MarshallMarshall UpdateUpdate A Newsletter for Scholars Past and Present Winter 2007 2006 Roundup Turkey with the Dons Cambridge Reunion and Symposium New Haven Event Panel and Reception at Yale's Center for British Art The Other Marshall Experience: An essay by a Marshall Sherfield Fellow And more... www.marshallscholarship.org CONTENTS WINTER 2007 VOL. 4 NO. 1 Marshall Update EDITORS Nicholas T. Hartman '03 Eugenia (Jane) Levenson '03 CONTRIBUTORS Lisa Wang '04 Rebecca Mosher '05 M.S. Ross Perlin '05 ARTICLE PHOTOGRAPHERS Laura Gardner '02 Nicholas T. Hartman '03 Rebecca Mosher '05 M.S. ©2007 Association of Marshall Scholars The skyline of Canary Wharf in East London as seen from the River Thames Send correspondence and Class Notes to: [email protected] The views and opinions expressed in Features Marshall Update do not necessarily represent those of the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission, the Assocation of Commonwealth Universities, or any office of Her Majesty's Government. 3 The Other Marshalls Furthermore, the appearance or mention of any commercial product or organization Dr. Rebecca Mosher '05 M.S. describes her experience as post-doctoral researcher does not in any way represent an endorsement by the afore mentioned at the Sainsbury Laboratory in Norwich. entities. 5 Cambridge Reunion and Symposium ON THE COVER A punter on the River Cam passes Snapshots from the first major UK reunion of Marshall Scholars. under the Bridge of Sighs at St. John's College, Cambridge University. The bridge, a popular tourist destination, was considered 7 Thanksgiving with the Dons one of Queen Victoria's favorite parts of Cambridge and is often the Ross Perlin '05 recaps the annual Thanksgiving dinner's move to Oxford. subject of student pranks. Twice during the 1960s students managed to suspend cars from the bridge. 10 Marshall Profile St. John's college was host to several events during September's Lizzie Martin is the newest member of the Marshall Commission team Marshall Alumni Reunion and Symposium. The current Master of the college, Professor Richard P e r h a m , i s a M a r s h a l l Commissioner. Departments Marshall Scholar Alumni Network Regional Chapter Coordinators Director of Marshall Alumni Chapter Relations Annina Burns (Oxford) - [email protected] 9 Recent Alumni Events New York City Jane Levenson - [email protected] Lisa Wang - [email protected] Lisa Wang '04 covers the Atlantic Relations Panel Discussion Boston Esther Freeman - [email protected] Parker van Valkenburgh - [email protected] 11 2006 Scholars Chicago Laura Lafave - [email protected] Jade Newburn - [email protected] Los Angles 13 Class Notes Jacob Chacko - [email protected] Mid-South Region Warwick Sabin - [email protected] New Haven 14 Parting Shot Tomas Carbonell - [email protected] Laura Gardner - [email protected] Washington DC Ben and Courtney Hood - [email protected] Please make sure that your own contact information NEXT ISSUE is up to date by checking the alumni database at: www.marshallscholarship.org/alumni Marshall Update will publish a special edition leading up to the 2007 AMS elections featuring If you have forgotten your password or need candidate bios, information about voting, and a special letter from the acting president. The assistance please e-mail: [email protected] bylaws of the Association of Marshall Scholars can be found at: http://www.wolftechnology.net/marshall/bylaws.htm. Marshall Update - Winter 2007 - 2 Marshall Commentary The Other Marshalls Not all Marshalls arrive in the UK fresh out of college. Since 1998, the Marshall Sherfield Fellowships have funded postdoctoral studies for up to two American scientists a year. Below, one Marshall Sherfield Fellow's story. ike many people, my first view of Britain was of discouraged me with comments like, “Is it safe to live the white cliffs of Dover. I was 17 and had just there?” or “You’re very brave to move abroad by yourself.” spent three weeks in Russia and Eastern Europe. It The issue of safety I discarded as ridiculous; the difficulty of Lwas my first trip to Europe and I was a bit overwhelmed by adapting to a foreign country on my own I underestimated; the unfamiliar scenery, languages, and food, especially and the possible negative impact on my career I chalked up among the former Soviet states. Even my brief passage to the price I would pay for personal experience. through Western Europe was strange and confusing. The British-run ferry from Calais, with its recognizable menu I applied for and received a position in the laboratory of Dr. and announcements in English, was a welcome balm. I spent David Baulcombe at the Sainsbury Laboratory in Norwich. my short stay in London riding the Tube, shopping on David has published some of the seminal research in the Oxford Street, seeing a West End show. I loved Britain field of small RNA biology and continues to win awards for immediately and resolved to come back and see more. his work. I visited Britain several times throughout my undergraduate Though David was happy to have me in the laboratory, it and graduate education, including two terms at the was understood that I should apply for funding of my own. University of Edinburgh where I studied Scottish history In my fellowship search, I came across a program and literature. As I neared the end of my doctoral program administered by the Marshall Commission. I was familiar and began considering where to do a postdoctoral with the Marshall Scholars, but didn’t realize that there was fellowship, living abroad seemed an attractive option. The also a program for postdoctoral researchers that had been opportunity to work in another country for two to three established in 1998. The Marshall Sherfield Fellowships years is rare and one I didn’t want to pass up. Many people were created to recognize the life and work of Sir Roger discouraged me from this option with the argument that in Makins, Lord Sherfield, who had been Britain’s Ambassador science a foreign postdoc puts one at a disadvantage in the competitive search for a faculty position. Others subtly The opportunity to work in another country for two to three years is rare and I one I didn’t want to pass up. to the US from 1953-1956 and was instrumental in the creation of the Marshall Scholars program. Mr. Makins was also enthusiastic about science, advising the British Embassy in Washington on public policy for the nuclear weapons programs and later serving as Chairman of the UK Atomic Energy Commission. For his enthusiastic support of the advancement of science and technology, Lord Sherfield was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society in 1986. His son, Christopher Makins was also passionate about science and engineering and US-UK relations. After for more than a decade in Her Majesty’s Diplomatic Service Photos courtesy of: Dr Rebecca Mosher of: Dr Rebecca Photos courtesy working on transatlantic issues, he served as assistant Vice Dr. David Balcombe's research group from the Sainsbury Laboratory President of Science Applications International Corporation Marshall Update - Winter 2007 - 3 Marshall Commentary of American students. Under these conditions, it is easy to build a social network, but perhaps difficult to integrate into the British life. Though my coworkers were very welcoming, I did not have a “Freshers Week” or a group of expatriates to join. I had to search out opportunities to meet English people and become part of the community in Norwich. Building a life here has been difficult, but very rewarding and I feel I have connected with a greater diversity of Britons. Halfway through my tenure in Britain, I am very happy I made the decision to postdoc abroad and grateful that the Marshall Sherfield has funded part of my time here. David is also a terrific mentor, teaching me how to ask the important questions in biology. The Sainsbury Laboratory is housed at Cycling to a pub lunch the John Innes Centre, a well-known institute of plant before establishing the Marshall Sherfield Foundation. Each research, and is generously funded through the Gatsby year the foundation grants up to two fellowships to Americans Charitable Trust. In addition to outstanding facilities, the scientists and engineers to enable one to two years of Sainsbury Laboratory has a strong support staff to take care of postdoctoral study at any UK institution. tedious chores and unexpected problems, which has allowed me to focus on science. I am also encouraged to use my Of the several fellowship applications I completed, the vacation time and to have a life outside of the laboratory, a Marshall-Sherfield stood out as something different. Here was change from the U.S. Unlike many American labs, at TSL it is an application that consisted not only of a research proposal acknowledged that better science comes from happy scientists, and academic references, but also required essays on not overworked ones. My research group regularly goes for a international relations and a character reference. I have always pub lunch or spends a Saturday sailing on Norfolk’s famed felt strongly that scientists need to engage in communication Broads. Those who discouraged me from a foreign postdoc on and public policy, so I was pleased to find a fellowship that the grounds of inferior research or facilities were clearly recognized these activities and promoted the continuation of unfamiliar with TSL. them during a postdoc. Marshall Sherfield Fellows are also welcome at all Marshall Scholar events, including lectures and I am at a world-class institution and receiving excellent trips to different parts of the UK. training; I truly cannot imagine finding a better position in the US.