Campaign Report 2017/18 Welcome It is a real privilege to witness the power of philanthropy here at the University of Oxford. The generosity of our donors, coupled with the calibre and ambition of our academics and students, is inspiring and improving lives across the world via a wide range of projects and research. Our Campaign Report for 2017/18 features just a few of the areas that have been supported through the Oxford Thinking Campaign. These include a look at the significance of the Department of Physics’ magnificent new Beecroft Building and how the Bodleian Libraries’ first Education Officer is driving a variety of community, school and public activities. Your support plays a critical role in maintaining the highest levels of academic excellence at Oxford, which in turn enables us to effect positive change on a global scale. Thank you for your continued support. I hope you enjoy this year’s report. Liesl Elder Chief Development Officer University of Oxford Main photography – John Cairns Front cover photography – Radcliffe Camera and University Church © Oxford University Images / David Williams Photography Additional photography – Martin Handley – Global Initiative – Global Jet Watch – Stuart Bebb – Fotohaus – Hawkins\Brown Architects – Dr Karl Harrison – Ian Wallman Design – williamjoseph.co.uk 4 Contents 2 Thanks to your support… 12 Tackling prostate cancer How your donations are making Professor Ian Mills discusses his a difference research into the disease, which now claims the lives of more than 11,000 4 Foundations for new physics men in the UK each year Celebrating the opening of the 14 Investigating the threat Beecroft Building, the University’s 10 first construction in 50 years to be of junk news dedicated to the theory and practice of physics The Oxford Internet Institute explores the growing threat of organised social media manipulation worldwide 6 Inspiring audiences at the Bodleian 16 A new dawn for sport Through a new education and The first phase of an ambitious plan outreach programme, the Bodleian to revolutionise sporting provision Libraries seek to inspire a love of at the University has been realised reading in learners of all ages 17 Out of the deep 8 Aspiration, opportunity A new exhibit at the Oxford University 16 and success Museum of Natural History paints a fascinating picture of prehistoric With donor support, Oxford is marine life in England working to ensure talented young people from all backgrounds have 18 the opportunity to fulfil their News in brief academic potential Short stories from across the campaign 10 The Indian Army in the 20 Recognising our donors First World War A collaborative research project reveals new insights into the role played by people across the Indian subcontinent during the war 17 Further reading Discover more about the impact of your support at: www.campaign.ox.ac.uk/report17-18 Oxford Thinking: Campaign Report 2017/18 • 1 Thanks to your support… …Greater Change is helping the homeless Oxford alumnus Alex McCallion has …our students are being taught launched a social enterprise that could help thousands of homeless people put their lives back on track. in world-class laboratories Greater Change allows members of the public to give securely and directly to individual homeless people via a More than 100 donors have been inspired a surge in positive alumni engagement. mobile app or website, contributing to give over £266,000 to provide world- Professor Mark Brouard, Head of to co-managed funds that will help leading facilities for the teaching of the Department of Chemistry, says: them to achieve goals such as long-term chemistry at Oxford, with some of the ‘The chemistry teaching labs will enable accommodation or employment. equipment the first of its kind in the UK. us to provide the very best educational The success of the project is, in large Undergraduate teaching in the three experience for chemistry undergraduates, part, thanks to the generosity of more areas of chemistry (organic, inorganic facilitating cutting-edge new than 300 donors who gave a total of and physical) has previously occurred interdisciplinary experiments that mirror £33,024 through OxReach, Oxford’s in separate buildings, but the new the collaborative nature of our research crowdfunding platform. The project laboratories provide a unified space programmes. I am incredibly grateful for also benefited from extensive guidance for integrated practical teaching, with the generous support of our alumni and from Oxford University Innovation and the first students using them from friends and am delighted that students Aspire Oxford, a leading homelessness October 2018. will be able to benefit from this state-of- and employment charity and social As part of the appeal, alumni had the-art facility for years to come.’ enterprise. Greater Change has also the opportunity to dedicate a fume received £23,000 of additional in-kind hood through a donation of £1,916, financing from Global Initiative, an commemorating the centenary of the Oxford digital firm offering a £100,000 opening of the Dyson Perrins Laboratory. Initiative Fund to support projects Former professors and donors’ loved ones designed to return value to society. The feature among the engraved dedications. Greater Change app was launched in One reads: ‘Fill this lab with good science, August 2018. great skills and interesting substances… Alex McCallion and his team have preferably not smoke’. received widespread recognition for the The appeal has made Oxford project. They aim to build on its success Above: Oxford’s new Chemistry’s physical environment for chemistry teaching labs by scaling up operations and supporting undergraduate teaching one of the very Above, right: The Greater 5,891 homeless people annually within best in the world and has prompted Change app three years. 2 • Oxford Thinking: Campaign Report 2017/18 Oxford Thinking Campaign statistics Amount raised this year £157m 01/08/17–31/07/18 including cumulative college data to 31/01/18 Amount raised since the start of the campaign £2.89bn Including cumulative college data to 31/01/18 Where donations come from (University only) …we are making the study of languages at Oxford more accessible 59% 27% United Kingdom North America A total of 191 donors have contributed The donations received will go over £55,800 for pre-sessional bridging towards the costs of the courses, including courses in medieval and modern teaching, accommodation, meals and languages at Oxford, aimed especially travel expenses for the students. It is at students from the state school sector. hoped donors will contribute on an The first £10,000 also benefited from annual basis and the faculty can host this pound-for-pound matched funding. valuable course every year. The study of modern and medieval Professor Ian Watson, Faculty languages in the UK is facing an Board Chair for Medieval and Modern 14% unprecedented crisis as student Languages, says: ‘Language provision cuts Rest of the world numbers drop across all age groups. in UK schools have been particularly There are fewer teachers and university damaging to students from less affluent departments are closing every year. backgrounds who wish to pursue their Destination of campaign gifts by priority Oxford’s commitment to the study of aspirations for higher education. Oxford area (University only) languages is stronger than ever though, is committed to ensuring that we can and the new Living Languages Fund has continue to teach languages to the Academic posts been created to encourage students from most talented and enthusiastic students, and programmes all backgrounds to think about studying regardless of their financial background 58% languages, to apply to Oxford and or any lack of resources in the schools Student to take up the places they are offered. they attended.’ support 19% We’re committed to ensuring Buildings that we can continue to teach 19% languages to the most talented Above: Olivia Williams (French and Portuguese, Other and enthusiastic students Merton, 2014) 4% Oxford Thinking: Campaign Report 2017/18 • 3 Foundations for new physics donated by Adrian and Jacqui Beecroft. Within it is the Wolfson Centre for The new Beecroft Building will Quantum Science and Technology, enable quantum theoretical funded by the Wolfson Foundation. The building includes offices for and experimental synergies theoretical physicists such as Professor Parameswaran, as well as state-of-the- to flourish at Oxford. art basement laboratories. Professor Parameswaran explains: ‘Physics The world of quantum physics, with its needs extremely complex equipment long time frames and as-yet unknown – vibration isolation, optical tables outcomes for our future, is not that float on air – and there’s often a always suited to applications-focused bottom-line-driven attitude that is more funding. What is vital, says Siddharth concerned with return on investment Parameswaran, Associate Professor of than on asking scientifically interesting Quantum Condensed Matter Theory, is questions. But you can’t put a price on core funding for basic physics, allowing the pure science. You need to think about scientists the freedom to follow where those questions in order to understand their research leads. a mechanism that you can then, if you Oxford, along with its donors, has understand it well enough, translate into the confidence to follow exactly that something that sits on your table top.’ approach – a stance that brought The smartphone would not have been Professor Parameswaran from the possible without the study of quantum University of California, Irvine, to physics. join Oxford’s Rudolf Peierls Centre The Beecroft Building is designed for Theoretical Physics in 2017. That to facilitate interaction. It links on confidence is evidenced by the new three levels to the 1939 Lindemann £50 million Beecroft Building, the Building at the Clarendon Laboratory University’s first construction in 50 years complex, and its central atrium is an airy to be dedicated to the theory and practice hierarchy of spaces to suit discussion of physics.