blueprint Staff magazine for the University of Oxford | July 2014
Healthy choices | Oxford remembers WW1 | Oxweb refreshed news in brief
u The New Bodleian will reopen as the you will be invited to a briefing beforehand. WilkinsonEyre Architects Weston Library in the autumn, following a To volunteer – whether for a couple of hours three-year redevelopment. Reader services will or a full day – complete the online form at be introduced in phases from 22 September, http://tinyurl.com/Septopenday or phone and the library will open formally in March (2)70745. 2015. The renovation project has seen the rebuilding of the central stack and the u The self-service bike hire scheme, installation of three floors of secure storage OXONBIKE, has returned to Headington. below ground level. New internal spaces The scheme links Thornhill Park & Ride have been created including special collection with major employers in the Headington reading rooms, a lecture theatre and seminar area and aims to reduce the number of rooms, and a large entrance hall accessed via short car journeys between hospital sites a colonnade on the south side of the building and university campuses. 30 cycles are off Broad Street. For details, visit available to hire from seven locations, www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/weston. including Thornhill Park & Ride, the
JR, the Churchill, Nuffield Orthopaedic Alcock Robotics / Ed Aldebaran u A £108.6m government investment is set Centre and the Old Road Campus. Users to take Oxfordshire’s knowledge economy can register for the scheme for £1 at www. into a new era, with the University playing oxfordshire.gov.uk/oxonbike. The first 30 a key role. The Oxfordshire Local Enterprise minutes of any rental is free, with charges
Partnership’s Growth Deal is designed to then ranging from £1 for up to an hour to Cairns Images/John University Oxford build on the strength of the links between £7.50 for up to 3 hours. industry and academic research, and deliver the skills and infrastructure to u The Sheldonian Theatre may be a allow them to prosper. One highlight of the familiar Oxford landmark, but did you deal is the new Oxford Centre for Applied know that you can enjoy one of the best Superconductivity, which will see researchers indoor panoramic views of Oxford from from the Departments of Materials and the theatre’s cupola? Self-guided tours of Physics work together on the development the theatre cost £3.50, but by showing of new products and processes in areas your University Card, you and up to four such as medical imaging, green energy friends can enter for free. If you would like and quantum technologies, and provide a more detailed history of the building, the industrial partners with research expertise Sheldonian has recently introduced guided and technological solutions. tours of the building. The one-hour tours, which include the Ladies’ Gallery, the cupola u On 2 and 3 July Oxford welcomed and the attic, cost £6 with a University Card. OxfordUniversity Images/Greg Smolonski thousands of prospective students and their Details at www.ox.ac.uk/sheldonian. families for the undergraduate open days. From top: Coming soon – the Weston Library; A key part of the success of these events u As part of its partnership with the already here – open day visitors; longstanding is the warm welcome provided by staff University, Santander is offering 10 free landmark – the Sheldonian Theatre volunteers at locations across the city, from Banco Santander SA shares to University staff the railway station to the Park & Rides. who open or upgrade to a 123 account before If you would like to volunteer at the next 5 September 2014. The offer is available to blueprint| July 2014 Staff magazine for the University of Oxford WW1 | OxWeb refreshed | Oxford remembers open day, which takes place on Friday 19 the first 15 customers who apply through the Healthy choices September, the Undergraduate Admissions Oxford University branch of Santander, which and Outreach team would love to hear from is located at Carfax. Details at www.ox.ac.uk/ you. No specialist knowledge is required and staff/news/santander_shares_1.html.
u The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition comes University of Oxford Design Studio to the Museum of Natural History this summer and to mark the occasion the museum has launched a competition of its own: the Summer Swifts Photo Competition. Swifts have been a cherished part of Oxford’s summer for many years, Cover: providing graceful aerial displays over the city and nesting Scarlet corn poppies grow naturally in in the ventilation flues of the museum’s tower. Send in your disturbed earth. Ripped open as war waged photographs of swifts, whether on the wing or in or around through Europe, bare land was transformed the museum’s tower, and the best image will be displayed into fields of poppies. After the conflict the alongside the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. poppy was one of the few plants to grow Email your entries to [email protected] by on barren battlefields. On pp9–12, Friday 15 August. Oxford remembers
2 | BLUEPRINT July 2014 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint research round-up
u A new discovery will make it possible to create pixels just a few hundred nanometres The ‘Great Spiral’ or Whirlpool Galaxy (nm) across that could pave the way for extremely high-resolution and low-energy thin, flexible displays for applications such as ‘smart’ glasses, synthetic retinas and foldable screens. Researchers at the Department of Materials explored the link between the electrical and optical properties of phase change materials. They found that by sandwiching a 7 nm thick layer of a phase- change material (GST) between two layers of a transparent electrode they could use a tiny current to ‘draw’ images within the sandwich ‘stack’. Initially still images were created using an atomic force microscope, but the team went on to demonstrate that such tiny ‘stacks’ can be turned into prototype pixel- like devices. These ‘nano-pixels’ – just 300 by 300 nm in size – can be electrically switched ‘on and off’ at will, creating the coloured dots for similarities with facial structures for app activity on their feed. The influence of the that would form the building blocks of an various conditions such as Down’s syndrome, cumulative popularity of Facebook’s bestseller extremely high-resolution display technology. Angelman syndrome or Progeria. Using list of apps was comparatively ‘mild’. The research was reported in Nature. the latest in computer vision and machine learning, the algorithm increasingly learns u In the days before Hubble, Victorian u An unusual collaboration between a which facial features to pay attention to scientists used pencil and paper to record their renowned DJ and an Oxford University and what to ignore from a growing bank observations of the stars. Their beautifully academic has led to a modern composition of photographs of people diagnosed with detailed drawings were the precursors of based on a recently discovered piece of different syndromes. ‘A doctor should in modern astronomy, and may even have medieval music. Fragments of Gold has future, anywhere in the world, be able to inspired one of the most well-known works been written by electronic artist Goldie and take a smartphone picture of a patient and of Impressionist art, according to a new book. takes its inspiration from the Hawick Missal run the computer analysis to quickly find out Observing By Hand by Oxford historian Fragment, an extract of medieval music which which genetic disorder the person might have,’ Dr Omar Nasim focuses on hundreds of was discovered in 2009 and reconstructed by says Dr Christoffer Nellåker of the MRC drawings of nebulae – the interstellar clouds Dr Matthew Cheung Salisbury of the Faculty Functional Genomics Unit. of dust and gas where new stars are born – of Music. The song, a fusion of modern and found in all sorts of observing books of six classical which uses sampling and electronic u A mathematical model of how users major 19th-century astronomers, including manipulation of sound but also incorporates adopt applications in online social networks John Hershel and Lord Rosse. Dr Nasim the original medieval chant and uses a cello, has been developed by researchers from the describes how Lord Rosse, an Irish aristocrat will be played for the first time on 30 August Saïd Business School and the Mathematical and astronomer, built the largest telescope at Glasgow Cathedral. Dr Salisbury said: Institute, with colleagues from the University in existence at the time, which allowed him ‘Medieval music is thought of as something of Limerick and Harvard School of Public to observe the ‘Great Spiral’ – or Whirlpool that is very foreign and incapable of being Health. The researchers used their model to Galaxy as it is known today. Rosse’s engraving reconstructed, but seeing Goldie use it as examine what social influences affected the of the galaxy in 1850 is believed to have source material for a fresh piece of music choices made by Facebook users when they inspired Vincent van Gogh’s famous painting shows how the modern ear receives medieval installed apps. Using the model and extensive Starry Night. music and that it is more universal than it is computer simulations, they looked behind given credit for.’ empirical data (covering two months of app installations) from 2007 to see whether u Computer analysis of family snaps could Facebook users’ behaviour could be modelled help doctors diagnose which rare genetic as mainly influenced by the notifications of condition a child might have, say Oxford apps recently installed on friends’ Facebook researchers. It’s thought that 30–40% of pages or primarily by a list of bestselling apps. rare genetic disorders involve some form of The study, published in PNAS, found that change in the face and skull, so the researchers users tended to be swayed by a strong ‘copycat developed a computer program that recognises tendency’ – installing the same apps as their facial features in photographs and looks friends after viewing notifications about recent
For more information, visit www.ox.ac.uk/news and www.ox.ac.uk/staffnews Tiny tiger – an image narrower than a human hair, thanks to ‘nano-pixels’ www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint July 2014 BLUEPRINT | 3 people and prizes
Dr Will Abberley of Hanneke the Faculty of English Grootenboer, has been dubbed a Associate Professor queen’s award for ‘New Generation of History of Art, Thinker’ under a has been awarded oxford hub scheme, sponsored the Kenshur Oxford Hub, a by BBC Radio 3 and Prize for the best student-led charity the AHRC, which interdisciplinary at the University, annually selects ten book in 18th- has received the promising young academics working in areas century studies for her work Treasuring the Queen’s Award of broad interest who have the presentational Gaze: Intimate Vision in Late Eighteenth- for Voluntary skills to make their work accessible via radio Century Eye Miniatures (University of Services – ‘the MBE programmes and short films for BBC Arts Chicago Press, 2013). The annual prize is for volunteer groups’ – in recognition Online. Dr Abberley is exploring how ‘natural awarded by the Eighteenth-Century Studies of its outstanding work in the local deception’ complicated the scientific facts for Center of Indiana University. community. Alfred Russel Wallace and his contemporaries. Part of the national Student Hubs Dr John Hood, who served as Oxford’s network, Oxford Hub is led by a Houman Ashrafian, Vice-Chancellor from 2004 to 2009 and was committee of 14 students who Associate Professor previously Vice-Chancellor of the University co-ordinate 50 community volunteering of Medicine, has been of Auckland, has been made a Knight projects and 21 social enterprises across awarded the 2014 Companion of the New Zealand Order of the city, benefiting over 1,000 people Michael Davies Early Merit for services to tertiary education. each year. Currently some 600 students Career Award by the in Oxford volunteer for Hub projects, British Cardiovascular Dr Keith Kirby of the Department of Plant which have included the Schools Plus Society. The award Sciences has received the Chartered Institute tutoring scheme, fundraising for the honours researchers who have recently of Ecology and Environment Management Helen & Douglas House hospice, and established themselves as independent Medal in recognition of his ‘outstanding, Oxford Aid to the Balkans. investigators and are making an outstanding lifelong contribution to the advancement Representatives of Oxford Hub contribution to cardiovascular medicine. of ecology, forestry and woodland attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace on 10 June. The Lord Lieutenant Dr Roi Cohen Kadosh has won the British management’. of Oxford will present the award later in Psychological Society’s Spearman Medal for the year. outstanding contributions to psychology. His Dr Sneha Malde work focuses on understanding mathematical of the Department abilities in children and adults. of Physics, who researches matter Mason Porter, Associate Professor of Applied Jon Dilworth, Professor of Chemistry, has and antimatter, has Mathematics, has won the 2014 Erdős- been awarded the Becquerel Medal 2014 been awarded one of Rényi Prize, awarded to a young scientist for by the Radiochemistry Group of the Royal this year’s L’Oréal- achievements in research in network science, Society of Chemistry for his contributions to UNESCO UK & particularly outstanding contributions PET and SPECT imaging over a distinguished Ireland Fellowships relevant to the interdisciplinary progress of 40-year career. for Women in Science. The annual awards network science. provide practical help to outstanding female Robin Dunbar, Professor of Evolutionary Joe Silk, former Savilian Professor of postdoctoral scientists and the £15,000 prize Psychology, has been awarded the Huxley Astronomy and Emeritus Professorial Fellow can be spent on support such as equipment, Memorial Medal for services to anthropology of New College, has been elected to the US field trips, attendance at conferences, by the Council of the Royal Anthropological National Academy of Sciences. childcare, and collaborations. Institute. Professor Peter Professor Peter William Dutton, Somogyi, Nicholas Professor of Internet O’Neill of the Kurti Senior Studies, has won the CRUK/MRC Research Fellow William F Ogburn Oxford Institute for and Director of the Career Achievement Radiation Oncology MRC Anatomical Award for the has been given the Neuropharmacology Communication 2014 Failla Award Unit at the and Information from the Radiation Department of Technologies section of the American Research Society. Pharmacology, has received an honorary Sociological Association. The award It recognises his significant contributions doctorate from the University of Zurich. recognises an outstanding contribution in the to radiation research, in particular his The distinction honours his outstanding sociology of communications or the sociology investigation of the process of radiation- achievements in research on neuronal circuits of information technology. induced cluster DNA damage. in the cerebral cortex.
4 | BLUEPRINT July 2014 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint honorary degrees Five leading figures from the worlds of science, the arts and religion received honorary degrees at Encaenia, the University’s annual honorary degree ceremony.
Doctor of Divinity The Most Reverend Dr Katharine Jefferts Schori, PhD, is Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church in the USA and 16 other nations. During her nine-year term she has been responsible for initiating and developing policy for the Episcopal Church and she speaks on behalf of the church regarding the policies, strategies and programmes authorised by General Convention. Bishop Jefferts Schori’s studies for the priesthood, to which she was ordained in Oxford University Images/Botanic Garden Images/Botanic University Oxford 1994, were preceded by her career as an oceanographer. She holds a BSc in biology from Stanford University, an MSc and PhD in Honoured luminaries: (from left) Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, oceanography from Oregon State University, an MDiv from Church Robert Silvers, Sir Anish Kapoor, Sir Harrison Birtwhistle and Divinity School of the Pacific, and several honorary doctoral degrees. Professor Jean-Marie Lehn
Doctor of Letters Sir Anish Kapoor, CBE, RA, is one of Britain’s foremost sculptors. Doctor of Science A Turner Prize winner and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Professor Jean-Marie Lehn, PhD, received the Nobel Prize for Institute of British Architects, he was knighted in 2013 and Chemistry in 1987 for his pioneering studies on the chemical contributed the iconic sculpture Orbit to the London 2012 Olympic basis of molecular recognition. Honorary Professor of Chemistry Games. Born in Mumbai, he completed his art education in London at the Collège de France and Emeritus Professor at the University and has showcased his work in solo exhibitions in many famous of Strasbourg, Professor Lehn’s other honours include the Davy museums including the Louvre, Tate Modern and Royal Academy Medal of the Royal Society and the rank of Commandeur in the of Art. He represented the UK at the XLIV Venice Biennale, where Légion d’honneur. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society he won the Premio Duemila Prize, and in 2002 he was awarded the of Chemistry, a Member of the Académie des Sciences, and a Unilever Commission for the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern. Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA.
Mr Robert Silvers, BA Chicago, became co-editor with Barbara Doctor of Music Epstein of the New York Review of Books when it was founded in Sir Harrison Birtwistle, CH, RAM (Hon FRAM), Visiting 1963 and has been sole editor since her death in 2006. Among Professor at the Royal Academy of Music, is one of the leading Mr Silvers’ honours in the USA are the National Book Foundation’s British composers of his generation. Among his key works are Literarian Award for Outstanding Service and the Award of the the operas Punch and Judy, The Last Supper, The Minotaur and American Academy of Arts and Letters for Distinguished Service The Mask of Orpheus, which received its premiere at the English to the Arts. In 2013 he was awarded the National Humanities National Opera in 1986. His music has been conducted by Boulez, Medal by President Obama. In France, Mr Silvers is a Chevalier Barenboim, Howarth, Dohnányi, Knussen, Rattle, Eötvös and of the Légion d’honneur and a member of the Ordre national Welser-Möst. Sir Harrison was knighted in 1988 and received the du Mérite. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Grawemeyer Award in 1986 and the Siemens Prize in 1995. He Sciences, and an Honorary Fellow of the British Academy. was made a Companion of Honour in 2001.
eSRC awards recognise outstanding impact been given the Celebrating Impact Lifetime and Dr Stuart Basten, from the Achievement Award. Department of Social Policy and The award celebrates those who have Intervention, were also honoured with derived particularly significant economic and ESRC prizes for Outstanding International societal impact from their work. Professor Impact. Hendry has developed macroeconomic models Dr Alkire and Professor James Foster capturing how economies work, which are of the Oxford Poverty and Human now embedded in software widely used by Development Initiative developed an policy-makers and decision-makers. His work innovative poverty measure known as has influenced public policy, business and the Alkire Foster (AF) method. This Carole Scott/Oxford Martin School Martin Scott/Oxford Carole society in the UK and elsewhere and in global multidimensional poverty index is helping Sir David Hendry (above), Professor of institutions, including HM Treasury, Ofcom, governments and organisations globally Economics and one of the world’s leading the International Monetary Fund, and central to design more effective programmes for economists, has received a unique award banks including the US Federal Reserve and reducing poverty. from the Economic and Social Research European Central Bank. The award also Dr Basten’s work on Asian fertility Council (ESRC). Sir David, who is also recognises his commitment to training others helped convince the United Nations to Director of the Programme in Economic over several decades. revise its influential forecasts on future Modelling in the Institute for New Economic Dr Sabina Alkire, from the Oxford population trends, with particularly large Thinking at the Oxford Martin School, has Department of International Development, effects for Pacific Asian economies.
www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint July 2014 BLUEPRINT | 5 queen’s Birthday Honours 2014 successful object lessons Several members of the University were recognised in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Professor Colin Cathedral and St Albans Cathedral, Blakemore, Emeritus and Chairman of the Fabric Advisory Professor of Committee of Winchester Cathedral. Neuroscience and Emeritus Fellow of John Simpson, Magdalen College, Chief Editor of the was knighted Oxford English for services to Dictionary at scientific research, Oxford University policy and outreach. Sir Colin was Waynflete Press and Emeritus Professor of Physiology from 1979 to 2007 Fellow of Hertford and Professor of Neuroscience from 2007 to College, was made 2012. He is currently Director of the Centre CBE for services to ‘Objects of Invention’, a project run by for the Study of the Senses, at the Institute literature. Mr Simpson was editor of the the Museum of the History of Science in of Philosophy, School of Advanced Study, OED for 20 years from 1993 until his partnership with the University Museums’ University of London. retirement last October. He joined the OED editorial staff in 1976 and under his Volunteers Service and students from the Professor Martin editorship over 60,000 new words and Department of Engineering Science, was one Biddle, Emeritus meanings were added to the dictionary. of three finalists (out of 240 entries) in the Fellow of Hertford STEM category of the NCCPE (National College, was made Also honoured were Professor John Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement) CBE for services Pethica, Chief Scientific Adviser at the competition Engage 2014. to archaeology. National Physical Laboratory, Vice- The project provided training in public Professor Biddle President of the Royal Society and engagement for 16 young engineers and the was Professor Visiting Professor and former Professor opportunity to deliver events for secondary of Medieval of Materials Science (1996–2001) at schools and the visiting public in which their Archaeology at the Department of Materials, who was own interests and research in modern Oxford from 1997 to 2002 and Astor knighted for services to science; and engineering applications were shared Senior Research Fellow in Medieval Professor Richard Sorabji, Honorary alongside the interpretation of objects from Archaeology at Hertford College from Fellow of Wolfson College and former the Museum’s collections. A public ‘theme 1989 to 2002. He has been Director of the British Academy Research Professor at day’ attracted over 2,000 visitors, and three Winchester Research Unit since 1968, and Oxford (1996–9), who was knighted study day events for secondary schools is Archaeological Consultant for Canterbury for services to philosophical scholarship. involved over 160 students.
new EMBO members elected physics winners Eight Oxford researchers have been elected for Human Genetics; Professor Robert Oxford physicists are prominent among as members of the European Molecular May (Lord May of Oxford), Department the winners of the 2014 Institute of Biology Organisation (EMBO). The of Zoology; Gil McVean, Professor of Physics awards. organisation, which stands for excellence Statistical Genetics; Christopher Schofield, Tim Palmer, Royal Society Research in the life sciences, has this year marked its Professor of Chemistry; Professor Peter Professor in Climate Physics, has 50th anniversary by expanding the scope Somogyi, Nicholas Kurti Senior Research won the Dirac Medal and prize ‘for of its membership to honour the progress Fellow and Director of the MRC the development of probabilistic made in the fields of neuroscience and Anatomical Neuropharmacology Unit; weather and climate prediction ecology and evolution. Christoph Tang, Glaxo Professor of Cellular systems’; David Marshall, Professor of The new Oxford members are: Pathology; Scott Waddell, Professor of Physical Oceanography, was awarded Peter Donnelly, Professor of Statistical Neurobiology; and Stuart West, Professor the Appleton Medal and Prize ‘for Science and Director, Wellcome Trust Centre of Evolutionary Biology. his fundamental contributions to understanding the fluid dynamics of the global ocean circulation through the development of penetrating conceptual models’; and Professor Tony Bell of the Department of Physics and the
viewfinder found Rutherford Appleton Laboratory it is blown away by the wind, so Pooh and Piglet Piglet and Pooh so wind, the by away blown is it
. www.harcourt-arboretum.ox.ac.uk/whats trails: south-east corner of the Hundred Acre Wood but but Wood Acre Hundred the of corner south-east won the Hoyle Medal and Prize ‘for
of family-friendly walks, craft activities and special special and activities craft walks, family-friendly of
a house of sticks in the ‘rather boggy and sad’ sad’ and boggy ‘rather the in sticks of house a elucidating the origin and impact
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Eeyore’s famous house of sticks is pictured (p20) (p20) pictured is sticks of house famous Eeyore’s transport in laboratory plasmas’.
6 | BLUEPRINT July 2014 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint medical honours inspirational research Six Oxford medical researchers have Consultant Stroke Physician, Oxford Sadie Creese, been elected as Fellows of the Academy University Hospitals NHS Trust; and Professor of of Medical Sciences in recognition of Visiting Professor of Clinical Pharmacology. Cybersecurity their outstanding contributions to the His research interests include acute stroke within the advancement of medical science, innovative therapies and early diagnosis of stroke. Department application of scientific knowledge or of Computer conspicuous service to healthcare. Fiona Powrie is Science, Sidney Truelove has been Richard Cornall Professor of recognised
is Professor of Gastroenterology. Cairns John as one of the Immunology, Her research has UK’s ten most University Lecturer included work on inspirational scientists and engineers by in Renal Medicine the interactions the EPSRC under its RISE (Recognising and Honorary between the bacterial Inspirational Scientists and Engineers) Consultant intestinal flora and the immune system. Leaders for 2014 campaign, launched in Physician. His research aims to understand partnership with the Royal Academy of how the immune system is formed Paul Riley is British Engineering last November to mark the and regulated, as well as the causes of Heart Foundation 20th anniversary of EPSRC. autoimmunity. Professor of Professor Creese’s career has spanned Regenerative academia, industry and government. Anke Ehlers is Medicine and Chair She is engaged in a broad portfolio of Wellcome Trust of Development cybersecurity research encompassing Principal Research and Reproduction policy, situational awareness, security Fellow and Professor in the Department metrics, visual analytics, risk propagation of Experimental of Physiology, prediction and communication, threat modelling and attack detection, network
The Wellcome Trust Psychopathology. Anatomy and Genetics. His research centres Her research focuses on cardiovascular development, repair and defence, dependability and resilience, and on anxiety disorders, in particular post- regeneration. formal analysis. traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety u The RISE disorder and panic disorder. John Stein is Leaders have also nominated Emeritus Professor
Clifton Nurse researchers Gary A Ford is Chief of Physiology. His who are ‘Rising Executive Officer, research focuses Stars’; Professor Oxford Academic on how vision Rob Judges Rob Creese Health Science controls movement nominated Network; Stroke in animals, patients Dr Jason Nurse, and Cardiovascular with movement a postdoctoral researcher in the Cyber Theme Director, disorders, dyslexic children and antisocial Security Centre. NIHR Clinical Research Network; offenders.
going green makes an impact across the University
The University’s first awards were presented The Language Centre achieved a Silver last month under the NUS-led ‘Green Impact’ award and 12 departments gained a Bronze environmental accreditation and award award: Area Studies, the Conference of scheme. With the encouragement of the Colleges Secretariat, Chemistry, Materials, University’s Environmental Sustainability Statistics, Zoology, Earth Sciences, the team, 23 teams from departments across English Faculty, Estates Services, Finance, the University are now participating in the Mathematical Institute and the Jenner the scheme, which enables and showcases Institute. positive changes in environmental practice, Special Awards were also given to: such as water-saving campaigns, providing Christine Mitchell (Language Centre) – tap (not bottled) water at meetings, and Ecologist Environmental Hero; Botanic taking account of environmental issues in Garden and Harcourt Arboretum – long-term operational plans and strategies. Innovation for Engagement; Department of Each team completed an online workbook Chemistry – Environmental Improvement; to monitor their department’s continual School of Geography and the Environment improvement in environmental performance, – Community Action; and Katrin Dulitz and this was audited by 13 students who (Department of Chemistry) – Student
David Fleming David received professional auditor training. Leadership Award.
www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint July 2014 BLUEPRINT | 7 arrivals board
Professor of Economics Khalid bin Abdullah Al Saud Professor Asia context, plus contemporary practices Beata Javorcik, for the Study of the Contemporary of Arabic literary translation with reference Professor of Arab World to author/translator interactions and the International Marilyn Booth, Iraq politics of publishing and marketing. Economics in the Professor of Arabic Department of and Islamic Studies Dean Ireland’s Professor of the Economics and at the University of Exegesis of Holy Scripture Fellow and Tutor in Edinburgh and Joint Markus Bockmuehl, Economics at Christ Director of the Centre Professor of Biblical Church, University for the Advanced and Early Christian of Oxford, has been appointed to this post Study of the Arab World, Universities of Studies, Fellow and from 1 September. She will become a Fellow Durham, Edinburgh and Manchester, has Tutor, Keble College, of All Souls College. been appointed to this post in the Faculty of Oxford, takes up this Professor Javorcik is an international Oriental Studies with effect from 1 September post in the Faculty of trade economist interested mainly in and full time from 1 June 2015. She will be a Theology and Religion on 1 October. He will empirical work on policy-relevant questions. Fellow of Magdalen College. be a Fellow of Keble College. She identifies the policies through which Her research includes the study of early Professor Bockmuehl’s chief areas of developing countries can use international feminisms, masculinity/femininity, and research concern the interpretation of the integration to facilitate their economic nationalist/Islamic discourses in the Arab New Testament both in its ancient Jewish growth. For instance, she examines the world, Iran, and Turkey; and the emergence context and in its effect on the formation of determinants and consequences of inflows of of Arabic fiction in the 19th century and its Christian belief and practice. His next major foreign direct investment, the implications relation to gender activisms. She is currently project seeks specifically to explore this effect of services liberalisation for productivity investigating female readership, translation, in the correlation between the future hopes growth, and the link between globalisation and discourses of publishing in Egypt and the political aims of Christians and Jews and the gender wage gap. 1880–1930 in a broader Middle East/South in antiquity.
summer in Oxford’s green spaces Summer is an ideal time to discover the University’s parks and woodlands and make the most of their many attractions. Between the city centre and Summertown lie the University Parks, 70 acres of parkland that serve as the green lungs of the city and the home of University cricket, which has been played here since 1881. Those inspired by Wimbledon can take advantage of the grass tennis courts, which are open until 30 September and cost just £30 for summer membership (www.sport.ox.ac.uk/facilities/university- parks/tennis-association), while a gentle stroll allows you to enjoy the Parks’ rich collection of trees – over 300 varieties, including
more than 30 species of hawthorn – as well as its diverse range Garden Images/Botanic University Oxford of shrubs, herbaceous and meadow plants. An even greater collection of trees can be found at Harcourt Arboretum, six miles south-east of Oxford at Nuneham Courtenay. The University bought the estate in 1949 and the arboretum now The oldest were planted in the mid-19th century at the instigation covers over 130 acres and comprises exotic plantings, wildflower of Archbishop Vernon Harcourt, who commissioned W S Gilpin meadows grazed by sheep, and lime, ash and oak woodland. to design an eight-acre ‘pinetum’ near his house, Nuneham Park. Entrance to the arboretum is free with a University Card, and a range of family-friendly events is taking place over the summer, including an open-air production of The Taming of the Shrew on 8 and 9 August. Details are at www.harcourt-arboretum. ox.ac.uk/whats. To the west of Oxford lie 400 hectares of semi-natural woodland, which were bequeathed to the University in 1942 for research, educational and recreational purposes. Exceptionally rich in flora and fauna, Wytham Woods were designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1950 and since then have been the subject of extensive scientific study, from blue and great tits to deer and badgers, the latter finding the sandy soil of the woodland the perfect environment in which to dig their setts. If you would like to see the Wytham badgers up close, you can join Nigel Fisher,
Oxford University Images/Rob Judges Images/Rob University Oxford the Conservator of Wytham, for an evening of badger watching on 6 August. Details are in the What’s On listing on p15.
8 | BLUEPRINT July 2014 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint ‘The Huts’, Southern General Hospital, Oxford - formerly (and subsequently) known as the Examination Schools
oxford and the First World War Matt Pickles examines how the University fared during WW1and its involvement in commemorative events
CourtesytheWardenandofScholars CollegeNewof By kind permission of Somerville College Somerville of permission kind By By kind permission of Somerville College Somerville of permission kind By
Recuperating in Oxford: (clockwise, from above) taking the air at Somerville College; Surgical ward 5 of the 3rd Southern General Hospital, housed in the Exam Schools; tents in New College quad, painted in 1919 by Walter Spradbery; Somerville College, Ward W1
The First World War, which began 100 years Behind the numbers lie some moving refugees were lodged in Wycliffe Hall from ago, has been described as ‘the war to end all personal stories. By 1917 only eight May 1916. wars’ and ‘the war that changed everything’. undergraduates were in residence at Wadham The University lent its academic Although German bombers avoided Oxford, College, but their Warden, Joseph Wells, expertise to the war effort and carried out the University was dramatically changed by continued to send the Wadham Gazette to much scientific research for government the war, as Professor Jay Winter illustrates in servicemen. In return he received hundreds departments. The Royal Flying Corps and his chapter in Volume VIII of The History of of personal letters. One soldier wrote to him: Royal Air Force occupied the Department the University of Oxford. ‘Thanks v. much for the Gazette which is of Chemistry, the Zoological Laboratories In the early years of the war, students always a welcome sight. The College “Roll and academics signed up for service in of Honour” is getting big, but in relation to impressive numbers. By 1918 virtually the number of Wadham men serving, it is The University lent its all Oxford scholars were in uniform. The probably less considerable than it appears academic expertise to the Oxford University Roll of Service lists 14,561 at first glance.’ members of the University who served during But while students and academics were war effort and carried out the war. Professor Winter estimates that away at the front, Oxford was far from much scientific research for empty: the city became a centre of treatment government departments for disabled and wounded soldiers. The By 1918 virtually all Oxford Examination Schools were converted into a military hospital and Somerville College and the Department of Human Anatomy. scholars were in uniform became a hospital for officers, including Georges Dreyer, who held the chair of Siegfried Sassoon. Oriel College provided pathology, showed that ‘enteric’ fever at temporary accommodation for those who the front was paratyphoid fever rather than roughly one in five of those who served vacated their rooms in Somerville, Merton typhoid fever and convinced the War Office were killed or died. The war memorials on College housed nurses, and New College to launch a campaign of inoculation against St Giles’ and in the colleges bear witness to and University College provided space the disease. Scientists worked on dyes, this staggering loss of life. for recuperating servicemen. 150 Serbian drugs and components of gas warfare in
10 | BLUEPRINT July 2014 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint Bodleian Libraries Bodleian
The Examination Schools were converted into a military hospital and Material from the Bodleian Libraries’ summer Somerville College became exhibition The Great War: Personal Stories From a hospital for officers Downing Street To The Trenches; the exhibition displays letters and diaries of politicians, soldiers and civilians, all in some way connected with the University
the Dyson Perrins Laboratory, while other where these various different soldiers were scientists helped to streamline the processes shot all along the Western Front,’ says the of munition production. artist. ‘I’m working with academics who have It is therefore unsurprising that the dedicated years of research to finding out the University is playing an active part in stories of the soldiers, and I’m quite aware of marking the centenary of the Great War. the fact that in going to these different sites The Bodleian Libraries’ summer exhibition quite methodically I am in a strange and quite tells the story of the first two years of uncomfortable way almost re-enacting these World War One, focusing on eyewitness events. I’m creating a visual archive of all accounts ranging from the Cabinet table at these places, which has not been done before, 10 Downing Street to outposts of the Empire although many people have written about in Africa. The exhibition includes the diary the different places.’ The photographs will be entries of Cabinet member Lewis Harcourt, taken on a two-year international exhibition who secretly kept a record of Cabinet tour, including a stint in Tate Modern, and discussions during the war even though this published in a book. was forbidden. Oxford academics in a variety of The Ruskin School of Art commissioned disciplines are carrying out new research Ruskin alumna and award-winning connected to the First World War. Dr Rachel photographer Chloe Dewe Mathews to Moore of the Music Faculty and Worcester make a project to mark the centenary, in a College is co-organiser of an international Georges Dreyer (1873–1934) became the first collaboration with the Faculty of History. conference on music in the war, which will full professor of pathology at Oxford in 1907. The result, Shot at Dawn, is a collection be held at the British Library in August, and Dreyer specialised in the fields of bacteriology of photographs of sites in Europe where is studying the musical and cultural exchange and virology, performing extensive studies soldiers of all nationalities were executed between Paris and London during World War involving vaccines and immunisation for cowardice or desertion during the First One. She says: ‘The conference will include a World War. ‘I’ve been going to the places screening of a Danish silent film from 1917,
www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint July 2014 BLUEPRINT | 11 The Stretcher Bearer By Tommy Crawford
My stretcher is one scarlet stain, Dawn suddens up and still I hear And as I tries to scrape it clean, The crimson chorus of the guns. I tell you what – I’m sick of pain, Look, like a ball of blood the sun For all I’ve heard, for all I’ve seen; Hangs o’er the scene of wrath and wrong, Around me is the hellish night, “Quick! Stretcher-bearers on the run!”, And as the war’s red rim I trace, Oh Prince of Peace! How long, how long? I wonder if in Heaven’s height Our God don’t turn away his face. ommy rawford was injured on 1 uly I don’t care whose the crime may be, T C J 1916 the first day of the attle of the I hold no brief for kin or clan; , B I feel no hate, I only see Somme. He survived the war only to lose his wife (from cancer) and his two sons As man destroys his brother man; in their early 30s ommy remarried and I wave no flag, I only know . T As here beside the dead I wait, had two further sons, Colin and Brian. olin died at 25 years of age and six A million hearts are weighed with woe, C months later in 1980 ommy died too A million homes are desolate. , , T . His son Brian, who submitted this poem In dripping darkness far and near, to the Great War Archive, has also All night I’ve sought those woeful ones. published Tommy’s memoirs
for which someone has recently reconstructed but never come back to such a situation in perspectives on an event that shaped – the musical score, and a performance of a the middle of Europe’. Dr Stuart Lee of the and continues to shape – our world’. concert party such as those that were given for English Faculty and IT Services, who was one Oxford academics have a leading role in soldiers at the fronts by the English musician of the founders of the Great War Archive, communicating about the centenary to a wide and charity worker Lena Ashwell.’ says: ‘The centenary of the First World War audience and many of them are seeking to The English Faculty’s First World War offers us an important opportunity to reflect get across messages that are about more than Poetry Digital Archive has made freely on the war but also to challenge prejudices just remembrance and commemoration. Sir available online the manuscripts of the major across Europe, and Oxford’s Great War Hew Strachan, Oxford’s Chichele Professor British poets of World War One, along with Archive project which led to the Europeana of the History of War, was selected by the a set of teaching resources. 1914–1918 initiative had this as one of its government to sit on the First World War The University’s Great War Archive – centenary advisory board. ‘The centenary to which the general public was invited to of the First World War must not be contribute items between March and June Oxford’s Great War Archive Remembrance Sunday writ large,’ he says. 2008 – has digitised more than 6,500 items allowed the public to expose ‘If we do not emerge at the end of the process related to the First World War, turning up new in 2018 with fresh perspectives, we shall and interesting personal stories about those material they had held for have failed.’ involved in the war. One submission to the nearly a century and explain Professor Margaret MacMillan, an historian Great War Archive was a poem written by and Warden of St Anthony’s College, is Tommy Crawford, an ordinary soldier who its importance presenting a landmark Radio 4 series called was injured while serving with the Durham Day by Day, in which she charts Europe’s Light Infantry at the Battle of the Somme. The main aims by allowing the public to expose descent into war in 1914 via 43 daily four- poem, called The Stretcher Bearer, has already material they had held for nearly a century minute episodes from 27 June until 8 August. been heard by thousands of people. ‘This year and explain its importance.’ Professor MacMillan, who also recently the poem was included in the First World A research project involving the Changing brought out a book about the road to war, War anthology for Poetry by Heart,’ explains Character of War Programme at Pembroke says: ‘Both my book and the BBC radio series Sarah Wilkin of the University’s Academic IT College and the Oxford Centre for Global are intended to help people understand the Services. ‘Since then the BBC has been in touch History in the History Faculty aims to bring world of 1914 from its political and social wanting to include the poem as part of a film together scholars from many disciplines who structures to the ideas and values of Europeans that will be played at their World War One are researching World War One. The stated then. We should not assume that the war was at Home events over the summer.’ aim of ‘Globalising and Localising the Great inevitable but ask rather why did the peace The Great War Archive was so successful War’ is ‘to ensure that the commemoration not last.’ that it became the model for an international of the War produces ground-breaking new In very many ways, the University and its project called Europeana 1914–1918, research and fresh insights which challenge staff are ensuring that the events of those which extended the concept to include other rather than confirm our often clichéd turbulent years will not be forgotten. countries in Europe. This digital archive, which also involves Oxford University, has This article is a snapshot of University activities relating received more than 90,000 items and was recently praised by German Chancellor Angela to World War One. More information is at www.ox.ac.uk/ Merkel, who said that the project shows it is ww1centenary ‘better to negotiate 20 hours longer and talk,
12 | BLUEPRINT July 2014 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint supermarket swap A new smartphone app helps you make healthy eating choices as you shop, reports Jonathan Wood iStockphoto/gpointstudio
As you’re taking your food shopping from so approaches like FoodSwitch can help by other pizzas instead. This feature makes your supermarket trolley and laying it on the offering the same information for many more FoodSwitch a really practical tool to support conveyor belt at the checkout, how confident products. people to put dietary recommendations into are you about the healthiness of your choices? ‘It allows you to work out the healthiness practice to improve their health.’ We all know the basics of healthy eating – of a food,’ says Oxford researcher Dr Mike The app is available for both iPhones eat more fruit and veg, avoid things high in Rayner of the British Heart Foundation and Android phones and has already been saturated fat, free sugar or salt, and cut down Centre on Population Approaches for Non- downloaded over 10,000 times. It was on fried or processed food. It’s translating Communicable Disease Prevention, who has launched with nutritional information on those aims into the products we regularly put been involved in the development of the app. over 80,000 packaged food and drinks in into our baskets that can prove more difficult. ‘It’s particularly helpful when comparing two its database. This has now risen to around Would a different brand ready meal have had foods. If you have two pizzas and the labelling 100,000 as users submit photos of products less salt or more saturated fat? Is your ham shows one has two reds, an orange and a not in the database to the FoodSwitch team and mushroom pizza better or worse for you green, and the other has three greens and an for categorisation. than a spinach and ricotta one? Well, now orange, it’s easy to see which of the pizzas Dr Rayner and his research group there’s a free smartphone app that can help. would be better for you.’ have been working for many years on The FoodSwitch app allows you to use your ways of categorising foods according to smartphone camera to scan the barcode and their nutritional value – scoring foods for immediately obtain nutritional information on FoodSwitch doesn’t say: healthiness. They led the work that underpins the product in the form of easy to understand ‘You’re buying a bar of the Food Standards Agency’s model on the ‘traffic light’ labels. The red, amber or green chocolate, why not buy healthiness of food and the laws governing the labels show at a glance the amount of fat, regulation of advertising of foods directed at saturated fat, sugars and salt the product a banana instead?’ children. This approach has spread around the has. The fewer red circles and the more green – it offers alternatives world and it is this nutrient profiling model circles a product has, the healthier it is. that underpins the algorithm the FoodSwitch The app has been developed by the George within a category app uses to offer healthier alternatives. Institute for Global Health and the group Easy-to-use nutritional labelling and a new Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH), The real advantage of FoodSwitch over phone app is not at a stroke going to cure with researchers at Oxford University heavily regular labelling is that it goes on to suggest our addiction to foods that are high in fats involved. similar but healthier products that you could and added sugars. Price and familiarity are ‘Research has shown that people find buy instead. ‘The switch element is really bigger factors in what we put in our shopping colour labels an easier and quicker guide important,’ says Professor Jebb. ‘FoodSwitch baskets, for example. But making nutritional than detailed numerical data,’ says Professor doesn’t say: “You’re buying a bar of chocolate, information easy to understand makes this a Susan Jebb of the Nuffield Department of why not buy a banana instead?” It offers really practical example that people can use Primary Care Health Sciences. ‘When we’re alternatives within a category, so the changes at the very moment they are browsing the purchasing many different products, it’s hard are modest changes. If you’re committed to supermarket shelves and making decisions to assimilate more complex information from buying a pizza, it will suggest two or three about what to eat. nutritional labels.’ Recently, all of the 10 major retailers in the UK have agreed to move towards consistent Find out more about the FoodSwitch app at www.actiononsalt. colour-coded front-of-pack labelling. But not all manufacturers have followed suit, org.uk/foodswitch www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint July 2014 BLUEPRINT | 13 Rob Judges Rob
spinning a new web Creating a new look for the University website
Rob Judges Rob has been a painstaking process, explains Jamie Condliffe
No surprise then that almost six months rapidly’ according to Ardley – the site has of research and consultation was undertaken now been specially constructed to work on before a new design was developed. Armed any platform, whatever the screen size. with data, the site was designed over the But while it looks the part, it’s not quite course of another six months – with regular finished yet. While the main University site testing on future users along the way – before has been overhauled – both at the front a final choice on its appearance and structure end for users, and behind the scenes so it’s was made. Finally, it was turned into the easy for content editors to update – there’s working site, which you can now visit, by an more to come. The next phase in early external web development agency. September will see the relaunch of the Staff The University’s new-look website (above), Gateway, designed to streamline the way that and (top, from left) Suzi Ardley, Richard University employees find the information Watts and Stephen Sangar of the Digital The Oxford University site and contacts they need, together with the Communications team is the most visited of all the Graduate Admissions site, freshly updated higher education institutions with full subject listings and fee details. Then If you’ve visited the University’s website later in September comes the International recently, you should have noticed that things in the UK, with 1.75 million section, designed to showcase how the have changed. Gone is the traditional-looking visitors each month University interacts around the globe. website of the past seven years, replaced with So far, feedback has been positive. ‘It’s sleek graphic design, vibrant images and a raft dynamic, inviting, confident, detailed and not of overhauled content. It’s a bold and modern While the site has to perform the same patronising,’ says one anonymous user; ‘It’s site to complement a centuries-old institution fundamental task it always has – delivering a good website with systematic and detailed – and it’s been a significant amount of work the correct information to the right person information,’ adds another. Even those in to create. – the goal was to make it incredibly user- charge of the websites of other Russell Group Changes like this don’t happen quickly: friendly, beautiful to look at and built on the universities are impressed – one of whom they require careful thought and planning. latest technology, in order to be sustainable claimed ‘it looks fantastic’. The stakes are high, after all. The Oxford over the coming years. The result is a site However, the site is very much work in University site is the most visited of all the that’s more engaging than the one that went progress and will continue to develop in line higher education institutions in the UK, with before it: full of large images and rich with with user feedback. ‘The new site includes a 1.75 million visitors each month, and that video, but also more logically structured and number of improvements based on feedback figure grows by 10% each year. The sheer straightforward to navigate. and in these ways I think it’s a significant scale of the project was intimidating, too. ‘In Visit it on a mobile device and you’ll notice improvement on the previous website,’ Ardley terms of content, we had over 1,000 pages to an even bigger difference. With 16% of says. ‘But the new site is very much a starting migrate,’ explains Suzi Ardley, the University’s visitors currently viewing the site on phones point, and we have a plan of work for a series Head of Digital Communications. ‘It was a and tablets – a number that is ‘growing of enhancements. Watch this space.’ huge undertaking.’ Not least because the website is so many things to so many people: staff, students, applicants and visitors all have different Explore the new site at www.ox.ac.uk demands which need to be catered for.
14 | BLUEPRINT July 2014 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint
what’s on PlayhouseOxford British Museum British
Exhibitions
Wildlife Photographer of the Year Until 22 September Oxford University Museum of Natural History www.oum.ox.ac.uk/visiting/whatson.htm From charismatic animal portraits to dramatic landscapes, view the 100 award- winning images from the 2013 competition, selected from 43,000 entries. Conferences Discovering Tutankhamun Until 2 November UAS Conference Ashmolean Museum Wednesday 1 October Tickets £9 / £7 / free for under-12s Examination Schools www.ashmolean.org/exhibitions/discovertut www.admin.ox.ac.uk/uasconference The Ashmolean’s summer exhibition focuses Information and training day for on one of the most significant archaeological administrative and support staff across the discoveries of the 20th century. collegiate University. Registration opens in early September.
The Great War: Personal Stories OxfordUniversity images/Botanic Garden from Downing Street to the Trenches Drama Until 2 November King Lear Bodleian Library Until 3 August Join Nigel Fisher, Conservator of Wytham, www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/whats-on Old Schools Quadrangle, Bodleian Library for an evening of badger watching. The event The Bodleian’s summer exhibition tells the Tickets £22 / £20 is free of charge and will last approximately story of the first two years of WW1, drawing www.oxfordplayhouse.com/show/?eventid=3169 2hrs 45mins. upon the Libraries’ collections to reveal the Oxford Playhouse and the Bodleian Library impact of the war on politicians, soldiers welcome back the Globe Theatre on Tour and civilians. Special events to perform King Lear in the Old Schools Quadrangle. First World War tours Lectures and talks Wednesdays until 11 November (Armistice Day), 3.15pm The Invention of Modern Science As You Like It Pitt Rivers Museum Friday 17 October, 5.15pm Until 15 August www.prm.ox.ac.uk/talks.html Sheldonian Theatre Wadham College A free 20-minute tour describing some of www.wadham.ox.ac.uk/events Tickets £22.50 / £17.50 / £12.50 the fascinating and poignant objects in the Event to celebrate the 400th anniversary www.oxfordshakespearecompany.co.uk museum’s collections, from engraved artillery of the birth of Wadham College’s Warden An outdoor promenade production of shell cases to musical instruments. Wilkins, who convened the founders of Shakespeare’s comedy in the beautiful the Royal Society. Speakers include Sir Paul surroundings of Wadham gardens. Nurse, Professor Marcus du Sautoy and Crafty networking Dr Joanna Dunkley. Family friendly Thursday 4 September, 6–7.30pm Pitt Rivers Museum (entry via the South Flower Power Picnic Afternoon Door, Robinson Close, off South Parks Road) Concerts Saturday 26 July, 1–4pm www.prm.ox.ac.uk/specialevents.html Menahem Pressler and Oxford Philomusica Botanic Garden Join spoon-carver Barnaby Carder, who will Sunday 3 August, 8pm www.botanic-garden.ox.ac.uk/whatson talk about his craft and his transition from Sheldonian Theatre Bring a picnic to the garden and listen to apprentice to journeyman. Free event, with Tickets £40 / £28 / £18 / £10 music, take part in crafts and growing cash bar. www.oxfordphil.com/piano-festival activity, and find the most beautiful blooms. Pianist Menahem Pressler and Oxford Oxford Open Doors 2014 Philomusica perform Mozart’s Piano Badger watching at Wytham Woods 13–14 September Concerto No. 23 in A major and Requiem Wednesday 6 August, 6.30pm www.oxfordopendoors.org.uk in D minor. Part of the Oxford Philomusica Wytham Woods, Oxford OX2 8QQ One of the country’s largest heritage events: Piano Festival, which runs from 27 July to www.ox.ac.uk/visitors_friends/whats_on/ explore venues across Oxford free of charge, 4 August. badger_watching.html from college gardens to University buildings.
www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint July 2014 BLUEPRINT | 15 advertisements
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www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint July 2014 BLUEPRINT | 19 why am i here?
Ronald Richenburg Senior Library Assistant, Bodleian Law Library
What do you do, exactly? both perspectives, I’ve always found it I work in the Academic Services Team, a wonderful place to work. Obviously, helping to provide a wide range of services opinions about modern architecture vary to the many and varied users of the library. enormously, but I think that the general As the largest law library in the UK, our satisfaction of our users indicates that users include not only Oxford students the building works very well, even for
and academics, but visiting academics, those who are not consciously aware of RobJudges visiting students, practising lawyers and architectural considerations. This year is independent researchers, and also a large the 50th anniversary of the Law Library, number of remote users, notably document and I’m particularly pleased that we will delivery customers and interlibrary loan be celebrating not only our excellent customers. With the rest of the team, resources and services, but also the Blueprint is published bimonthly for the staff of the I answer enquiries of all kinds, ranging building itself. University of Oxford by the Public Affairs Directorate from very simple ones to ones involving Editor: Sally Croft Designers: Laëtitia Velia/Nadja Guggi complicated research. Can anyone pop in and look round? Picture research: Janet Avison I have an American legal training, so Readers are expected to obtain Bodleian Items for possible inclusion are welcome and should I often deal with enquiries that relate to cards, but we are quite flexible about be sent to [email protected] showing the library to lawyers, librarians If you would like to receive an email alert when US law and research, and I sometimes future issues are published, please send a blank email give classes in US legal research to and architects who want to come in briefly to [email protected] graduate students and other users. I’m in to see what it’s like. The wider public can Advertising To advertise in Blueprint, please contact charge of our interlibrary loan service and pre-book a tour via Oxford Open Doors Rosalind Cuomo on 01865 280548 I’m an occasional contributor to our blog. (we’re open this year on Fri 12 and Sat or email [email protected] The University accepts no responsibility In recent years, I’ve also dealt with most of 13 Sept). Given the somewhat old-world for the content of any material in Blueprint. Readers should note in particular that the architectural enquiries that we receive, image of Oxford in the public mind, I the inclusion of news, editorial items and advertisements does not imply the and I have particular responsibility for our think it’s important to show that the great endorsement by the University of the matters reported, the views expressed participation in the ‘Oxford Open Doors’ historic buildings stand side-by-side with or the goods or services advertised. annual open-day scheme for the general great modern ones, and that all of them public (see www.oxfordopendoors.org.uk). make the University what it is. Whereabouts is the Bodleian Law As a child, did you dream of being viewfinder Library? a librarian?
It’s housed in the St Cross Building, As a young child in the United States, Where’s this house of sticks – and who does it about a 15-minute walk from the central I had the typical ambitions of becoming belong to? Answer on p6. Bodleian. Its completion in 1964 was a a cowboy or a soldier. And watching landmark in the development of modern (with my friends) the rubbish being architecture in Oxford. It was designed by collected every week, I did go through Leslie Martin and Colin St John Wilson a brief phase of thinking that operating who were among the leading architects of a New York City rubbish truck would be the time, and is now listed at Grade II*. It very exciting. Later, my interests turned was also a landmark in the provision of to architecture and then to law. Although library services in Oxford because, for the working in a library never came into it, first time, a major University library had I did understand, from the earliest age, the almost its entire collection immediately need to preserve the records and artefacts available on open shelves. of our civilisation. So it’s not a traditional wood-panelled What do you most enjoy about your job? Oxford enclave? Helping library users and other enquirers Not at all – the light-coloured wood, in matters in which I am both interested together with the great height of the main and well informed. reading room and the natural illumination through skylights, gives a sense of light and Finally, what’s your own favourite part spaciousness of a kind often associated with of the Law Library? Scandinavian and Finnish architecture. The main enquiry desk, where I am more I’m an intermittent user of the library or less at the centre of all the activities of as well as a staff member and, from this great institution. Oxford University Images/Botanic Garden Images/Botanic University Oxford
20 | BLUEPRINT July 2014 www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint