REPORT 2018-19 The annual report of Trinity College, Oxford CONTENTS The Trinity Community Obituaries President’s Report 2 Peter Brown 63 The Fellowship and Lecturers 4 Sir Fergus Millar 65 Fellows’ News 8 Justin Cartwright 67 REPORT 2018-19 Members of Staff 15 Bill Sloper 69 New Undergraduates 17 Old Members 70 New Postgraduates 18 Degrees, Schools Results and Awards 19 Reviews The annual report of Trinity College, Oxford The College Year Book Review 91 On the cover Some of the JCR Access Senior Tutor’s Report 25 Ambassadors and helpers Outreach & Access Report 26 Notes and Information at an Open Day for Estate Bursar’s Report 28 potential applicants Information for Old Members 92 Domestic Bursar’s Report 30 Inside front cover Editor’s note 92 Director of Development’s Report 31 Old Members attending Benefactors 33 the Women at Trinity day in September, which marked Library Report 41 the 40th anniversary of the Archive Report 47 admission of women Garden Report 51 Junior Members JCR Report 54 MCR Report 55 Clubs and Societies 56 Blues 62 1 THE TRINITY COMMUNITY President’s Report Marta Kwiatkowska, Professorial Fellow in Computing Systems, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in recognition of her outstanding s I write this report, work on contribution to the field of computer the new building means that science, with further recognition Athe college estate is being through the award of the prestigious transformed around us with a fairly constant low-level rumble of earth- moving equipment. Following planning ‘Trinity’s Fellowship has permission gained in October 2018, again distinguished itself we moved swiftly to detailed designs, with a raft of awards.’ demolition and preparation of the site, through to the start of the construction Lovelace Medal. Professor Janet phase which is now underway. Students Pierrehumbert was elected as a have adapted with great goodwill to Member of the US National Academy the large temporary building on the of Sciences, acknowledging her north lawn and are making full use contribution to the language sciences. of the good-sized seminar room and This recognition of two of our bright study area. Where Staircase 4 distinguished women Fellows was a once stood, most of the land is now 50 per cent or more of Trinity’s students cause of celebration for our whole prepared for the start of construction obtained Firsts. We also had some of academic body. and Oxford Archaeology staff are the top-performing students across the Trinity’s Fellowship has again carrying out excavations of the site. I University, with students in the top 3 per distinguished itself with a raft of can report—with some relief—that cent in Biochemistry, Engineering and awards. To highlight just a few: their finds to-date have amounted to a English. Charlotte Williams, Professor of small carved building stone, a sizeable Of course, our students do much Inorganic Chemistry was awarded collection of broken clay smoking pipes more besides studying and the following the Macro Group UK Medal, and a Kellogg’s cereal packet toy dating pages document a lively year for clubs awarded annually to a UK-based from the 1950s! and societies in which Trinity students scientist who has made a significant Against that backdrop, college life has have played an active part. We are and substantial contribution to the continued with no loss of momentum increasingly alert to the need to ensure development of polymer science. and it is good to report on a productive that students maintain a healthy James McDougall, Fellow and and successful year. equilibrium, balancing their academic Tutor in History, was joint winner In Finals, of our 84 finalists, 28 gained work with participation in the full range of the British-Kuwait Friendship Firsts, 52 gained 2:1s and four gained of experiences that Oxford offers. Society Book Prize in Middle Eastern 2:2s. In some subjects Trinity students Among the many remarkable Studies for his book, A History of enjoyed a very strong year, in particular achievements of our Fellows this Algeria; Susan Perkin was awarded a Biochemistry, Law and Maths, in which year, two merit a special mention. Professorial title in the Recognition 2 TRINITY COLLEGE OXFORD | REPORT 2018-19 of Distinction exercise 2019; and humanitarian law, human rights, and experience in the Middle East and Dame Frances Ashcroft received international criminal law. Central Asia. In early career roles we the Jacob Henle Medal, awarded Amongst other Honorary Visiting welcomed Junior Research Fellows by the Georg-August University in Fellows, Dame Sally Davies took up Máire Ní Leathlobhair (Biomedical Göttingen, Germany, which recognizes the role of Master of Trinity College, Sciences) and Alexandra Reza (French outstanding, medically relevant Cambridge; and world-renowned and Portuguese) in Michaelmas term, scientific achievements in physiology violinist, Maxim Vengerov, generously while Karol Masur (Economics) and and medicine. Mention must also and memorably performed an exquisite Xavier Bach (Linguistics) were elected be made of Steve Fisher, Fellow in concert in the Ashmolean Museum to to Junior Research Fellowships from Political Sociology: throughout the support our fundraising for the Levine October 2019. Building. The final events of Trinity’s At the end of the academic year, commemoration of the First World War ‘There was great we bade farewell to two academics took place in November, concluding excitement...when we at very different points in their a four-year series of events, lectures careers. Pranav Singh, Junior Research and Newsletter articles. College realised that our newest Fellow in Mathematics left with our Archivist, Clare Hopkins, presented Honorary Fellow was to be congratulations and warmest wishes to a lecture, ‘We Will Remember Them: appointed Poet Laureate!’ take up a lecturer’s post at the University a century of commemoration’, which of Bath. Senior Fellow, Professor was followed on Remembrance Sunday long-drawn-out deliberations about Bryan Ward-Perkins retired following by an Archive Exhibition, ‘Trinity, the Brexit, punctuated by another General a long and highly distinguished career. Armistice and after’. A moving tribute Election, Steve has provided an Bryan joined Trinity in 1981 and served in photography, ‘Their Name Liveth for informed commentary to BBC Radio 4 as History Fellow, in which role he Evermore: commemorating Trinity’s listeners, helping to elucidate each new nurtured the development of countless Fallen’, presented a poignant series of development and poll. students. He also had significant photographs by undergraduate Maddie In May 2019 we were delighted to influence across the college, serving Parr, who travelled to photograph the announce the election of the writer and in numerous capacities, including as graves and memorials of some of the poet, Simon Armitage, as an Honorary Fellow Librarian, Senior Tutor and Trinity men killed in the War—the Fellow, to coincide with the end of his Fellow Archivist, but the list is much project was generously sponsored by four-year term as Oxford Professor of longer. The Fellowship was delighted the Trinity Society. The final event was Poetry. There was great excitement to acknowledge his achievements and a special Armistice Evensong, which across the college when we realised that contribution to Trinity in electing him began with a reading of the full roll of our newest Honorary Fellow was to be to an Emeritus Fellowship. service: the fallen and those who came appointed Poet Laureate! Fanny Bessard was elected as Fellow home. In June, the Governing Body elected and Tutor in Eurasian History, coming The Director of Development, Sue the United Nations War Crimes to Trinity from the University of Bristol. Broers, and I undertook visits to Hong Tribunal Judge, Theodor Meron, as an Dr Bessard is a historian of early Kong, Singapore and five cities in North Honorary Visiting Fellow. Judge Meron and classical Islam and a practicing America where we met Old Members, is a leading scholar of international archaeologist with a decade of field of various generations, and Friends. In 3 THE TRINITY COMMUNITY total we met around 150 alumni and professionalism and commitment to the The Fellowship Friends and shared Trinity’s plans for many different aspects of life at Trinity; the future, whilst also learning about to Jonas Sandbrink and Said Said 2018-19 the fascinating careers and life stories of (respectively JCR and MCR Presidents) Trinity’s alumni across the world. for their unstinting work and collegiate President* Although each college within the approach; to Alexandra Evans, who Dame Hilary Boulding, DBE, MA Oxf, collegiate University is autonomous, we brings organisation and order to the FLSW FRWCMD also work collaboratively on a number President’s Office; to our alumni and of issues that affect the whole University. other supporters for their generosity Fellows* One of these shared aims is to ensure and encouragement; and to our student Professor Bryan Ward-Perkins, MA that the University reaches the widest community, who in their myriad and DPhil Oxf: Fellow and Tutor in Modern range of potential applicants. Trinity’s diverse ways, make Trinity the wonderful History, Fellow Archivist ‘link areas’ in the UK are Oxfordshire community it is today. Dr Steve Sheard, BSc PhD Lond, MA Oxf, and the North East of England. Under MIET, CEng: Hunt-Grubbe Fellow and the leadership of Hannah Rolley, Tutor in Engineering Science Trinity’s Head of Access, over the course of the year, we delivered or supported Professor Peter Read, BSc Birm, MA Oxf, a total of 192 outreach events and PhD Camb: Fellow and Tutor in Physics Dame Hilary Boulding, DBE worked with over 5,000 school pupils, Professor Dame Frances Ashcroft, DBE, either in Trinity itself, or in their home MA PhD ScD Camb, MA Oxf, FRS: regions. Much of our work is targeted Royal Society SmithKline Beecham at teachers to ensure that they are well- Professor of Physiology equipped to support students to submit Professor Justin Wark, MA Oxf, PhD competitive applications to highly Lond: Fellow and Tutor in Physics selective universities.