THE EXETER COLLEGE MAGAZINE ISSUE 21 AUTUMN 2018 WWW.EXETER.OX.AC.UK/ALUMNI Face the future Exploring innovation in a time of ever-accelerating change Robert Moore Akshat Rathi on Jean Kitson on Matt Hancock on on keeping pace experimental staying one step digital technology with news and solutions to the ahead in business and the future political events world’s energy crisis of jobs 7 16 COLLEGE NEWS UNIVERSITY NEWS Editorial Rector’s review Here be dragons The new Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, points Rick Trainor | 4 Will Bearcroft | 32 out in this edition of Exon that people talk about Remembering Sir Roger Goodfella honoured accelerating change, but one can look at it the Bannister, CH, CBE Shreyus Ganesh | 34 other way round: we are currently living through Clive Bannister | 7 One giant leap for innovation the slowest rate of change that we are going to Exploring threats to liberal Thomas Hunt | 36 experience for the rest of our lives. What a thought! democracy Both exciting and intimidating. Archie Philipps | 10 This year’s Exon explores some of the A bright future FEATURES demands and technologies driving change as we Pamela Stephenson | 12 The revolution will not (just) focus on the theme of innovation. Matt Hancock Celebrating Arts & Crafts at Exeter be televised considers digital technologies and the future Beatrice Alabaster | 14 Jon Gisby | 39 of jobs; Robert Moore, ITV News Washington New honorary fellows Drinking from a fire hydrant Correspondent, discusses modern journalism; Thomas Hunt | 16 Robert Moore | 42 Akshat Rathi, science, energy and environment Shining new light on The future of work reporter for Quartz, uncovers some potential microscopic molecules Matt Hancock | 44 solutions to the world’s energy and global Charlotte Dibb | 18 Small is beautiful warming crises; Jean Kitson, director at Kitson Taking a reality check on Jean Kitson | 46 24 27 Press Associates, champions the importance of artificial intelligence At the cutting edge creativity in entrepreneurship; and Jon Gisby, chair Adam Jobling | 20 Christopher Cheng | 48 of the British Screen Advisory Council, charts the Refugees reunited The science of energy storage exponential growth of on-demand video content. Matthew Baldwin | 23 Akshat Rathi | 50 We also reveal some of the innovation taking Stop the clock: graduates shine place within Exeter College. The College’s inaugural at Three-Minute Thesis Three-Minute Thesis competition gave Exeter Amelia Crosse | 24 ALUMNI NEWS graduate students the chance to present their Predicting risk with a heavy From ‘diabetic’ to Joe’s Diabetes research, including Rina Ariga’s award-winning work heart Joe Fraser | 53 to predict and treat Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy; Rina Ariga | 25 Matt Hancock becomes Exeter’s another graduate student, Shiri Heffetz, has produced Behind the classics first ever Cabinet minister an app that reunites refugees with lost relatives; Zerlina Vulliamy | 26 Matt Roller | 54 undergraduate student Zerlina Vulliamy has created A chorus of approval The road less travelled a radio programme that unearths music across James Short | 27 Shammah Banerjee | 56 different themes and genres; and Fellow in Physical FitzHugh Auditorium stages its A royal portrait Chemistry Professor Philipp Kukura is developing first student production Livi Dunlop | 57 a spectrometric technology that has the potential Natacha Lee | 28 Recommended reading | 58 to revolutionise the way we study biomolecules. Women’s football team secures Elsewhere in Oxford an exciting new student hub promotion at first attempt 42 56 is nurturing future generations of entrepreneurs. Lina Cox | 29 Of course innovation carries risks, and this Battling the ‘Beast from the East’ edition of Exon looks in depth at two topical Matt Holyoak | 30 concerns: Professor of Philosophy and Ethics Promotion for men’s rugby team of Information, Luciano Floridi, reflects on Ravi Ghosh | 31 fears, dangers and opportunities surrounding Sports round-up information and artificial intelligence; and Kevin Seb Talbot | 31 Rudd, former Prime Minister of Australia, analyses emerging threats to liberal democracy. My thanks to everyone who has contributed to Exon. It has been a pleasure to witness so many Editor: Matthew Baldwin examples of innovation thriving throughout Exeter’s Editorial Intern: Thomas Hunt (2016, PPE) community. Produced by fablebureau.com Art Direction and Design: Sarah Blick Matthew Baldwin, Communications Officer www.fablebureau.com Publishing Director: Tim West 2 EXON AUTUMN 2018 www.exeter.ox.ac.uk/alumni www.exeter.ox.ac.uk/alumni EXON AUTUMN 2018 3 Rector’s review Rector Professor Sir Rick Trainor looks at new opportunities being embraced in College and a triumphant year for Exeter’s students 2017/18 was Exeter’s first full year in possession of Cohen Quadrangle. Without detracting from the continued importance either of the historic Turl Street site or of Exeter House, Cohen Quad has injected yet more vitality into the College. Lectures, classes, symposia, Rector’s Seminars, alumni events, the meetings of student societies and of the College’s committees and Governing Body: along with innumerable informal chats in the Learning Commons, the Dakota Café and the Cairncross and McRae family kitchens, these gatherings embody an important new dimension of the renewed Exeter. re-designated a Senior Investigator in the National Institute So too does the Exeter College Summer Programme for Health Research, Professor Ervin Fodor (Pathology) was Cohen Quad has fast become an integral part of College life (ECSP), running as I write (in early August) for its second announced as the 2019 winner of the AstraZeneca Award, year at Cohen Quad. For decades the College has hosted and Dr Imogen Choi (Spanish) received the annual thesis summer schools at Turl Street organised by others, notably award of her professional association. well-established programme Student volunteers run a charity bake sale for ExVac by the University’s Department of External Education. It was also a good year for alumni, who provided eight of of holidays for disadvantaged The College continues to do so, to great mutual benefit. the College’s new honorary fellows (see the separate article local children, the extension of But having Cohen Quad has allowed Exeter to organise on pages 16-17 of this edition of Exon). Likewise, Matt the Turl Street Arts Festival to its own summer school, with a diverse curriculum Hancock (1996, PPE) in January became Exeter’s first ever a fortnight, and the Choir’s tour devised by the College, delivered by tutors (including our Cabinet minister (as Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, of Estonia. Postgraduates and Fellows) engaged by Exeter. On both occasions so far Media and Sport before being promoted in July to the post undergraduates combined to ECSP has attracted dozens of talented, hard-working of Secretary of State for Health and Social Care). give Exeter its best performance undergraduates from prestigious universities, mainly It was highly fitting, therefore, that there were many in Summer Eights this century. in North America and East Asia. One evening in 2017 alumni gatherings during 2017/18. These occurred in Exeter also won both badminton the ECSP students’ enthusiasm for arriving on time for Miami, Hong Kong, Toronto, San Francisco, Washington and sailing Cuppers – and one of the programme’s special lectures prompted the DC, New York City and (three times) in London. Likewise runner-up status in the Rugby students to run to Cohen Quad’s FitzHugh Auditorium! there were the usual Gaudies in Oxford – for those who Cuppers Bowl. In addition, ECSP helps to defray the running costs of Cohen matriculated between 2005 and 2009 in September and for a second year, a group of Quad, and it is substantially enhancing the international for their counterparts of 1984-89 in the Grand Gaudy in Exeter undergraduates paid an reputation of the College. Mightily supported by William June. Speaking of alumni, JRR Tolkien (1911, Classics academic visit to Williams College Jensen (Finance and Estates Bursar), Eleanor Burnett and English) is the focus of a splendid exhibition (in the in January, this time braving (College Accountant), Meena Rowland (Operations mounting of which Exeter Fellow Dr Christopher Fletcher heavy snow. Manager at Cohen Quad) and student helpers, ECSP played a key role) in the Bodleian’s Weston Library, Oxford had winter snow draws organisation and promotion from Greg Lewis and which gives appropriate emphasis to the famous author’s among the speakers at the College’s four annual ‘subject this year too, but many visiting speakers reached Exeter. academic direction from Jeri Johnson (Peter Thompson formative undergraduate years at Exeter. family dinners’, and attendance was excellent at the There were 15 Rector’s Seminars, including sparkling Fellow in English). Exeter students also distinguished themselves special dinners for postgraduates held in Hall each term. presentations from former Australian Prime Minister Speaking of Fellows, Exeter’s continued to achieve in during the past academic year. Several postgraduates Postgraduates, partners and offspring also featured Kevin Rudd and Exeter alumnus Joseph Nye (1958, PPE). other ways during 2017/18. Dame Carol Robinson (Dr Lee’s participated creditably in the demanding format of largely in the College’s ‘family friendly dinner’ in the Alumni also loomed large in the annual Exeter symposium Professor of Chemistry) gave the 2018 Mabel Fitzgerald Exeter’s inaugural ‘Three-Minute Thesis’ competition spring. Undergraduates, meanwhile, achieved 32 Firsts in November; Sir David Norgrove (1967, Modern History) Lecture, Professor Philipp Kukura (Chemistry) received one (see page 24); two of the contestants gave a reprise of in Finals and 23 Distinctions and Firsts in First Public and Fiona Boulton (1985, PGCE) joined Exeter Fellows of the initial Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in the their presentations at City Drinks for alumni in London in Examinations during a year when undergraduate-focused Christina de Bellaigue (History) and Chris Ballinger UK, Andrew Farmer (Professor of General Practice) was June.