ANNUAL REPORT | 2019 PATRONS CONTENTS 03 People 04 Foreword 05 Highlights 06 Quick facts 07 Building a global network 08 Class of 2019: Summary 09 Robyn Scott: Creating networks for positive change 10 Jimin Yi: Understanding millennia of climate change In 2012, Bill and Melinda Gates generously agreed to become 11 Rumbidzai Dube: Bridging the gap between human rights Patrons of the Gates Cambridge Trust. The Trust is delighted activism and research to reinforce a direct link between the Gates Cambridge 12 Gregory Serapio-García: a global view on mental health Scholarships and the Gates family and Foundation. 13 Community news 14 Financial summary 15 Financial statements NEW TRUSTEES The following Trustees joined the board in October 2019: Dame Sally Davies GCB, DBE, FRS, FMedSci Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, UK Special Envoy on Antimicrobial Resistance and former Chief Medical Officer for England Professor Bhaskar Vira Professor of Political Economy and Head of Department, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge and Fellow and Graduate Tutor at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge COVER IMAGE: © SIR CAM PEOPLE TRUSTEES STAFF Professor Stephen Toope OC Professor Barry Everitt FRS FMedSci Vice-Chancellor of the University Provost, Professor of Behavioural of Cambridge (Chair) Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge, President of the Society for Neuroscience and former Master of Downing College, Cambridge Timothy Harvey-Samuel Dr Regina Sachers Bursar of Corpus Christi College, Secretary Cambridge (Honorary Treasurer) Head of the Registrary’s Office at the University of Cambridge Amy K Carter Dr Jade Tran Deputy Director, Family Interest Grants Director of Finance at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Professor Mary Sue Coleman Jim Smith President of the Association of American Programme Director Universities and Former President of the Senior Member of Wolfson College, University of Michigan Cambridge and Trustee of Jimmy’s Cambridge Dr Mimi Gates Luisa Clarke Former Director of the Seattle Art Programme Manager Museum and Yale University Art Gallery Dr Julia Li Celine Ophelders David Rockefeller Fellow at the Alumni & Events Officer Trilateral Commission and Gates Cambridge Alumna Professor David Runciman (until 30/9/19) Usha Virdee Head of the Department of Political Accounts Officer Science and International Studies at the University of Cambridge and Fellow of Trinity Hall, Cambridge Dame Barbara Stocking DBE Dr Carlos Podadera President of Murray Edwards College, Programme Officer Cambridge and former Chief Executive of Oxfam GB Professor Susan Smith FBA (until 30/9/19) Mandy Garner Honorary Professor of Social and Communications Officer Economic Geography at the University of Cambridge and Mistress of Girton College, Cambridge 3 FOREWORD Despite numerous challenges, the Gates Cambridge Trust, its scholars and alumni are thriving and fulfilling the mission to “develop a global network of future leaders committed to improving the lives of others”. Looking back over 2019, the Gates Cambridge Trust can generous and prestigious scholarships in the world. The board claim another very successful year. From a pool of almost also formally adopted a plan to award approximately two- 6,000 applicants, we awarded scholarships to 90 outstanding thirds of scholarships to those wishing to pursue a PhD, which students from 30 countries and a wide range of backgrounds, will ensure we have a sustainable and engaged community who arrived in Cambridge in October to embark on the of scholars in Cambridge. I take this opportunity to thank transformative experience of postgraduate study and Professor David Runciman and Professor Susan Smith who research. The excellent quality of our applicants and our stepped down from the board in 2019 and to welcome Dame robust selection procedures ensure that the Gates Scholar Sally Davis and Professor Bhaskar Vira, who joined the board community in Cambridge is very special indeed. in October. The Trust is very fortunate to have such impressive and supportive Trustees. We continue to build a vibrant and passionate community of current Scholars. In addition to hosting welcome and There have also been challenges during the year that may graduation dinners and an inspiring Annual Lecture by Irina remain challenges for the foreseeable future. Brexit is one Bokova, the former Head of UNESCO, the Trust funded the of those and, although the UK ceased to be a member of important work of the Scholars’ Council that is fundamental to the EU at the end of January 2020, the immediate and long the Gates Scholar experience at Cambridge. We owe a particular terms effects remain unclear. For the Trust, these are likely to debt of gratitude to Marina Velickovic and Kevin Chew and create serious challenges around finances (if fees for European their team for serving the scholar community so brilliantly. students will, as seems likely, be charged at the much higher overseas rate), as well as recruitment and reputation. The Similarly, we have created a suite of opportunities for our investment environment is also highly volatile, necessitating a more than 1,500 alumni across the world to engage with reduction in total awards from 90 to 80 for 2020 entry (which each other and current scholars. In addition to hosting a we hope this is a temporary measure), although we now fund major alumni event at the British Embassy in Washington D.C. all PhD scholars for up to 4 years. in January 2019, the Trust supported and funded the Gates Cambridge Alumni Association and worked with its highly There are, however, many things to feel positive about. successful Board to organise and facilitate a wide range of Importantly, 2020 sees the 20th anniversary of the wonderfully events in cities from Sibiu, Romania to Sydney, Australia. generous donation from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to the University of Cambridge. The 20th class of We continued our efforts to raise the profile of the programme, scholars will arrive in Cambridge in October 2020. We have which widens and deepens our applicant pool. In working with plans to celebrate these milestones in a number of ways in the University in its widening participation strategies, we have Cambridge and across the world with our scholars, alumni, promoted our scholars and alumni from countries where we the University and others. As the programme grows so does hope to attract more applicants and facilitated their highly the impact of our alumni, who are fulfilling the aims of the valued efforts in presenting Gates Cambridge at their local scholarship as envisioned by the Gates family at our inception. universities as part of the Ambassador programme. Despite the challenges ahead, the Trust will continue to To underpin all of this work, our Board of Trustees, with support exceptionally talented postgraduate students from the support of our Treasurer and Director of Finance, have across the world to study at the University of Cambridge. carefully stewarded the Trust’s finances and provided These exceptional people who bring so much to the University exceptional strategic direction. At the time of writing, the and the UK are truly improving the lives of others. Trust’s endowment stands at almost £300m (from an original donation of US$210 and having spent more £113m in the first Professor Barry Everitt FRS FMedSci 19 years of operation). This enables us to be one of the most Provost 4 HIGHLIGHTS 01 02 03 04 Annual Lecture Scholars Alumni Profile and outreach Irina Bokova, former Carol Nkechi Ibe and 2019 has been the most The Trust continued its profile Director General of UNESCO, Cansu Karabiyik were joint successful year to date for raising and outreach work delivered this year’s winners of the Bill Gates Sr. alumni activity, with over during 2019, with the aim Gates Cambridge Annual Prize 2019, established in 150 events across the world, of attracting the very best Lecture on 26 February 2019 recognition of Bill Gates Sr.’s including events in the US, international applicants and about the importance of role in establishing the Gates China, Singapore, Australia, ensuring the programme has cultural heritage. Cambridge Scholarships. Hong Kong, the UK, France, an appropriate global profile. Romania, Germany, India, In her lecture, Why Heritage Cansu was nominated for her The Netherlands, Switzerland We created engaging content Matters, Bokova said PhD research on Parkinson’s and Canada. In January, about our scholars and that while all cultures are disease, her voluntary work alumni in DC were welcomed alumni and disseminated this different, awareness of and for refugees, her award- to the British Embassy by through our website, social respect for those differences winning stand-up comedy and the Ambassador to the media, The Scholar Magazine, should unite people, not combining the latter two by US. The Gates Cambridge Annual Report, blogs and divide them. Culture is setting up the charity Laugh 4 Alumni Association (GCAA) more. We also worked about more than bricks and Change, which puts on shows also organised three closely with the University. stones, she stated. It is about to raise money for refugees. very successful alumni The Communications Office how we understand the weekends, one around Gates promoted the myriad ways Carol was nominated for her world, about intercultural interviews in Washington that our scholars are having award-winning PhD research dialogue as well as identity DC, one in Shanghai, and an impact using its many on how fungi interact with and belonging in a rapidly one that included the now digital platforms; the Trust rice, which has implications globalising world and, as annual Memorial Lecture, contributed to University for food security in Africa. such, it is as much about the remembering Gates alumni committees dealing with Carol is also the founder of past in as much as it is about that are no longer with widening participation at the non-profit organisation the future. us, alongside a range of the postgraduate level; and JR Biotek Foundation which smaller events.