, queues in Scarborough of people and serious injury in older people.¶ interviewed on Research TV about Professor of Old Age Psychiatry, their work, the footage of which responded to the question of how The Public Relations Department is keen to know of any academics featured was also broadcast on international the new ‘mind viagra’ works, and in the media. Please do keep us informed by contacting the Public Relations television stations including CNN.¶ Office on 020-7848 3202 or email [email protected]

22 | COMMENT | May 2004 Film review

Christian devotion This is what is driving Gibson’s Mel Gibson’s Passion blood-soaked epic. He gives us clues through flash-backs: as Jesus falls and Mary runs to his The Dean, Revd Dr Richard Burridge, was asked to review Mel Gibson’s film side, she poignantly remembers The Passion of the Christ for the Church of England Newspaper and also for the when she dashed to pick him up Sun; he was also interviewed in The Times and the Sunday Express, as well as on when he was a child. As his body is split open on the cross, the film GMTV. His review for Comment looks at the key issues. cuts to the breaking of the bread at the Last Supper. When his IBSON’S blood-spat- Gibson goes even beyond the Latin and Aramaic, says ‘I have to blood runs down the nails, we are tered depiction of Jesus’ tendency in the gospels of keep reminding people: “This is given a glimpse of the chalice of Glast hours looks like Matthew and John to blame the not a documentary. We had to wine. Reservoir Dogs meets Jesus Christ Jewish religious hierarchy for the make artistic choices”.’ It is But will everybody to get these Superstar. Some of the monsters death of Jesus. It is a fact of significant is that Fulco is a hints? I was amazed by the in the crowd could have come out history that some Jews loved Jesuit, since extended meditation reactions of hard-bitten of Monty Python’s Life of Brian, their fellow Jew – Jesus – and upon the Passion is central to journalists coming out of the while the devil skulks like an others wanted him dead. But the Ignatius Loyola’s Spiritual cinema in tears or very angry. understudy for Gollum in The same was true of Greeks, and Exercises. When Gibson hit rock Perhaps the real outrage is that Lord of the Rings. The dialogue – Romans, and every nation on bottom 12 years ago he found this film is true to life in most of in Aramaic and ‘street Latin’ – earth since. If this film is racist, it salvation – quite literally – its vivid brutality. This is the reminded me of Klingon! is the whole of the human race it through very traditional Catholic kind of thing we did to God condemns. beliefs. Through the ages, when he lived among us – but Is it too violent? graphic pictures of the almost even worse, it is what Some have suggested this is Gospel truth? instruments used to torture Jesus human beings continue to do to Gibson back to his violent old The film mixes up scenes and have been designed to facilitate one another in the name of God habits of Mad Max days. Yet a words from the different gospels meditation and prayer upon his throughout the world today. beating with the Roman flagrum with little regard for what the suffering and wounds. A – a leather cat-o’-nine-tails with different evangelists were trying beautiful German devotional Dr Burridge’s new book Jesus – metal barbs – was a very nasty to do. But the influence of booklet from about 1340, with business. Today, the Cross has Hollywood seems stronger than scenes of flagellation, Jesus Now and Then, co-written with Dr become a item of jewellery: ‘Do the Bible itself. Father William falling, the nails, crown of thorns Graham Gould and based upon you want a little silver man on it?’ Fulco, who acted as consultant and bleeding wounds, looks just their AKC lectures at King’s, was said one shop assistant to me and translated the script into like this script. published by SPCK on 19 March. recently. So it is good to be reminded that when God became Simon of Cyrene (Jarreth Merz) helps Jesus (Jim Caviezel) carry his Cross in a scene from The Passion of The Christ PHILIPPE ANTONELLO one of us, the human race did the most awful things imaginable to him.

Anti-Semitic? Some suggest that the ﬁlm blames the Jews for Jesus’ death. Gibson’s Jewish temple police are indeed thugs who never miss the chance to put the boot in. But their violence is nothing compared to the Roman soldiers who beat, whip, and lacerate Jesus before they nail the bloody pulp of his remains to the cross. While the Chief Priests hit and spit at Jesus as they plot his death, however, the Roman commander tries to restrain his men and Pilate wants to avoid giving the death sentence. Here

May 2004 | COMMENT | 23 Books

Oxford Textbook of clinical activities associated with this most common form of medical practice. Primary Medical Care The book is arranged in two volumes to ensure the right reference resource for every eventuality with a full volume on the Edited by Roger Jones, Wolfson Professor of principles of primary care and on clinical General Practice, Guy’s, King’s & St Thomas’ problems in general practice. School of Medicine The clinical sections have been written by practising GPs together with specialists, HE OXFORD TEXTBOOK OF guaranteeing relevant and authoritative PRIMARY MEDICAL CARE is the coverage. There is also a free searchable CD- first comprehensive, truly interna- T ROM containing full text and illustrations tional textbook of primary care. It covers the included with every copy. entire range of organisational, academic, and OUP

Obscure Objects of as illuminating relatively neglected ones such He uses historical examples, as Breton’s poèmes-objets. stories, and quotations to illustrate the ideas Desire OUP and confronts widely-held perceptions of Surrealism, Fetishism, and science. He argues that mathematics was invented rather than discovered and Politics disentangles those aspects of evolution which Science in the Looking are fact from those which are aspirations. OUP Johanna Malt, Lecturer in the Department of Glass French What do scientists really know? HIS BOOK offers a new critical Crossing Fields in approach to the political claims of the E Brian Davies FRS, Professor of Mathematics Tsurrealist movement, asking whether Modern Spanish it is possible to theorise a connection between OW DO SCIENTIFIC conjectures Culture the surrealists’ commitment to the cause of become laws? Why does proof mean revolutionary socialism, and the form that sur- Hdifferent things in different sciences? realist art and writing took. Do numbers exist, or were they invented? Federico Bonaddio and Xon de Ros, Department of Through the analysis of narratives, Why do some laws turn out to be wrong? Spanish & Spanish-American Studies paintings and objets Experience shows that disentangling surréalistes by scientiﬁc knowledge from opinion is harder ODERN SPANISH CULTURE is Breton, Aragon, Dalí, than one might expect. Full of illuminating bold and experimental, expressing a and others, Jo Malt examples and quotations, and with a scope Mdisregard for generic boundaries and examines how the ranging from formal conventions. The essays in this collec- object emerges as psychology and tion explore the dialogue and interrelation psychologically and evolution to between cultural discourses and artistic prac- historically marked quantum theory tices in a variety of 19th- and 20th-century in the surrealist and mathematics, texts, from the perspectives of literary criti- context, functioning Brian Davies brings cism, cultural analysis, media studies, politics as both fetish and alive issues at the and the history of art. fetishised heart of all science. Federico Bonaddio and Xon de Ros address commodity. In his book he fundamental questions about the relationship Responding to recent debates about the role makes important between artistic media and cultural ﬁelds and of the uncanny and the representation of the issues in the provide insights into the way identities – body in surrealist art and literature, her study philosophy and social, political or cultural – are bound up with offers new perspectives on familiar works history of science the textual. such as the paintings of Salvador Dalì as well easily accessible. OUP

COMMENT is the College’s regular newsletter, produced by the Public Relations Department | Articles, and/or photographs are welcomed from all members of the College, but please note that the Editor reserves the right to amend articles | Copy for the next issue can be sent to the Public Relations Department (ext 3202), James Clerk Maxwell Building, Waterloo campus, or emailed to [email protected] by 1 July 2004

24 | COMMENT | May 2004