Staff Magazine for the University of Oxford

blueprint Staff magazine for the University of Oxford | March 2014

Mr Selden’s map Answering Aung San Suu Kyi Engaging with cancer news in brief u Each year at Encaenia the University u Keep up to date with major IT projects awards honorary degrees to a number of and service developments through News distinguished men and women. This year’s from IT Services, the termly e-newsletter honorands include the composer Harrison from IT Services. The first issue, available Birtwistle and the sculptor Anish Kapoor. at www.it.ox.ac.uk/about/newsletter/ Nominations are now being sought for issue1, includes overviews of the Service 2015. Members of Congregation are invited Desk Consolidation Project, which to propose individuals who have achieved will bring together the service desks distinction in academia, the arts, business, across IT Services, and the Integrated industry or public life. Nominations should Communications Project, which will be submitted by 9 May. Details at replace the University’s telephone system www.ox.ac.uk/staff/news/nominations.html. by 2017. Sign up to receive an email alert when a new issue is published by sending a John Cairns u Two University innovation centres will blank email to it-services-news-subscribe@ benefit from £15.2m of government funding maillist.ox.ac.uk. as part of the Oxfordshire City Deal. £4.2m will go towards building an Innovation u Do you know how you can store your Accelerator at Begbroke Science Park to help research data securely, and are you aware science start-up businesses take their projects what resources are available to help you Aldebaran Robotics / Ed Alcock Robotics / Ed Aldebaran to market and to provide facilities for manage your data? Visit researchdata. University researchers to develop innovative ox.ac.uk for advice about managing data products and technologies; £11m will go on a day-to-day basis as well as storing it towards the Oxford BioEscalator at the Old securely in the longer term. The website Road Campus, which will accelerate the describes funder requirements for data and

creation of new bioscience companies and how you can meet them, provides links to Greg Smolonski Greg help them grow and move on to larger science tools and services to help you manage your parks in the region. The government funding research data, and outlines what training is will be matched by £17m from the University. available. u The project to refresh the design and u The Oxford English Dictionary needs structure of the top-level pages of the you! To commemorate the centenary of University website is now in the build phase, the start of the First World War, the OED with the first sites due to launch at the start is seeking earlier or additional evidence of Trinity term. Known as oxweb, the pages for a host of WW1-related vocabulary, provide information to audiences ranging including ‘shell shock’, ‘demob’ and from prospective students to current staff. ‘skive’. While newspapers and magazines The main University homepage, together act as the source for many of the terms with Undergraduate Admissions and the coined during the war, the OED team is Student Gateway, will go live on 23 April. aware there may well be earlier but less The refreshed Staff Gateway will launch on easily accessible sources such as private Oxfordshire History Centre / Oxford University Images 11 August, followed by Graduate Admissions letters and diaries. Visit oed.com/appeals on 8 September. Details at www.ox.ac.uk/ and submit your evidence in the From top: The Chancellor at Encaenia; the staff/news/university_website_1.html. comments field. other Chancellor visits Begbroke; WW1 workers at Kelmscott Farm

blueprint Staff magazine for the University of Oxford u The University is consulting all staff on possible revisions to Statute XII. The Cover: | March 2014 M statute governs major aspects of the employment of academic and academic-related Spring r Selden’S map AnSwering aung San Suu C Kyi staff, and relates to the procedures for redundancy, dismissal, disciplinary action, at the ancer education appeals and grievances. Those covered by the statute include professors, readers and University’s associate professors; research staff and professional, technical and administrative Botanic staff employed at grade 6 or above. Garden The consultation, which runs until 4 June, focuses on four main areas: reviewing who is covered by the statute; simplifying the procedures under the statute; clarifying the statute’s provisions; and revising the procedure for addressing grievances by strengthening settlement routes at local level. This is an initial consultation, which seeks views on the desirability of possible revisions to the statute. If there is support for change, there will be a second consultation on the detail of any proposals. Further information at www.ox.ac.uk/ statuteXII. Photo by Greg Smolonski/ Oxford University Images

2 | BLUEPRINT March 2014 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint research round-up

u The genetic impacts of the Mongol Empire, the Arab slave trade and European trade on the Silk Road have been revealed for the first time on a new interactive map produced by researchers from Oxford and UCL. The online map details genetic mixing between 95 populations across Europe, Africa, Asia and South America over the last four millennia, using sophisticated statistical methods of DNA analysis. Dr Simon Myers of Oxford’s Department of Statistics and the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, co-senior author of the study, explains: ‘Many of our genetic observations match historical events, and we also see evidence of previously unrecorded genetic mixing. For example, the DNA of the Tu people in modern China suggests that in around 1200CE, Europeans similar to modern Greeks mixed with an otherwise Chinese- like population. Plausibly, the source of this European-like DNA might be merchants

travelling the nearby Silk Road.’ But how much will humanoid robot Nao learn about you? Alcock Robotics / Ed Aldebaran

u People’s racial prejudices are influenced the lower risk of death from heart disease when an anonymous private collector in by where they live, according to Oxford remains. Dr Sarah Floud and colleagues at London approached Dr Obbink, of the psychologists. The research team found that the Cancer Epidemiology Unit suggest that Faculty of Classics, with a piece of papyrus levels of racial prejudice among white people one explanation could be that the spouses of fragment. According to Dr Obbink, the drop significantly when they live in mixed married women may encourage them to seek poems are ‘indubitably’ by Sappho, a lyric communities. Even the most prejudiced early medical treatment for symptoms, but poet born on the island of Lesbos. One poem people who did not mix at all with ethnic there may be other reasons. is a substantially complete work about her minorities became more tolerant over time brothers, while another is a fragmentary when they lived in areas where others were u Within the next decade ‘sociable’ piece about unrequited love. Dr Obbink’s mixing. The researchers have called this robots could have a role as companions ‘Ancient Lives’ initiative was launched in positive effect ‘passive tolerance’, likening or assistants in our daily lives, and that 2011 and has been asking volunteers for it to the negative effect of ‘passive smoking’ raises privacy concerns, said Dr Ian Brown, their help in decoding hundreds of thousands (where a smoky environment can increase Senior Research Fellow at the Oxford of online images of Greek papyri fragments. your risk of lung cancer, even if you do not Internet Institute and Associate Director A related project entitled ‘Proteus: capturing smoke yourself). ‘If two white people with of the University’s Cyber Security Centre, the big data problem of ancient literary identical views went to live in different describing his research at this year’s Oxford fragments’ has just been awarded funding by postcodes for a year, the person in the London Lecture on 18 March. The issue is the AHRC. neighbourhood with more mixing between around how much information is gleaned ethnic groups would likely leave more and stored by the robots, as these human- tolerant,’ says Professor Miles Hewstone of seeming devices could lead to people being the Department of Experimental Psychology. less guarded about what they reveal. Dr Brown, with Oxford colleague Dr Joss u Married women or those living with a Wright, is involved in an ESRC-funded partner are 28% less likely to die from heart project, ‘Being there: humans and robots disease than unmarried women – despite the in public spaces’, which explore ways of fact that marriage makes no difference to ensuring that people maintain some control women’s chances of developing heart disease over the personal information stored about in the first place. The results come from them while still being able to enjoy the the latest analysis of data from the Million potential benefits of robotic technology. Women Study, a large UK study of women’s health run by Oxford researchers. The u Two hitherto unknown works by the study takes many factors into account that ancient Greek poet Sappho are to be could have influenced the results, such as discussed in a paper by Oxford papyrologist age, socio-economic status and lifestyle, but Dr Dirk Obbink. The poems came to light

Egypt Exploration Society and Imaging Papyri Project, Oxford

Volunteers are helping to decode thousands of For more information, visit www.ox.ac.uk/news Greek papyri fragments, such as this snippet of a ◢ and www.ox.ac.uk/staffnews lost gospel from the Oxyrhynchus collection

www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint March 2014 BLUEPRINT | 3 people and prizes

Dame Jocelyn Bell Dr Joanna Dunkley, University Lecturer in fostering academic collaboration between Burnell, Visiting Astrophysics, has been awarded the Fowler Romania and the UK and in promoting Professor of Prize in Astronomy by the Royal Astronomical Romania’s image abroad. Astrophysics, has been Society. She has played a leading role in a elected as the next number of high-profile experiments measuring Alison Noble, President of the Royal anisotropies of the cosmic microwave Technikos Professor

Society of Edinburgh background (see profile, p7). Rob Judges of Biomedical (RSE). She will take up Engineering, has been her post in October, Anke Ehlers, Professor of Experimental elected a Fellow of the becoming the first female RSE President. Psychopathology, is the 2014 recipient Women’s Engineering of the Award for Distinguished Scientific Society. Sir Drummond Bone, Master of Balliol Contributions to Clinical Psychology presented College, is to be the next chair of the Arts by the Society of Clinical Psychology. Erlick Pereira, a senior neurosurgical registrar and Humanities Research Council. affiliated to the Nuffield Department of Luciano Floridi, Professor of Philosophy and Surgical Sciences, has been awarded a Martin Brasier, Ethics of Information, has been awarded this Hunterian professorship by the Royal College Professor of year’s Cátedras de Excelencia prize by the of Surgeons. Palaeobiology, has University Carlos III of Madrid for his work on been awarded the 2014 the philosophy and ethics of information. Sir Peter Ratcliffe, Lyell Medal of the Nuffield Professor of Geological Society. Dr Clare Harris, Clinical Medicine and Reader in Visual Wilkinson Paul Head of the Nuffield David Clary, President of Magdalen College Anthropology and Department of Clinical and Professor of Chemistry, has been elected Curator for Asian Medicine, is one of an Einstein Professor of the Chinese Academy Collections at the four joint winners of of Sciences. The award is made to distinguished Pitt Rivers Museum the 13th Annual Wiley international scientists working at the frontiers and the School of Prize in Biomedical Sciences, which this year of science and technology; Professor Clary Anthropology and recognises advancements in the field of oxygen will give lectures associated with his award in Museum Ethnography, sensing systems. Dalian and Beijing. has been awarded the 2013 E Gene Smith Inner Asia Book Prize by the Association for Corin Sworn, University Lecturer in Fine Sadie Creese, Professor of Cybersecurity in the Asian Studies for her book The Museum on Art, has won the Max Mara Art Prize for Department of Computer Science and Director the Roof of the World: Art, Politics, and the Women. Her winning proposal draws from of the Global Cyber Security Capacity Centre Representation of Tibet (University of Chicago the rich history and elaborate costumes of at the Oxford Martin School, has been named Press, 2012). the Commedia dell’Arte and will reflect her by Debrett’s as one of the 500 most influential continued interest in exploring stories around people in Britain in recognition of her work in Dr John Hutchison, migration. Her bespoke residency will be cybersecurity. Reader in Materials, divided between Rome, Naples and Venice. has been awarded an Dr Stephen Darlington, Associate Professor Honorary Fellowship Annette Volfing, in the Faculty of Music, and Organist and by the Royal Professor of Medieval Director of Music at Christ Church Cathedral, Microscopical German Studies, has Keith Barnes is to be made a Fellow of the Royal School of Society. been has been elected Church Music, in recognition of his exemplary to the Committee daily standards of service and performance Linda McDowell, for German Literature in cathedral music, and his nurturing of a Professor of Human of the Middle Ages of generation of singers, organists and directors Geography, has been the Bavarian Academy now working significantly in church music. elected as Chair of of Sciences and the British Academy’s Humanities. Steve Davies, Waynflete Research Awards Professor of Chemistry, Committee. She is Dr David Wallace, has been awarded an also a member of a member of the honorary doctorate the Council and Philosophy of Physics by the University of the Research and Higher Education Policy group and Tutorial Salamanca. Committee. Fellow at Balliol College, is a joint Marian Dawkins, Professor of Animal Martin Maiden, Professor of the Romance winner of the 2013 Behaviour, is one of the first people to be Languages, has been awarded the title of Lakatos Award honoured by the RSPCA with its new Sir Patrick Commander in The National ‘Faithful Service’ for an outstanding Moore Award, named in memory of the former Order by the President of Romania. The contribution to the philosophy of science, for astronomer and honorary RSPCA vice-president citation praises his work in promoting the his book The Emergent Multiverse: Quantum and presented for an outstanding contribution Romanian language in the UK, especially at Theory according to the Everett Interpretation in the field of animal welfare science. the University of Oxford, and for his role in (OUP, 2012).

4 | BLUEPRINT March 2014 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint new Proctors and Assessor Rob Judges The University’s new proctors and assessor for 2014–15 have taken office. The Senior Proctor is Dr Kate Blackmon, Fellow of Merton College, the Junior Proctor is Dr Hubert Ertl (far left), Fellow of Linacre College, and the Assessor is Dr Paul Martin, Fellow of Wadham College. These three senior officers of the University are elected annually by the colleges. The Proctors ensure that the University operates according to its statutes and they are also members of key decision-making committees. They deal with University (as opposed to college) student discipline, complaints about University matters, and the running of University examinations; they also have ceremonial duties. The Assessor is responsible particularly for student welfare and finance.

schock prize for bod chair shortlisted display funding for for design prize Pitt Rivers Oxford philosopher The new Bodleian The Pitt Rivers Professor Libraries chair designed Museum has been

Derek Parfit, Jamie Smith by Edward Barber and awarded £64,845 Emeritus Fellow Jay Osgerby is among from the Museum and of All Souls the nominations for Galleries Improvement College, has Designs of the Year 2014 Fund, jointly financed been awarded in the furniture category. Given annually by by the Department for the 2014 Rolf the Design Museum in London, the awards Culture, Media and Schock Prize celebrate design across seven categories: Sport (DCMS) and the in Logic and architecture, digital, fashion, furniture, Wolfson Foundation. The award will enable Philosophy graphic, product and transport design. the purchase of a major new display case in for his ‘ground-breaking contributions The chair is being manufactured in the which to exhibit one of the museum’s most concerning personal identity, regard UK by Isokon Plus for installation in the important collections – that brought back for future generations and analysis of refurbished Weston Library, which will open from Captain Cook’s voyages to the South the structure of moral theories’. The its doors to readers in October. The three- Seas in the 18th century. Rolf Schock prizes are awarded by the legged oak chair is only the third new chair The Cook-voyage collection has recently Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, developed specifically for the Bodleian since been the focus of a comprehensive conservation the Royal Swedish Academy of Music 1756. Barber and Osgerby won the 2012 and research project supported by the and the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Design of the Year award for their iconic Clothworkers’ Foundation. The award from Arts in four fields: logic and philosophy, design of the London Olympic Torch. DCMS/Wolfson will now allow visitors to see mathematics, the musical arts and the The 76 shortlisted nominations are on for the first time the newly conserved and re- visual arts. display at the Design Museum in London interpreted Cook-voyage collection displayed Professor Parfit is particularly until 25 August. in a spacious, well-lit and better-sited case. renowned for his ground-breaking work Reasons and Persons, in which he set the direction for the mainstream of moral theory. The book’s impact was leading practitioners momentous, not only for the ideas put A number of Oxford researchers appear on the Science Council’s recently forward, but also because of its style, published list of ‘100 leading practising scientists’. The list is intended, characterised by numerous examples says the Science Council, to highlight ‘a collective blind spot in the appealing to the reader’s intuitions approach of government, media and public to science, which either tends about moral matters. to reference dead people or to regard only academics and researchers as scientists’. To identify its list of 100, the Science Council organised a competition around 10 different ‘types’ of scientist roles, with categories such as investigator, entrepreneur, policymaker, communicator and business/marketing. The list of 100 has 10 different examples of each of the 10 types and gives a broad picture of the many different ways people work with science,

viewfinder found making valuable contributions across UK society and the economy. Photo by Botanic Garden/Oxford University Images. University Garden/Oxford Botanic by Photo

represents half the national gene pool of this rare breed. rare this of pool gene national the half represents

Listed in the ‘explorer scientist’ category are: Hagan Bayley, Professor of Chemical

sheep themselves are a conservation project: this flock flock this project: conservation a are themselves sheep Biology; Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Visiting Professor of Astrophysics; Dame Kay Davies, management plan for this scarce MG5 grassland. The The grassland. MG5 scarce this for plan management Dr Lee’s Professor of Anatomy; and Fred Turner, the biochemistry undergraduate who built

the hay has been cut in July, part of the conservation conservation the of part July, in cut been has hay the a polymerase chain reaction machine in his shed for £250 with items he found at home September and December to graze the meadows after after meadows the graze to December and September

small flock is brought for a 12–week internship between between internship 12–week a for brought is flock small to compare his and his brother’s DNA. Christopher Price, Visiting Professor in Clinical

University’s Harcourt Arboretum, where every year a a year every where Arboretum, Harcourt University’s Biochemistry, appears in the ‘service provider/operational scientist’ category; and Colin These Castlemilk Moorit sheep (p16) are at the the at are (p16) sheep Moorit Castlemilk These Blakemore, Emeritus Professor of Physiology, is listed as a leading ‘communicator scientist’.

www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint March 2014 BLUEPRINT | 5 arrivals board Easing the journey

Professor of Statistics Arnaud Doucet, Professor and University Lecturer in the Department of Statistics; Tutorial Fellow in Statistics, Jesus College; member of the Oxford–Man Institute of Quantitative Finance; and EPSRC Established Career Fellow, took up this post in the Department of

Statistics on 1 March. He also became a Fellow of Hertford College. Smolonski/Greg Images University Oxford Professor Doucet is primarily interested in the development and study of novel Monte Carlo methods for inference in complex Do you commute to work by train, stochastic models. He specialises in Bayesian statistics, stochastic bus or bike? If so, are you aware of the simulation, sequential Monte Carlo and Markov chain Monte Carlo various discounts and travel-related methods and time series. schemes available to you as a member of University staff?

Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion Discounts of up to 8% on train travel and 10% on bus travel, together with Alister McGrath, Professor of Theology, Ministry and Education interest-free loans, are available through and Head of the Centre for Theology, Religion and Culture at the University’s train and bus pass schemes. King’s College London; and Senior Research Fellow, Harris Nigel Bovey The schemes are open to all members of Manchester College, will take up this post in the Faculty of staff paid through the main payroll. Theology and Religion on 1 April. He will also be a Fellow of In addition, promotions on particular Harris Manchester College. train and bus routes are offered through Professor McGrath is the author of many influential books on the University’s partnership with science and religion, as well as the bestselling textbook Christian easitOXFORD, an organisation that Theology: An Introduction. His previous posts at Oxford included supports local businesses in offering their Professor of Historical Theology from 1999 to 2008. His chief staff sustainable transport solutions. research interests are the interaction of science and religion, the use Current offers include a free two-week of the natural sciences in the ‘new atheism’ of Richard Dawkins, and the renewal of natural ‘taster’ ticket on bus route 280 (Oxford– theology as an intellectual and cultural interface between theology and the natural sciences. Headington–Wheatley–Thame–Aylesbury), and a free day ticket on all Oxford Bus Company services within the city zone. For details, email [email protected]. noticeboard With an easitPhotocard, you can also get 15% off First Great Western rail u Richard Oxford’s Faculty of History. Sir David travel for journeys into and returning Ovenden, who is a specialist in the political, social and from Oxford – available on single and has been Interim cultural history of modern Britain and return tickets, as well as weekly, monthly Bodley’s Librarian its empire, and the study of history over and quarterly season tickets. To request since the departure time. He has a 20-year association with a card, email edward.wigzell@admin. of Dr Sarah the ODNB, having been commissioned ox.ac.uk from your ox.ac.uk address with Thomas last to write the biography of the historian the words ‘Card request’ in the subject August, has been G M Trevelyan in 1993; his most recent header, and state the internal address appointed Bodley’s contribution was an essay on the you’d like the card sent to. Once you’ve Librarian. He took up the post on 10 Calthorpe family, Birmingham received your card, follow the instructions February, when he also became a Fellow landowners and benefactors, in 2013. at www.admin.ox.ac.uk/estates/travel/ of Balliol College. Mr Ovenden has easitoxford to validate it. been at the Bodleian since 2003, having u Professor The easitPhotocard also allows you, previously worked at the library of the Charles Vincent, your family and friends to enjoy a range House of Lords, the National Library of previously Director of discounts on bike repairs, hire and Scotland and the University of Edinburgh. of the National purchases. Walton Street Cycles (78 As executive head of the Bodleian Institute of Health Walton Street, www.spoke.co.uk) is Libraries, he will take on the stewardship Research Centre offering a 15% discount on servicing of combined collections numbering more for Patient Safety and accessories, as well as a 10% than 11 million printed items, in addition & Service Quality discount on in-store bike purchases and to 50,000 e-journals and a vast quantity at Imperial College 12% off hire charges. And if you prefer of other materials. Healthcare Trust, has taken up the post power assistance with your wheels, take of Health Foundation professorial fellow advantage of a 25% saving on a new u Professor Sir David Cannadine has in the Department of Experimental electro-assisted folding bike from Beat been appointed as the new Editor of the Psychology. He will be working on the Bikes – just visit www.beatbikes.com and Oxford Dictionary of National Biography measurement and monitoring of safety enter discount voucher code EASIT125. from 1 October. He will combine the in the NHS and other healthcare systems For details of travel-related offers editorship with his post as Dodge Professor and on developing research, and in and schemes, visit www.admin.ox.ac. of History at Princeton University and improvement approaches in mental health uk/estates/travel and www.easit.org.uk/ will also become a visiting professor in and community settings. easitoxford.php.

6 | BLUEPRINT March 2014 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint She’s a star (gazer) By day Jo Dunkley attempts to understand the origins of our universe, but as night falls she takes to the screen to explain cosmology for the BBC, she tells Jamie Condliffe Rob Judges

The University’s Sub-department of Fellow at Princeton University, where she out, allows her students to get much more Astrophysics may spend its days looking at worked on NASA’s WMAP satellite science involved with the research. ‘It’s just so much stars, but it’s fast creating them, too. Take Dr team, she returned to Oxford in 2007 and is easier for them to get deeply involved and Jo Dunkley: an award-winning academic, she now a University Lecturer in Astrophysics and hands-on with a 5-year telescope project in now makes regular appearances on the BBC. Tutorial Fellow at Exeter College. Chile than a 20-year satellite mission in space,’ It’s perhaps not surprising that she’s so Since then, she’s been involved with two she says. adept at explaining complex science to TV large-scale international projects, analysing ‘Right now, though, I’m personally super- audiences. Asked about what her research data from both the European Space Agency’s excited about our new work on gravitational involves, she casually replies that she ‘tries to Planck satellite, which orbits the Sun between lensing,’ she adds. The cosmic microwaves she understand the origins and structure of the Earth and Mars, and the Atacama Cosmology analyses are actually subtly warped as they universe’, before enthusiastically explaining Telescope, which sits atop Cerro Toco in travel through space and interact with the just what that entails with great clarity. Chile and is one of highest observatories mysterious substance that is dark matter. The Dr Dunkley spends her time analysing the on the planet. Both yield rich and complex result is a lensing effect that we can observe Cosmic Microwave Background, which is part data, which Dunkley and her research group here on Earth. ‘It’s the best bet we have of of the electromagnetic spectrum travelling interrogate to learn about the universe’s figuring out the structure of the invisible through space. ‘It’s the most distant light you origins. universe,’ she enthuses. ‘It should help us can see – an image of the universe when it was understand dark matter and energy in the next born,’ she explains. ‘I don’t build experiments, ‘Right now, I’m personally five to ten years.’ though. I’m a theorist who analyses data. My super-excited about our That infectious enthusiasm was fostered job is to turn recorded maps of that light into years ago, and is being put to ever better properties of the universe: how old it is, how new work on gravitational use. ‘I spent four months giving talks in much it weighs, or what it’s made of.’ lensing’ London schools about cosmology in 2005,’ That’s not a particularly straightforward she explains. Now, through giving more task. It involves creating thousands of models Working with data from Plank, Dunkley’s talks and training teachers in how to talk of possible scenarios of how the universe could team has been probing what happened during about astronomy, she’s graduated to the have turned out, then slavishly comparing the Big Bang. ‘We think that during the first small screen. These days you can see her them to reality. ‘We compare our experimental trillionth of a second, the universe expanded explaining cosmology on the BBC’s Science data to millions of theoretical universes,’ she extremely fast, laying down the seeds for the Club and Stargazing LIVE. ‘I think it’s a really says. ‘Until, eventually, we find one which cosmic structure we see today,’ she explains. important responsibility we have as publicly matches.’ ‘Our analysis confirms many of those funded scientists,’ she explains. ‘But, most After studying Natural Sciences at Trinity theories.’ Elsewhere, her work at the Atacama importantly, people just want to understand Hall, Cambridge, Dunkley arrived in Telescope provides more detailed views of the world we live in and where it all came Oxford in 2002 to undertake her DPhil in smaller parts of the sky – but, as she points from. And it’s a real privilege to help them.’ astrophysics. ‘I just thought it was really neat that by pointing telescopes at the sky we could

figure out the behaviour of the universe,’ Further information at www-astro.physics.ox.ac.uk/~Dunkley ◢ she recalls. After a brief spell as a Research

www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint March 2014 BLUEPRINT | 7 university, challenged At Encaenia in 2012, Aung San Suu Kyi asked the University of Oxford to help restore university life in Burma. Stuart Gillespie reports on our response

With rays of sunlight piercing the windows short introductory course on constitutional one of a number of projects being carried of the Sheldonian Theatre, and an audience interpretation to new undergraduates in out at IGS. Dr Maria Jaschok, Director hanging on her every word, one of Oxford’s January this year.’ of IGS, summarises: ‘Responding to the most celebrated alumni laid down a challenge He adds: ‘Over 5,000 law reports, statutes challenge issued by Daw Suu at Encaenia, to her alma mater. ‘I would like to see and textbooks are currently on their way IGS succeeded in winning funding from Daw university life restored to Burma in all its to Rangoon from the Bodleian Law Library Suu’s Trust to establish the Junior Research glory. And I would be so grateful if my old through a partnership with the Constitution Fellowship. But the JRF can only be a start. university, the University of Oxford, could Trust, a charity I run. We’re also planning Additional extensive and thorough research help to bring this about once again.’ Daw a longer-term programme of assistance that is needed in a country which – and this is the Aung San Suu Kyi was receiving her long- will involve our law academics spending up consensus of all in Burma actively working awaited honorary degree from the university to six months in Rangoon. The goal is to help for development – is starved of reliable and she attended as an undergraduate, having re-establish Rangoon as a centre for teaching evidence-based research.’ spent much of the previous two decades and research excellence in law.’ Dr Matt Walton is Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest in her native Burma. Other Oxford groups that have forged Senior Research Fellow in Modern Burmese Since that day in June 2012, Oxford has links with Burma include the Wildlife Studies at St Antony’s College. He has been been working to answer Daw Suu’s challenge Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), studying Burma for over a decade and is a and help rejuvenate higher education in the which has a history of funding and training leading researcher into the country’s society south-east Asian country, which is taking Burmese conservation professionals, and and politics. ‘Part of my involvement in this steps towards democracy following decades St Hugh’s College, where Daw Suu studied collaboration is working with the Department of military dictatorship. PPE from 1964 to 1967. of Politics and International Relations at Ed Nash, in the University’s International Oxford and the newly established politics Strategy Office, has been heavily involved programme at Rangoon University to help with the project. ‘When Daw Suu received St Hugh’s and Balliol have with curriculum development. Faculty her honorary degree in 2012, she challenged been able to establish from the Central European University and Oxford to support the redevelopment of the Open Society Foundations have also Burmese education,’ he says. ‘The central scholarships for Burmese been assisting with this,’ he explains. ‘I’m University, departments, colleges and students students, thanks to the particularly keen that people with expertise have taken up this challenge, coming up with on Burma help with this project so that a range of ideas that have been advanced to generosity of donors they don’t end up with a generic politics varying extents.’ curriculum, but rather with something that Oxford’s aid to Burma is mainly focused In September 2013 St Hugh’s held the is particularly relevant for their current on the University of Rangoon – formerly one inaugural Aung San Suu Kyi Summer School situation and also draws on Burmese and of Asia’s greatest educational institutions, to provide intensive English training for regional texts, not just standard Western but ‘almost destroyed by half a century of high-performing Burmese secondary school texts.’ military rule’, said Daw Suu. Undergraduates students. The college has also, along with Fluent in the Burmese language and a have recently been readmitted for the first Balliol, been able to establish scholarships for regular visitor to the country, Dr Walton is time since 1988, after being removed because Burmese students thanks to the generosity of well placed to assess the contribution Oxford the government feared their participation donors. Students, too, have played their part: can make to university life in Burma. He in political demonstrations. Professor Nick last spring, a group of eight Oxford students adds: ‘A challenge that this collaboration Rawlins, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Development travelled to Burma at the invitation of Daw presents is that Rangoon University is just & External Affairs), made two trips to Suu, while an organisation called the Oxford one of dozens of universities in the country. Rangoon in 2013, meeting officials to assess Burma Alliance has been set up by students We need to make sure the things we do for the situation at the once-great university and from both the city’s universities. Rangoon are available to other universities introduce the areas in which Oxford could The International Gender Studies Centre as much as possible. I also think it will be offer assistance. (IGS), based at Lady Margaret Hall, has critical that we begin to think not just about Andrew McLeod, Stipendiary Lecturer in just welcomed Dr Khin Mar Mar Kyi as educational support that Oxford can provide Law at Lady Margaret Hall, has been at the the first Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Gender in in English, but also ways that we can help forefront of efforts to develop the Faculty Burmese Studies Junior Research Fellow. them to develop Burmese-language – and of Law’s links with Rangoon, having been She will be researching the role of education other ethnic minority-language – resources involved in Burma’s constitutional reform and gender-responsive learning in Burma – for teaching.’ process for almost two years. ‘Oxford’s Law Faculty has formed a strong partnership with the Department of Law at the University More on some of the initiatives described above at of Rangoon and has taken concrete steps to help rebuild it,’ he says. ‘Professor www.lmh.ox.ac.uk/IGS/home/Myanmar.aspx, www.law. Timothy Endicott, the Faculty Dean, visited ◢ ox.ac.uk/newsitem=845, http://tinyurl.com/o5r43fe and last November and delivered the keynote www.sant.ox.ac.uk/asian/BurmeseProgramme.html address at a workshop, while I delivered a

8 | BLUEPRINT March 2014 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint Dick Makin/Oxford University Images what’s on

Exhibitions

Cézanne and the modern: masterpieces of European art from the Pearlman Collection Until 22 June 2014 Ashmolean Museum Tickets £9 / £7 www.ashmolean.org/exhibitions/cezanne Exhibition of the Pearlman collection, which comprises work by Impressionist

Tarascon StageTarascon CoachThe Henry © and Rose Pearlman Collection and Post-Impressionist masters including Cézanne, Van Gogh and Modigliani.

Lectures and talks www.merton.ox.ac.uk/events John Donne Lecture: Living with creativity Gabriel Jackson’s The Passion of the Lord Friday 4 April, 5.15pm receives its world première in the first concert Sheldonian Theatre of the Passiontide at Merton festival. www.hertford.ox.ac.uk/events/john-donne- lecture-0 Family friendly Tony Hall, Director-General of the BBC, talks about the challenges of recognising Easter Trail and encouraging creativity. Saturday 29 March – Sunday 20 April Museum of the History of Science

Samantha Shannon in conversation with www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/events Secunza A Sam Thompson Mathematical mystery trail for children Wednesday 30 April, 5.15pm aged 7 upwards. Special events Convocation House, Old Bodleian Library www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/whats-on I can see a rainbow Rough Music Bestselling novelist Samantha Shannon, Friday 4 April, 10.30am–12.30pm and 2–4pm Saturday 29 March, 8pm author of The Bone Season, talks to Dr Sam Oxford University Museum of Natural OVADA, 14a Osney Lane, Oxford OX1 1NJ Thompson, Lecturer in English Language History Tickets £10 / £7 and Literature at St Anne’s College. www.oum.ox.ac.uk/visiting/whatson.htm www.prm.ox.ac.uk/specialevents.html Drop-in event for the under-5s. Find a Sonic adventure with Pitt Rivers Museum A view from the Pacific: re-envisioning rainbow of colours in the museum and take composer-in-residence Nathaniel Mann, the art museum home a rainbow streamer. featuring the beguiling sounds of ancient Tuesday 13 May, 5pm Chinese pigeon whistles and bronze tuned Headley Lecture Theatre, Ashmolean Cushion concert: Jazz All Stars musical meat cleavers. Museum Sunday 6 April, 11am www.humanities.ox.ac.uk/humanitas Jacqueline du Pré Music Building, St Hilda’s Digital day Lecture by director and curator Michael College Wednesday 16 April, 1–4.30pm Govan, who is the 2014 Humanitas Visiting Tickets £7 / £5 Oxford e-Research Centre, 7 Keble Road Professor in Museums, Galleries www.st-hildas.ox.ac.uk/jdp-music-building www.oerc.ox.ac.uk/digital & Libraries. Jazz concert for children aged 5 to 11 and Discover how to bring your research to life their families. The concert features vocalist using innovative digital technologies. Drop Human rights as human values Natalie Williams and a line-up of some of the in for as long as you like (1pm buffet lunch; Thursday 15 May, 5.30pm UK’s finest jazz musicians. 2pm presentations; 3pm open afternoon Lecture Theatre, Oxford University Museum showcasing research and collaborations, of Natural History Drama networking and refreshments). www.linacre.ox.ac.uk/About/events Shami Chakrabarti, Director of Liberty, Hidden Glory: Dorothy Hodgkin Sport gives the 2014 Tanner Lecture. in her own words Wednesday 7 May, 5pm The BNY Mellon Boat Race Concerts Somerville College Sunday 6 April, 6pm www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/whats-on www.theboatrace.org Gabriel Jackson’s The Passion of the Lord Filmed performance of a one-woman play The 160th boat race between crews from Friday 4 April, 8pm about the Nobel-prizewinning scientist the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Merton College Chapel Dorothy Hodgkin, followed by a Q&A with The 4.5 mile course stretches from Putney Tickets £20 the playwright Georgina Ferry. to Mortlake.

10 | BLUEPRINT March 2014 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint Beyond the notebook Clare-Marie Grigg discovers a range of simple devices to revolutionise the way you work PS:unlimited/Oxford University Images University PS:unlimited/Oxford

It shouldn’t come as any surprise in this day A similar device already exists in the Mac that it recognises only one voice at a time and age that there are many accessible, easy- version of Microsoft Word (although not and you have to set up a profile that becomes to-use – and often free – smart technologies Windows), he says. Go into ‘View’, select ‘trained’ to your articulation. to help us work more productively. Yet, ‘Notebook layout’, then ‘Audio’ and tap the Something that works along similar lines is for some reason, very few of us make red record button icon. ‘Like the pen, it links proofreading software. This narrates text from use of them. Many of us still use pen and audio to what you’re typing,’ he says. ‘Students a typed document or email out loud – which paper to take notes in meetings, while our love it because so many of them have Macs and is good for checking a written document by computers can often serve as little more it’s built in. Yet no one seems to really know listening for mistakes. It’s also helpful for people than fancy typewriters with internet access. about it.’ in a hurry who want to do their reading – or Few of us have encountered programs like Jones says the high point when he gives listening – whilst doing other things. The voice voice recognition software, mind mapping, presentations is usually when he demonstrates on the program Jones demonstrates sounds recording pens, and proofreading narration, voice recognition. ‘Most people know about rather like BBC newsreader Moira Stuart. to name just a few. voice recognition, but they think it doesn’t An interesting tool for people who prefer One person who works with these work. So when they see it being demonstrated working more visually is mind-mapping technologies and demonstrates them on a and working very well, they’re impressed.’ software, which is a way of brain-dumping on regular basis is Tim Jones, Assessment Centre to a computer page. The software organises Manager at the University’s Student Welfare points into intuitive mind charts that mean and Support Services. Jones often works with ‘Get out of the mindset that you can plan the structure of an entire essay disabled students who might require specialist at the end of every lecture or or article far more quickly than you normally equipment, but he is quick to stress these meeting you need to have a would. Jones says there are hundreds of mind- technologies can benefit everyone. mapping programs out there, including quite a One of the most basic efficiency methods he written set of notes’ few free ones. ‘There are free versions of many cites is using a smartphone or dictaphone to of these programs. The [recording] pen is really record information. You can even record audio, He speaks into a program, which then the only thing you have to pay for.’ feed it through a voice recognition program quickly and perfectly types out his words, He adds: ‘We need to stop doing things a (more on this later) and get a typed transcript. including punctuation. It’s 90% accurate, set way and start thinking “I need to tailor ‘We should get out of the mindset that at the Jones says, and particularly useful for people this to meet my needs.” If people do that end of every lecture or meeting we need to have who have pain typing or simply work better more then they should be more effective, more a written set of notes,’ says Jones. verbally. The main downside to this software is productive.’ Taking things one step further is the LiveScribe Pen, which costs between £85 and £210. Jones demonstrates using special (though For more information, visit the Oxford University Assessment not particularly expensive) paper. He hits Centre at www.ouac.co.uk or the Centre for Research into ‘record’ on his pen, talks and takes notes at the same time. Then he taps the nib on a line of ◢ Assistive Technologies, Kellogg College at www.kellogg.ox.ac.uk/ written text he wants to hear, and the pen plays researchcentres/alt. There is also helpful general information on it back. His handwritten notes take him back assistive technologies at www.jisctechdis.ac.uk in time.

www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint March 2014 BLUEPRINT | 11 a very odd ‘mapp’ indeed Stuart Gillespie sheds light on the Selden Map, believed to show shipping routes between Ming China and its trading partners

Once described as ‘a very odd mapp of David Helliwell, Curator of Chinese tradesmen – tradesmen who simply wanted to China’, the 17th-century Selden Map is today Collections at the Bodleian, explains: ‘We illustrate the routes on which they plied their one of the treasures of the Bodleian Library. don’t know exactly when the map was made, trade. It was probably a map that almost had Bequeathed to the Bodleian by London nor do we know exactly where it was picked a half aesthetic function and it was probably lawyer John Selden in 1659, the map brings up in the Far East, but we imagine that it was displayed in the house of a rich merchant.’ to life in beautifully detailed watercolour the probably made in the 1620s and acquired by Last summer the Selden Map was used thriving maritime trade routes of the Far East a merchant of the East India Company, who by the Oxford Research Centre in the in the late Ming period. brought it to London, where it passed into the Humanities (TORCH) as an example of This month the map has gone on show hands of Selden.’ the way in which academics from different at the newly opened Hong Kong Maritime disciplines can provide unique and varied Museum as part of an exhibition displaying insights into the same object. Among the highlights from the celebrated Chinese ‘We imagine that it was Oxford scholars to cast their eyes over the collections held at the University of Oxford. probably made in the 1620s map was Rana Mitter, Professor of the Entitled Mapping Ming China’s Maritime History and Politics of Modern China, World – The Selden Map and Other Treasures and acquired by a merchant who hailed its value in providing historical from Oxford University, the exhibition runs of the East India Company, context for our understanding of the region until 23 June and has been jointly organised today. ‘Looking at the map gives you a by the Hong Kong Maritime Museum and the who brought it to London’ longer-term view – a reminder that the kind Bodleian Libraries. It was formally opened of understanding we have of this immensely on 20 March at a ceremony involving Lord Up until that point, most Chinese maps had important region has to be informed by an Patten of Barnes, the University’s Chancellor positioned China as the centre of the known understanding that trade routes, relationships, and former Governor of Hong Kong, and world. But in the Selden Map, China only commerce and people engaging with each Richard Ovenden, Bodley’s Librarian. Guided occupies a relatively small portion in the top other has a long history,’ he says. ‘The map is visits to the exhibition, led by Richard half. The map’s scope extends to the whole of a marvellous example of that.’ Ovenden and Joshua Seufert, H D Chung the Far East, with the South China Sea as its Ros Holmes, a researcher in contemporary Chinese Studies Librarian, were a highlight of centre point. Chinese art, adds: ‘One of the most the inaugural Alumni Weekend in Asia. The immense significance of the map interesting things for me about the Selden As the earliest known map showing was realised in 2008 when visiting scholar Map is the sheer richness of the detailing shipping routes linking Ming-era China with Robert Batchelor noticed the very faint lines itself. What first appears to be a 17th-century markets in South East Asia and beyond, the indicating trade routes and compass bearings map about Chinese trade routes is actually a Selden Map is the stand-out item among a from the port of Quanzhou to all parts of more complicated art historical object that host of treasures on display from the Bodleian the region. Mr Helliwell adds: ‘This is a map attests to cross-cultural flows of knowledge and the Ashmolean Museum. However, little drawn by ordinary people. It’s drawn by and an exchange of ideas.’ is known about the origins of the map, which has undergone extensive restoration work in recent years. Cataloguing the map for the Bodleian in 1721, the antiquary and diarist Learn more about the map at http://seldenmap.bodleian.ox.ac.uk Thomas Hearne described it simply as ‘a very ◢ odd mapp of China. Very large, & taken from and http://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/selden-map Mr Selden’s’.

12 | BLUEPRINT March 2014 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint our part of the deal Martin Christlieb spends his days explaining cancer and progress in cancer research to the public – and he uses a board game to do it, reports Jonathan Wood

During the height of the recent floods, by getting them to roll the dice at different Dr Martin Christlieb drove back from rates (lifestyle) or roll dice with different Portsmouth in the dark and wet, trying to numbers of faces (genetics). avoid blocked roads and traffic jams, only ‘The various hallmarks of cancer that cells getting home at 1am. He’d just given a develop unite to give truly malignant disease,’ talk on cancer to a public audience, many Martin explains. ‘The game helps explain of whom had their own experiences of the this. And I can link the different squares to disease. He’d arrived in Portsmouth just in research in the department. It helps give a time for the talk, despite setting out from 21st-century picture of cancer. It’s a disease Oxford at 2.30pm. ‘It’s when you get a letter that is dynamic: a moving, mobile target. or email the next week that says “That was There are lots of ways each hallmark can spot on,” or “Progress is heartening,” or “I develop. And while together they give us a didn’t know that,” that it reminds you it’s all disease we recognise as cancer, each person’s worthwhile,’ Martin says. tumour will be personal to them.’ Martin Christlieb is employed by the Martin reports that the feedback has been University’s Department of Oncology very positive. ‘Cancer groups and patients are to engage the public in cancer, our really chuffed that we’ve bothered. A lot of understanding of the condition and time as a patient you find yourself having to progress towards new treatments, and the process a lot of information at an emotional department’s research. Whether he’s talking time. You might have had a seven-minute or to school students, working with teachers, fifteen-minute consultation. Here, this might doing demos at science fairs or speaking be an hour and a half. Schools are also very to patients, he focuses on face-to-face positive that we’ve come with interactive engagement, with hands-on activities away resources and like the fact that we didn’t from the department. come in and just talk.’ In the two years he’s been employed in this role by Oncology, leaving behind a ‘People have donated to research career in chemistry then medical imaging, he’s led 95 activities reaching well Cancer Research UK, people over 4,000 people. Martin says the point of have paid their taxes... his work is not to fundraise, not to recruit Our part of the deal is to say people to clinical trials. It’s simply to raise awareness of the research the department “This is what we’re doing is carrying out. ‘People have donated to with the money”’ Cancer Research UK, people have paid their taxes – this is our part of the deal. We need to say “This is what we’re doing with the One of the activities he has developed is a money.”’ board game in which pieces advance across He’s clearly doing something right. A the board whenever you roll a double on a colleague told him of a group of sixth pair of dice. Only this is a game where you formers arguing on a train through rural don’t want to move your pieces too far too Wales about the hallmarks of cancer and fast. Progress up the board mirrors what trying to Google his name to find the answer. happens to cells in the body as they begin to This was on their way home from a UNIQ escape all the normal checks on growth and summer school at Oxford. ‘That’s a really become cancerous. Landing on new squares nice story and suggests we had a real impact sees your playing piece gradually pick up on them,’ says Martin. various ‘hallmarks’ of cancer. Perhaps you pick up some damage to the cell’s DNA that doesn’t get repaired properly; perhaps that cell escapes the normal systems that get rid of The board game and other resources are available at aberrant cells; perhaps it escapes controls that www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/The-Evolution-of-Cancer- keep a lid on cell division. But our lifestyles ◢ Board-Game-6402998 and www.tes.co.uk/teaching- and genes can influence our chances of resource/The-Evolution-of-Cancer-Worksheet-6402999 getting cancer, so Martin adjusts the chances of each team making progress on the board

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www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint March 2014 BLUEPRINT | 19 why am i here?

Roger Boden Senior Member of the Oxford University Yacht Club

Firstly, what’s your ‘day job’? And what does the President do? I’m the Bursar of Keble College. The The President is the head of the club, College Statutes state that ‘The Bursar chairs its AGM and Senior Committee shall under the direction of the Governing meetings and generally promotes its Body have the care of the property, interests in the wider world of sailing. income and expenditure of the College Can anyone stand for these posts? and shall be responsible for the domestic Anyone is eligible, though you need to be

economy of the College and the proper Rob Judges a member of Congregation to be a Senior keeping of its accounts.’ And that’s what Member. You don’t need to be superb I do. (The Victorians knew how to write at the sport yourself, but clearly it’s succinct job descriptions.) important to have a passion for it. We’re And how do you come to be doing that? fortunate in the strength of our alumni I read PPE at Keble in the 1960s. Then, support, but it would be good to identify Blueprint is published bimonthly for the staff of the University of Oxford by the Public Affairs Directorate after a miserable year at Nuffield, I additional members of the University – Editor: Sally Croft became by turns a fisherman, a teacher post-docs, senior academics or admin staff Designers: Laëtitia Velia/Katy Dawkins and, for 20 years, a merchant banker. – who might like to get involved. Picture research: Janet Avison I left the City in 1993 and Keble asked Items for possible inclusion are welcome and should So how did you come to be Senior be sent to [email protected] me to help with a Business Expansion Member for OUYC? If you would like to receive an email alert when future Scheme transaction. Having raised £2m issues are published, please send a blank email to I sailed in three Varsity matches as a by shuffling paper I was then invited to [email protected] student and was active in the Oxford become a Fellow by Special Election with Advertising & Cambridge Sailing Society – which is To advertise in Blueprint, please contact Rosalind the remit to ‘make the College richer’. Cuomo on 01865 280548 or email blueprint.ads@ essentially for blues from both universities So I spent seven years trying to do that, admin.ox.ac.uk – whilst working in the City. When I The University accepts no responsibility and was appointed Bursar in 2000 on the for the content of any material in Blueprint. came back to Keble it took the Senior Readers should note in particular that retirement of my predecessor. the inclusion of news, editorial items Committee about a year to nobble me, and advertisements does not imply the You’re also a University sports club and I’ve been Senior Member ever since. endorsement by the University of the matters reported, the views expressed or Senior Member - what does that mean? the goods or services advertised. Does it take up much time? All University sports clubs need a Senior Two or three evenings a year for Member and a President, and more the Senior Committee meetings, the volunteers are currently needed. Primary occasional phone conversation with responsibility for a club rests with the viewfinder Director of Sport Jon Roycroft, an junior members, who are ultimately annual discussion with the insurers, plus answerable to the President, but the Where are these woolly wanderers? Answer on p5. the occasional email exchange among Senior Member is expected to keep an eye members of the Senior Committee. on things on the University’s behalf and initiate appropriate action should things How can I find out more? start to fall apart. For sailing, just email roger.boden@ keble.ox.ac.uk. For all other sports or to So what does it entail? register interest for a Senior Member or I’m Senior Member for OUYC, the Oxford President role, visit www.sport.ox.ac.uk/ University Yacht Club, which is lucky to seniormember or contact jon.roycroft@ have an active Senior Committee of OUYC sport.ox.ac.uk. alumni who promote the interests of the club and ensure that junior members are Finally, a memorable experience? well supported, both for dinghy team As President of the Oxford & Cambridge racing and for yachting. I provide liaison Sailing Society I started an annual between this committee and University ‘Generations Tournament’ on Farmoor sports officials. I also supply an Oxford Reservoir. I used to sail for the 1960s venue for meetings, a bottle of gin and team and one year we couldn’t rustle up plenty of tonic water, crisps and twiglets crew, so I found three current OUYC to keep everyone focused. The Committee members to help out. It was like seeing meets two or three times a year and has, for through a window that had been misted example, established a Boat Fund to which up. They were so sharp, so attuned to the about 200 alumni subscribe annually. We boat, the wind and the water. It reminded use this to renew OUYC’s fleet of 12 firefly me of when I used to be like that, and dinghies on a four-year cycle. why this is such a great sport.

BLUEPRINT March 2014 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint