SOMERVILLE COLLEGE REPORT 2016-2017 - University of Oxford
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SOMERVILLE
COLLEGE REPORT
2016-2017Somerville
College Report
2016-17
Somerville
CollegeContents
Visitor, Principal, Fellows, Lecturers, Staff 5
The Year in Review
Principal’s Report 9
Baroness Jan Royall 11
Fellows’ Activities 12
Report on Junior Research Fellowships 17
MCR Report 18
JCR Report 19
Library Report 20
Members’ Notes
President’s Report 23
Horsman Awards 23
Somerville Senior Members’ Fund 23
Life Before Somerville: Tina Green (1974) 24
Members’ News and Publications 25
Marriages 38
Births 38
Deaths 39
Obituaries 40
Academic Report
Examination Results 58
Prizes 61
Students Entering College 64
Somerville Association Officers and Committee 68
Somerville Development Board Members 68
Notices
Dates for the Diary 68
Legacies 69
This Report is edited by Liz Cooke (Tel. 01865 270632;
email elizabeth.cooke@some.ox.ac.uk) and Sarah HughesVisitor, Fellows
(in order of seniority)
Annie Sutherland MA, Bhaskar Choubey DPhil,
DPhil, (MA Cantab) Associate (BTech Warangal NIT)
Professor in Old and Middle Associate Professor of
Principal, Joanna Mary Innes
MA, (MA Cantab) Professor
English, Rosemary Woolf Engineering Science and Tutor
Fellow and Tutor in English in Engineering Science
Fellows,
of Modern History, Winifred Daniel Anthony MA, Charlotte Potts DPhil,
Holtby Fellow and Tutor in (PhD Lond) Professor of (BA Victoria University of
Lecturers,
History Experimental Neuropathology Wellington, MA UCL), FSA
and Tutor in Medicine Sybille Haynes Associate
Almut Maria Vera Professor of Etruscan and
Staff Suerbaum MA, (Dr Phil,
Staatsexamen, Münster)
Associate Professor of
Michael Hayward MA,
DPhil Professor of Inorganic
Early Italic Archaeology and
Art, Katherine and Leonard
Chemistry and Tutor in Woolley Fellow in Classical
German and Tutor in German Chemistry Archaeology and Tutor in
Visitor Classical Archaeology
Fiona Stafford Beate Dignas MA, DPhil,
The Rt Hon The Lord MA, MPhil, DPhil, (BA (Staatsexamen Münster) Karen Nielsen (Cand mag,
Patten of Barnes, CH, Leicester), FRSE Professor Associate Professor of Cand philol Trondheim,
Chancellor of the University of English Language and Ancient History, Barbara MA, PhD Cornell) Associate
Literature, Tutor in English Craig Fellow and Tutor in Professor of Philosophy and
Literature Ancient History Tutor in Philosophy
Lois McNay MA, (PhD Natalia Nowakowska MA, Jonathan Marchini DPhil,
Principal Cantab) Professor of the DPhil Associate Professor of (BSc Exeter) Professor of
Theory of Politics and Tutor in History and Tutor in History Statistical Genomics and
Alice Prochaska, MA, DPhil, Politics; Dean MT Tutor in Statistics
FRHistS Jonathan Burton MA, (PhD
Roman Walczak MA, (MSc Cantab) Associate Professor Julian Duxfield MA, (MSc
Warsaw, Dr rer nat Heidelberg) of Organic Chemistry and LSE) University Director of
Reader in Particle Physics, Tutor in Chemistry Human Resources
Vice-Principal Associate Professor and Tutor
in Physics Hilary Greaves BA, (PhD Renier van der Hoorn
Richard Stone, MA, DPhil, Rutgers) Associate Professor (BSc, MSc Leiden, PhD
Benjamin John Thompson of Philosophy and Tutor in Wageningen) Associate
MSAE, FIMechE, Professor of
MA, DPhil, (MA, PhD Cantab), Philosophy Professor of Plant Sciences
Engineering Science, Tutor in
FRHistS Associate Professor and Tutor in Plant Sciences
Engineering Science
of Medieval History and Tutor Luke Pitcher MA, MSt,
in History DPhil, (PGCert Durham) Dan Ciubotaru (BSc, MA
Associate Professor of Babes-Bolyai, PhD Cornell)
Charles Spence MA, Classics and Tutor in Associate Professor of Pure
(PhD Cantab) Professor of Classics; Assessor Mathematics and Tutor in
Experimental Psychology Mathematics
and Tutor in Experimental Simon Robert Kemp
Psychology BA, MPhil, (PhD Cantab) Guido Ascari (BA Pavia,
Associate Professor in French MSc, PhD Warw) Professor
Jennifer Welsh MA, DPhil, and Tutor in French of Economics and Tutor in
(BA Saskatchewan) Professor Economics
of International Relations Alex David Rogers
(BSc, PhD Liv) Professor of Damian Tyler (MSci, PhD
Philip West MA, (PhD Conservation Biology and Nott) Associate Professor of
Cantab) Associate Professor Tutor in Biology Biomedical Science and Tutor
of English, Times Fellow and in Medicine
Tutor in English; Dean HT-TT Christopher Hare BCL, (Dip
d’Etudes Jurid Poitiers, MA Francesca Southerden
Julie Dickson MA, DPhil, Cantab, LLM Harvard) BA, MSt, DPhil Associate
(LLB Glasgow) Associate Associate Professor of Law Professor of Italian and Tutor
Professor of Law and Tutor and Tutor in Law in Italian
in Law
5Louise Mycock (BA Durh, Stephen Rayner MA, (PhD Tessa Rajak MA, DPhil Fernando de Juan Sanz
MA, PhD Manc) Associate Durham), FRAS, MInstP (DPhil Madrid) Fulford Junior
Professor of Linguistics and Senior Tutor, Tutor for Owen Rees MA, (PhD Research Fellow Condensed
Tutor in Linguistics (from April Graduates and Tutor for Cantab), ARCO Professor Matter Physics
2017) Admissions of Music
César Giraldo Herrera
Steven Herbert Simon (BSc Magister de los Andes
MA, (PhD Harvard) Bogota, DC Colombia, PhD
Professorial Senior Research Aberdeen) Victoria Maltby
Fellows Fellows Junior Research Fellow
Anthropology
Aditi Lahiri (PhD Brown, MA, Amalia Coldea (MA, PhD
Honorary Senior
PhD Calcutta) Professor of Cluj-Napoca) Research Fellow Anissa Kempf (MSc, PhD
Linguistics (ETH) Zurich) Fulford Junior
Colin Espie (BSc, MAppSci, Stephanie Dalley Research Fellow Medicine
Stephen Guy Pulman PhD, DSc(Med) Glas), FBPsS, MA, (MA Cantab, Hon PhD
MA, (MA, PhD Essex), FBA CPsychol Professor of London), FSA Lisa Lamberti (BSC Geneva,
Professor of Computational Behavioural Sleep Medicine MSc Copenhagen, PhD ETH
Linguistics Zurich) Mary Ewart Junior
Sir Marc Feldmann AC, Research Fellow Mathematics
Stephen Roberts MA, DPhil, (BSc(Med), MB BS, PhD,
Junior Research
FREng, FIET, FRSS, MIOP MD(Hon), DMSc(Hon)), FAA, Fellows James Larkin MBioChem,
RAEng-Man Professor of FMedSci, FRCP, FRCPath, (PhD Warwick) Fulford Junior
Machine Learning FRS Professor of Cellular Lucy Audley-Miller Research Fellow Medicine
Immunology MPhil, DPhil, (BA Newcastle)
Rajesh Thakker MA, DM, Woolley Junior Research Patricia Lockwood (BSc
(MA, MD Cantab), FRS, FRCP, Manuele Gragnolati MA, Fellow Archaeology and Bristol, PhD UCL) Fulford
FRCPath, FMedSci May (Laurea in Lettere Classiche, Ancient History Junior Research Fellow
Professor of Medicine Pavia, PhD Columbia, DEA Experimental Psychology
Paris) Mariano Beguerisse-Diaz
Stephen Weatherill MA, MSc, (PhD Imp Lond) Fulford Hania Pavlou DPhil,
(MA Cantab, MSc Edinburgh) Sarah Gurr MA, (BSc, PhD Junior Research Fellow (BSc (Hons) Toronto,
Jacques Delors Professor of London, ARCS, DIC) Applied Mathematics MRes Glasgow) Fulford
European Law Professor of Molecular Plant Junior Research Fellow
Pathology Corinne Betts DPhil Neurogenetics
Matthew John Andrew Fulford Junior Research
Wood MA, DPhil, (MB, ChB John Ingram (BSc KCL, Fellow Medical Sciences Kerstin Timm (PhD Cantab)
Cape Town) Professor of MSc Reading, PhD Fulford Junior Research
Neuroscience and Keeper of Wageningen NL) Julia Bird (BA Cantab, PhD Fellow Biomedical Sciences
the College Pictures Toulouse) Fulford Junior
Muhammad Kassim Javaid Research Fellow Economics Sebastian Vollmer (MSc,
(BMedSci, MBBS, PhD PhD Warwick) Fulford Junior
London), MRCP David Bowe BA, MSt, DPhil Research Fellow Statistics
Administrative Victoria Maltby Junior
Fellows Philip Kreager DPhil Research Fellow Medieval Edmund Wareham BA,
Italian Literature MSt Fulford Junior Research
Sara Kalim MA Director of Boris Motik (MSc Zagreb, Fellow Medieval and Modern
Development PhD Karlsruhe) Professor of Melissa Bowerman (BSc, Langs.
Computer Science PhD Ottawa) Fulford Junior
Anne Manuel Research Fellow Medicine Lauren Watson (BSc, BSc
(LLB Reading, MA, MSc, PhD Frans Plank (Statsexamen (Med), MSc (Med), PhD Cape
Bristol) Librarian, Archivist and Munich, MLitt Edin, MA Ana Sofia Cerdeira (MD, Town) Fulford Junior Research
Head of Information Services Regensburg, DPhil Hanover) PhD Porto and Harvard) Fellow Neuroscience
Fulford Junior Research
Andrew Parker (BA Philip Poole (BSc, PhD Fellow Medicine Davide Zilli (BEng, PhD
Liverpool), MA, ACMA Murdoch) Southampton) Fulford Junior
Treasurer Patrick Clibbens (BA, MPhil, Research Fellow Engineering
Mason Porter MA, (BS PhD Cantab) Mary Somerville Science
Caltech, MS, PhD Cornell) Junior Research Fellow
History
Michael Proffitt BA
6Nahid Zokaei (BSc, Miriam Tamara Griffin Carolyn Emma Kirkby Theresa Joyce Stewart
PhD UCL) Fulford Junior MA, DPhil DBE, OBE, MA, Hon DMus, (Mrs) MA
Research Fellow Experimental (Hon DMus Bath, Hon DLitt
Psychology Mary Jane Hands MA Salf), FGSM Baroness Lucy Neville-
Rolfe DBE, CMG, MA
Barbara Fitzgerald Harvey Joyce Maire Reynolds
CBE, MA, BLitt, FRHistS, FBA MA, (Hon DLitt Newcastle- Judith Ann Kathleen
British Academy upon-Tyne), FBA Howard CBE, DPhil, (BSc
Fellows Judith Heyer MA, (PhD Bristol), FRS
London) Hazel Mary Fox (Lady Fox)
Pippa Byrne BA, MSt, CMG, QC, MA Victoria Glendinning
DPhil British Academy Post- Julianne Mott Jack MA CBE, MA
doctoral Fellow Averil Millicent Cameron
Carole Jordan DBE, MA, DBE, MA, DLitt, (PhD Jennifer Jenkins (D. 2 Feb.
Holly Kennard BA, MPhil, (PhD London), FRS London), FBA, FSA 2017) DBE, Hon FRIBA, Hon
DPhil British Academy Post- FRICS, Hon MRTPI, MA
doctoral Fellow Norma MacManaway MA, Baroness O’Neill of
(MA, MPhil Dublin, DEA Paris) Bengarve CH, CBE, MA, Nicola Ralston (Mrs) BA
(PhD Harvard), Hon DCL,
Helen Morton MA, (MSc FBA, Hon FRS, FMedSci Antonia Byatt DBE, CBE,
Early Career Boston, MA Cantab) FRSL, BA
Fellows Kay Elizabeth Davies
Hilary Ockendon MA, DPhil, DBE, CBE, MA, DPhil, Anna Laura Momigliano
Siddharth Arora DPhil, (Hon DSc Southampton) (Hon DSc Victoria Canada), Lepschy MA, BLitt
(BTech DA-IICT) Parkinsons FMedSci, FRS
UK Early Career Fellow Josephine Peach BSc, MA, Rosalind Mary Marsden
DPhil Baroness Jay of DCMG, MA, DPhil
Maan Barua MSc, DPhil, Paddington PC, BA
(BSc Dibrugarh) British Frances Julia Stewart Sarah Broadie MA, BPhil,
Academy Early Career Fellow MA, DPhil Irangani Manel Abeysekera (PhD Edinburgh), FBA
(Mrs) MA
Adrianne Tooke MA, (BA Harriet Maunsell OBE, MA
Career London, PhD Cantab) Paula Pimlott Brownlee
MA, DPhil Mary Midgley MA
Development Fellow Angela Vincent MA, MB, BS,
(MSc London), FRS, FMedSci Julia Stretton Higgins Hilary Spurling CBE, BA
André Veiga (PhD Toulouse) DBE, CBE, MA, DPhil, Hon
Career Development Fellow DSc, FRS, CChem, FRSC, Catherine Jane Royle de
Economics CEng, FIM, FREng Camprubi MA
Foundation Fellows
Doreen Elizabeth Boyce Nancy Rothwell
Lady Margaret Elliott
Emeritus Fellows MBE, MA
MA, (PhD Pittsburgh) DBE, BSc, DS, (PhD London),
FMedSci, FRS
Margaret Adams MA, DPhil Sir Geoffrey Leigh Ruth Hilary Finnegan
OBE, MA, BLitt, DPhil, FBA Baroness Shriti Vadera
Pauline Adams MA, BLitt, PC, BA
Mr Gavin Ralston MA
(Dipl Lib Lond) Janet Margaret Bately
CBE, MA, FBA Elizabeth Mary Keegan
Lord Powell of Bayswater
Lesley Brown BPhil, MA KCMG, OBE DBE, MA
Margaret Kenyon (Mrs) MA
Marian Ellina Stamp Carole Hillenbrand OBE,
Mr Wafic Said
Dawkins CBE, MA, DPhil, Tamsyn Love Imison BA, (BA Cantab, PhD
FRS DBE, BSc, FRSA Edinburgh), FBA, FRSE,
FRAS, FRHistS
Katherine Duncan-Jones Honorary Fellows Clara Elizabeth Mary
MA, BLitt, FRSL Freeman (Mrs) OBE, MA Angela McLean BA, (MA
Baroness Williams of Berkeley, PhD Lond), FRS
Karin Erdmann MA, (Dr rer Crosby CH, PC, MA Jenny Glusker MA, DPhil
nat Giessen) Michele Moody-Adams BA,
Kiri Jeanette Te Kanawa Ann Rosamund Oakley (BA Wellesley, PhD Harvard)
DBE, Hon DMus MA, (PhD London, Hon DLitt
Salford), AcSS
7Judith Parker DBE, QC, MA Francesco Hautmann Betiel Wasihun (MA, PhD Alumni Relations
(Dottore in Fisica Florence) Heidelberg) German
Esther Rantzen DBE, Physics Liz Cooke MA
CBE, MA
Christian Hill (PhD Cantab)
Caroline Barron MA, (PhD Chemistry
Departmental Lisa Gygax MA
London), FRHistS Lecturers
William Laidlaw DPhil, (MA
Fiona Caldicott DBE, BM, Cantab) Chemistry Oren Margolis DPhil, (MA Conferences &
BCh, MA, MD (Hon), DSc KCL) History Catering
(Hon), FRCPsych, FRCP, Alison Lutton DPhil, (MA
FRCPI, FRCGP, FMedSci Edinburgh, MA Liverpool) Marco Scutari (MSc, PhD Dave Simpson
English Padua) Statistics
Emma Rothschild CMG, MA
Quentin Miller Shaina Western (BA
Venkatraman DPhil, (BMath Waterloo, Whitworth, PhD California at Treasury
Ramakrishnan Kt, (BSc Canada) Computer Science Davis) International Relations
Baroda, PhD Ohio), Nobel Elaine Boorman
Laureate, FRS (President) Ain Neuhaus DPhil Medicine College Accountant
Tessa Ross CBE, BA Mark Roberts MBioch, DPhil
Lecturer in Medicine
Biochemistry
Helen Ashdown IT
Joanna Haigh CBE, MA,
BM, BCh, (MA Cantab),
DPhil, FRS, FRMetS Elena Seiradake (PhD
MRCP, MRCPG, DCH, PGDip Chris Bamber Systems
Heidelberg) Biochemistry Manager
Janet Vaughan Tutor in
Akua Kuenyehia BCL, (LLB
Clinical Medicine
University of Ghana) Benjamin Skipp MA, MSt,
DPhil Music
Baroness Wolf of Dulwich Porters’ Lodge
CBE, BA, MPhil Graeme Smith MPhys, DPhil Academic Office
Physics Mark Ealey Lodge Manager
Lorna Margaret Hutson Joanne Ockwell (BA, MA
BA, DPhil, FBA Stephen Smith BA, University of Gloucester)
MPhil, (MA Open) Classical Academic Registrar Chapel
Caroline Mary Series Archaeology
BA, (PhD Harvard), FRS Claire Cockcroft MA, (PhD Brian McMahon MA, MSt,
Pauline Souleau DPhil, (BA, Cantab), FRSB Programme (MA Essex) Director
Sacha Romanovitch BA MA Paris-Sorbonne (Paris IV)) Director, Margaret Thatcher
French Scholarship Trust
Zachary Vermeer Music
Stipendiary BCL, MSt, (BA Sydney) Law
Lecturers
Library Will Dawes (PGDip RAM,
Timothy Walker BMus (Hons) Edinburgh)
Susan Elizabeth Purver MA Director of Chapel Music
Sophie Bocksberger MA Plant Sciences
DPhil Classics
Matthew Roper MA, (MA Hilary Davan Wetton MA
Durham) Senior Music Associate
Nicola Byrom DPhil, (BSc
Nottingham) Psychology
Retaining Fee
Lectures Development
Joseph Camm MEng Further details of all
Engineering Richard Ashdowne Office administrative staff
MA, DPhil Linguistics are to be found on the
Yvonne Couch MSc, DPhil Brett de Gaynesford College website.
Medicine Vilma de Gasperin (BA, College of William
DPhil, (Laurea Padua) & Mary, USA) Deputy
Xon de Ros DPhil, (Fellow of Modern Languages Development Director
LMH) Spanish
Catherine Mary MacRobert
Alessandro di Nicola BPhil, MA, DPhil Russian
DPhil Philosophy
8Principal’s Report
It is a pleasure for me to report on another remarkable year
at Somerville, at the end of my own final year as Principal.
Our undergraduate finalists have been well represented
among the top results in the University; and the proportion
of candidates placing Somerville as their first choice of
college at Oxford continues to grow. The College prides
itself also on our insistence that every student can succeed
despite the inevitable crop of difficulties with personal and
health problems: at Somerville, once a student is admitted
to study here, we are committed to giving them all possible
support. That commitment does not necessarily bring the
reward of a high ranking in the Norrington table (where
First-class degrees score disproportionately), but it ensures
a consistent record of good degrees at the level of Firsts
and 2:1s, giving all our graduates the basis for future
success. Meanwhile, it is gratifying to see the numbers of
exceptionally high academic scores and university prizes
increase each year.
It is also a matter for pride that our tutors and support
staff continue to win awards from their departments and
from OUSU, the student union. This year two tutors, Drs
Siddharth Arora and Quentin Miller, won OUSU awards
respectively as best lecturer in social sciences and best
tutor in the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences
Division, and our Academic Registrar who also deals
with disability issues, Jo Ockwell, was recognised for her
outstanding work in student support. Computer scientist Dr
Miller summed up: ‘That three awards this year have gone
to Somerville is no mere coincidence. The environment is so
focused on teaching and learning, it’s impossible not to be Alice Prochaska
continually caught up in the buzz of it. I feel very lucky to be
part of it all’.
The College’s Governing Body has paid particular attention figure in the Higher Horizons consortium, centred on Stoke
to strategy in this year of transition between Principals, and on Trent, which pursues a similar goal, supported by a grant
raising academic standards is one plank in that strategy. In from the Higher Education Funding Council for England
September 2016, a strategic review of progress over the (HEFCE).
past five years noted that the College had also taken great
strides in creating a congenial working environment for Underpinning the progress of the College in all ways has
both academic and support staff. A survey of support staff been a determined fund-raising strategy: with the result
opinion showed 93% positive about Somerville as a place to that Somerville’s endowment has risen by about 80% since
work, compared with 75% in the previous survey, taken in 2010. Thanks in part to our loyal alumni (participating in
2012. An active policy of tackling any form of harassment, numbers well above the Oxford average) we are now better
whether among students or staff, had clearly borne fruit. able to support students financially; although there is still
so much more that needs to be done, in this era of rising
Our academic policy, led by Senior Tutor Dr Steve Rayner, fees and interest rates. It has been one of the greatest
is geared both to fostering the development of Somerville pleasures (and a constant challenge) for me as Principal, to
students and to enhancing opportunities for access to meet alumni and other people in different parts of the world
university, among communities not traditionally represented who can help the College – and therefore our students – to
here. This year for the second year running, Somerville realise our aspirations. In the past year, my travels have
hosted the “Universify” free summer school for students taken me to India (for the seventh visit during my tenure)
from some of the poorest schools in areas linked to the and Singapore. I met with the warmest of welcomes in both
College. It is designed to encourage Year 10 students to places, from alumni and new friends alike. The staff of our
aspire to university and so to motivate them to do as well as Development Office led by Sara Kalim have been the key to
possible in their GCSE exams. Dr Rayner is also a leading our success, consistently bringing in more funds each year
9than most Oxford colleges, and they have been a joy to are particularly grateful for the support of the Indian High
work with. Commission in London and the official representatives of
the Government of India, successive High Commissioners
In 2016-17 the Margaret Thatcher Scholarship Trust and Lord Bilimoria, for their consistent support. Sadly,
awarded its first scholarships. The purpose of the Trust the Research Director Dr Alfred Gathorne-Hardy left us in
is to provide a living legacy for Britain’s first woman and July 2017 to move on to new roles. He deserves the main
first scientist to become prime minister, by offering full credit for getting the Centre established, running its regular
scholarships at undergraduate and postgraduate level to seminars and lunch meetings, and melding its first scholars
the most excellent students from any part of the world, into a cohesive body. Each one of them has benefited from
regardless of political, social or cultural background and Alfy’s personal mentoring and the many opportunities for
beliefs. The scheme echoes the support that Somerville professional development that he set up. During the past
provided to Margaret Thatcher herself as an undergraduate year Professor Alex Rogers added to his many other duties
of modest means. In the same spirit, the Trust also provides by acting as the interim overall director of the Centre; and
Thatcher Development Awards, typically of about £2,000, an exciting new appointment will be announced shortly.
for students and recent graduates to pursue innovative
projects developing their personal and professional skills, Somerville’s dynamic academic community has added
with the proviso that the projects should provide some or is about to add several new Tutorial Fellows. We
kind of benefit to other people. The Trust was delighted are sad to lose philosopher Professor Hilary Greaves,
to welcome Dr Claire Cockcroft as our programme moving on to a senior level fellowship at Merton College,
director in January, and she has been working with and and we congratulate physicist Professor Steven Simon
mentoring Somerville students in pursuit of the development on taking up his senior research position in the Physics
programme. Department, though happily he continues as a Fellow of
Somerville. Professor Mason Porter, former tutorial Fellow
To date, we have awarded eight full scholarships, ensuring in Mathematics, who has moved to UCLA, continues
that the recipients will leave Somerville at the end of their his affiliation as a Senior Research Fellow. This year we
courses free from debt; and eight Somerville students are welcomed Elena Seiradake in Biochemistry, Dr Louise
receiving Thatcher Development Awards. The programme Mycock in Linguistics (a new post), and Dr Mari Mikkola and
mirrors some of the College’s leading characteristics of Dr Renaud Lambiotte will be taking up their appointments
internationalism, inclusion and voluntary activity. Recipients respectively in Philosophy and Mathematics in Michaelmas
of full scholarships include an undergraduate from Vietnam Term. Dr Vivien Parmentier will join the College in 2018
and a postgraduate from Malaysia, as well as British as Fellow and Tutor in Physics. It is a pleasure also to
students from state school backgrounds. The development congratulate Somerville’s Fellows on several awards and
awards to date include the following: volunteering in a prizes, including the appointment of Professor Aditi Lahiri
refugee camp in Kenya; a biology expedition and the as a vice-president of the British Academy. An important
establishment of a Science and Society Club at Somerville; part of the community are the Junior Research Fellows,
the establishment of an India-Pakistan Arts/Politics described later in this report.
Collective; volunteering in Peru; producing a show at the
Edinburgh Festival; the establishment of a conference and Music and the arts have flourished during the year, with
a mediaevalists’ discussion group; an event promoting a new director of Chapel Music, William Dawes, who
sustainable food production and waste reduction in College; joined in January, already making plans to take the choir
and bystander intervention training for College students. on tour to India and Senior Music Associate Hilary Davan
Wetton presiding over the resurgent College orchestra.
The Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development Somervillians have been well represented in drama and
enjoyed another year of growth. Following last year’s highly comedy groups at the Edinburgh Festival, where this year’s
successful conference in Oxford on “Nutrition, Power and offerings also included a one-woman show by Somervillian
the Environment”, a further conference was held in Delhi, alumna Alison Skilbeck, on Shakespeare’s crones.
and several satellite research projects are in progress.
Two Indira Gandhi Scholars and the HSA Scholar in Law Coincidentally, the Royal Bank of Scotland chose a day
gained distinctions in their masters courses, and all three during the Festival to launch their new £10 banknote
are going on to further research degrees at Somerville. On featuring Mary Somerville. Brigitte Stenhouse gave a talk
17 November we celebrated the 150th anniversary of the at the launch party, her swansong as a valued member of
birth of pioneering lawyer Cornelia Sorabji at a reception Development Office staff before moving on to do a PhD
at India House in London. Speakers included the acting on the mathematics of Mary Somerville. This was a year
High Commissioner Dinesh Patnaik, the past and present for honouring the College’s eponymous heroine. In May
Deans of the Oxford Law Faculty and an eloquent personal the noted biographer Richard Holmes gave the Bryce
tribute to his aunt from her biographer Professor Sir Richard Lecture on “The Mary Somerville connexion” to a large
Sorabji. Our two first law scholars, Navya Jannu and Divya and appreciative audience. Earlier, we received news of a
Sharma (the Cornelia Sorabji scholar), spoke movingly generous gift. Mrs Emma Lambe and her two daughters,
about the opportunity that our benefactors have given them. lateral descendants of Mary Somerville through her brother
Henry Fairfax, are presenting the College with a collection
The Centre continues to develop its potential to enter into of Mrs Somerville’s own books, several paintings by her and
partnerships supporting scholarships and research, with one attributed to her drawing master Alexander Nasmyth,
a new building to house its work still a long-term goal. We and her personal collection of shells in their original cabinet.
10The latter is especially iconic because the young Mary memory, Somerville will be able to accommodate all its
Fairfax nurtured her interest in mathematics and the patterns undergraduate students for the whole of their course,
of the universe by studying the shells on her native seashore and all first-year graduates. We are fortunate in that all of
near Jedburgh. These newly acquired treasures will be on this accommodation will be on site, a huge advantage in
display in the Mary Somerville Room, once the JCR and bringing the College community together.
more recently the College bar. It has been transformed
into an elegant space for special events and gatherings This has been a year of last times and farewells for me
in the College, thanks in part to a generous legacy by personally. I am deeply grateful for the great privilege and
the late Honorary Fellow Ruth Thompson, who is herself delight of leading the College for the past seven years.
commemorated in a named room in the Library. Librarian I thank those who have supported me and shared the
and Archivist Anne Manuel, who is also head of IT systems, journey: alumni, Fellows, staff in all departments, trustees
has added the title Keeper of College Collections to her and board members within and beyond the College and
portfolio and presides over this and other transformations. above all, the many hundreds of students who have made
up this vibrant college community and shared with me
The fortunes of the College have been transformed not their hopes, fears and extraordinary talents. As my ever-
only by fund-raising but also by the wise stewardship and supportive husband Frank and I take our leave, we send
innovative management of our Treasurer Andrew Parker. our very best wishes for the future to all our friends in the
The College has raised a highly favourable loan for new Somerville community and especially to my successor,
building, and work is under way on the Catherine Hughes Jan Royall.
building. From 2019 onwards, for the first time in recent
Jan Royall, Baroness Royall of Blaisdon, has been
elected Principal to succeed Dr Alice Prochaska, who
retired in August 2017.
As a graduate of London University, Westfield College, with
no history in Oxford, Jan brings a fresh perspective as well
as energy and enthusiasm to her new role.
After graduating in Spanish and French Jan worked briefly
in the commercial world before beginning a life-long career
in politics. She worked in the European Parliament for six
years, and then in the House of Commons for Lord Kinnock
who was Leader of the Opposition. This was followed
by ten years in the European Commission before her
appointment to the House of Lords in 2004. She served
as a Government Spokesperson on health, foreign affairs
and international development under Tony Blair and joined
Gordon Brown’s Government as Chief Whip. In 2008
Gordon Brown appointed her to his cabinet as Leader of
the Lords and Lord President of the Council. After the 2010
election she became Leader of the Opposition in the Lords
until she resigned in 2015.
Jan’s long experience inside and outside Government in
foreign affairs and the European Union will be invaluable
to Somerville as our country and our universities engage
in new networks and new relationships in the post-Brexit
world. Much of her work in other parts of the globe
has focused on women, young people, education and
democracy-building.
In this country Jan has worked a great deal on diversity, Jan Royall
social inclusion, mental health, health, domestic violence
and citizenship. She is passionate about young people and
their potential. Until recently she was Pro-Chancellor of the
University of Bath and she is engaged in many charities and Jan is chair of the People’s History Museum and a visiting
organisations that work with young people, for example City professor of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at
Year UK, the NCS, Uprising and Step Up To Serve. Imperial College, London.
11Fellows’ and Lecturers’ Activities
Biological Sciences Classics macroeconomic models imply that
the effect of monetary and fiscal
In July to August 2016 Alex Rogers Beate Dignas’s research continues policies on the economy depends on
was Chief Scientist on the Nekton/ to focus on the religious landscape of agents’ expectations about the future.
XL Catlin Deep-Ocean Survey to pre-Attalid and Hellenistic Pergamon. How monetary and fiscal policies
Bermuda where he discovered deep- Currently she is participating in interact to determine macroeconomic
sea coral gardens and the deepest a project entitled ‘Materiality in equilibrium depends on the interplay
observations of invasive lionfish. Hellenistic Ruler Cults’, contributing between expectations and policies.
Over the course of 2016 and 2017 with a focus on the agency and The understanding of this interaction
Alex has authored or co-authored funding involved in honours for Attalid is crucial to identify the effect of
27 peer-reviewed papers on various kings, as well as working on a study of policies. For example, a paper co-
aspects of coral reef and deep-sea the worship of Dionysus at Pergamon. authored by Guido, P. Bonomolo and
ecology. Alex also contributed to She has been collaborating with Dr H. Lopes shows that allowing for
two chapters in the UN’s First Ocean Lucy Audley-Miller on ‘Wandering time-variation in the way agents form
Assessment and completed a report Myths: Cross-Cultural Uses of Myth their expectations could generate
for the UN Division of Oceans and in the Ancient World’, based on the rational expectations equilibria that
Law of the Sea on implementation of international conference both held feature temporary unstable, but
UN General Assembly Resolutions on at Somerville in 2014 and soon to asymptotically stable, dynamics, and
management of deep-sea fisheries. be published by De Gruyter. She is this framework is applied to study
He also participated in a workshop on also editing the ‘ancient’ volume in a inflation dynamics. Another paper
the Paris Climate Agreement hosted six-volume Cultural History of Memory co-authored by Guido, A. Florio and
by National Geographic in Washington commissioned by Bloomsbury. Faculty A. Gobbi studied how expectations of
DC, gave a guest lecture at the Royal and college duties have filled the past future changes in monetary and fiscal
College of Defence Studies and gave year with chairing exams, and looking policy affect the dynamic behaviour of
the Stanley Gray Lecture for 2017 for after the graduate Oxford-Princeton the economy and its current response
the Institute of Marine Engineering, links as well as three flourishing of monetary and fiscal policies. More
Science and Technology at Lloyds Somerville Classics courses: Literae info at: https://sites.google.com/site/
Registry. He also taught on courses Humaniores, Ancient and Modern guidoascari/. Guido presented the
in Adaptations, Marine Ecology History, and Classical Archaeology and above papers and other works at
and Ecology and led the First Year Ancient History. various seminars and conferences,
Biological Sciences Fieldcourse. Alex Luke Pitcher spent the year as and in talks at several central banks
continued as Director of Somerville’s University Assessor. He provided (Bank of Finland, De Nederlandsche
Oxford India Centre for Sustainable oversight of the central Committees, Bank, Norges Bank, Riksbank, Fed
Development. ruled on Hardship cases, and, on of Chicago, Kansas City and New
one memorable evening, stood in for York). He gave a plenary address to
Renier van der Hoorn has continued
the Vice-Chancellor at the Zaharoff the RCEA 8th Money-Macro-Finance
research programs on plant disease
Lecture. He delivered the University workshop, 18-19 May 2017, and
and molecular pharming with his
Latin Sermon at St Mary the Virgin presented a paper at the National
research team using funding from the
again in January: having chosen Bureau of Economic Research
ERC, John Fell Fund, Oxford-India
the story of Martha for his text on Summer Institute in Boston. He was
Centre, Clarendon Fund, BBSRC and
the previous occasion, he retold the visiting professor at the Dutch Central
Syngenta. According to Thomson
tale of Judith and Holofernes (with a Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank).
Reuters, he is one of only a few
Highly Cited Researchers in Plant digression on the Temptation of St
and Animal Sciences in 2016. There Anthony) this time around. He also Engineering
are only sixteen scientists in the UK published a revised version of his
commentary on the fragmentary Greek Richard Stone is very pleased to
having that title, two of them from
historian Artemon of Pergamum for report that Engineering at Somerville
Oxford. He has also obtained a grant
Brill’s New Jacoby. continues to flourish. This year we had
from the European Commission to
three of the six engineers graduating
collaborate within a European network
with First Class degrees and there
on improving plant-based expression Economics were also very good examination
platforms for the production of
Guido Ascari’s research focused results in the first three years, with
pharmaceuticals. He is organising the
on understanding of the interaction three or four students in the top
International Conference on Chemical
between expectations and forty of each year. Combustion work
Proteomics at Somerville College,
macroeconomics policies. Dynamic continues with EPSRC and industrial
planned for March 2018.
funding, and a major activity is using
12Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) to Humanities group. Apart from love working with manuscripts in the
measure the flows in two dimensions trees, I have published an essay on Bodleian Library and elsewhere, and
during induction and compression the Solway in an OUP collection, has recently become a member of the
within the optical access engine; Coastal Works, and continue to Humanities Palaeography Committee.
these measurements can be taken work on the Oxford History of
8000 times per second, and a single Romantic Literature. The Bicentenary
run generates about six gigabytes of Jane Austen’s death has prompted
Experimental Psychology
of data. This poses challenges with several lectures and Yale UP have Professor Charles Spence has been
data analysis and how best to make published a revised edition of my working to establish Gastrophysics:
comparisons with the computational biography, Jane Austen: A Brief Life. The New Science of Eating as a
predictions. I’ve had the pleasure of taking two discipline. He recently published a
more groups of Somerville students to popular science book on this theme
Stephen Roberts continues
Chawton – with fine, bright weather on with Penguin. He has also been
to research the application of
both occasions. I’ve also been Chair working closely with chefs such as
large-scale machine learning to
of the MSt examination in English, Jozef Youssef at his dining space
scientific, commercial and industrial
convenor of the Romantic Research Kitchen Theory in High Barnet.
domains. His current major interests
Seminar and host of the Astor Visiting Following the sudden closure of the
include the application of machine
Lecturer.’ Psychology Department (due to the
learning to huge astrophysical data
discovery of asbestos) his Crossmodal
sets (for discovering exoplanets, Annie Sutherland’s monograph
Research Group are currently without
pulsars and cosmological models), English Psalms in the Middle Ages
lab facilities and so doing lots of
biodiversity monitoring (for detecting (OUP, 2015) won this year’s Beatrice
research online and ‘in the wild’.
changes in ecology and spread of White Prize. Awarded annually by
disease), smart networks (for reducing the English Association, the prize
energy consumption and impact), recognises outstanding scholarly History
sensor networks (to better acquire and work in the field of English literature Joanna Innes had significant
model complex events) and finance before 1590. The year has also seen administrative duties this year, as
(to provide better insight into time the publication of two essays on the Vice-Chair of the Faculty Board, and
series and aggregate large numbers of Psalms in edited volumes, and the in Hilary Term as Acting Principal
unstructured information streams). He completion of work on two further during Alice Prochaska’s sabbatical.
continues as Director of the Oxford- essays on devotional literature, both ‘It was interesting to see the College
Man Institute of Quantitative Finance to be published in 2018. In addition, and University from a fresh angle. In
and as a Faculty Fellow of the Alan Annie has worked intensively on her what free time I had, I completed work
Turing Institute. editorial project for Exeter University editing a collection of essays, Suffering
Press, presenting two papers on this and Happiness in England 1550-1850,
Bhaskar Choubey continued working
ongoing research over the course co-edited with Michael J. Braddick, and
in the field of microelectronics for
of the year. She has continued to due out in August, and continued work
better sensor design for commercial
enjoy and be challenged by teaching on the international collaborative “Re-
as well as biomedical applications.
and examining at graduate and imagining Democracy” project, which
This has led to new sensor as well as
undergraduate level. is now focusing on Latin America and
readout designs for digital cameras
and electromechanical systems. In This year Philip West has taken the Caribbean. I continued to serve as
addition, he also started an activity on on the Deanship, an office which History Delegate for Oxford University
better design of nano-systems. He is affords insights into many areas of Press, and as a member of its Finance
serving on the IEEE Working Group on life at Somerville – not all of them, and Audit Committees.’
ICT in Europe, advising policy makers thankfully, to do with discipline. One of Oren Margolis published his first
at European level. the happiest aspects of the role has monograph (The Politics of Culture
been working with our excellent Junior in Quattrocento Europe) in Trinity
Deans and with the members of the
English College’s administrative staff who do
Term 2016 and the book has been
named proxime accessit for the Royal
Fiona Stafford writes: ‘Since the so much to keep the College running Historical Society’s Gladstone Prize.
publication of The Long, Long Life smoothly, in particular the Executive Oren has found the past academic
of Trees in August 2016, I’ve been Assistant to Fellows, Karen Mason, year both enjoyable and productive
very busy with radio interviews, and our Academic Registrar, Jo as he got to move on to new things:
conferences and literary festivals. One Ockwell. An article on ‘The Drama of working on his new project, a cultural
of the nicest things about the book is James Shirley’s Poems’ was published history of the Aldine Press; continuing
that it has enabled me to work with a earlier in the year, and Phil is now to make forays into the history of
former Somervillian, Matt Larsen-Daw, writing a co-authored article about history-writing (an ongoing interest);
who is spearheading the Woodland punctuation in seventeenth-century and delivering a large number of
Trust’s campaign to launch a National poetry for a forthcoming collection of conference and seminar papers
Charter for Trees in November essays. He is also putting the finishing on these various themes. He was
2017. I’ve also been contributing to a touches to his critical edition of James awarded a Lambarde grant from the
new TORCH Environmental Shirley’s poems. He continues to Society of Antiquaries for research
13in Rome on the development in the Law Linguistics
Renaissance of the papal title pontifex
maximus. He also collaborated with Dr Julie Dickson has continued Louise Mycock joined Somerville on
his fellow British School at Rome with her research work in legal 1 April 2017 and since then has had
awardee, contemporary artist Candida philosophy. She completed an article, an article accepted for publication
Powell-Williams, on her Arts Council entitled ‘Why General Jurisprudence in the journal English Language and
England-funded exhibition ‘The is Interesting’, which is shortly to be Linguistics. She ran a college taster
Vernacular History of the Golden published by the Mexican philosophy session on Linguistics for a group of
Rhubarb’ at the Bosse & Baum gallery, journal Critica. In Trinity Term 2017 Year 10 students and their teachers
London – hopefully the first of many she had a term of sabbatical leave in May, and participated in the two
collaborations to come. and wrote three chapters of her college Open Days in June to promote
forthcoming book, Elucidating Law: Linguistics to prospective students.
Natalia Nowakowska is now in The Philosophy of Legal Philosophy.
the fourth year of leading an EU- Dr Dickson continued to enjoy her
funded project entitled Jagiellonians: teaching for the college in legal
Mathematics and
Dynasty, Memory and Identity in philosophy and in European Union Statistics
Central Europe. This has been a Law, and she is very proud of the
year of juggling books. Natalia has Dan Ciubotaru received an
performance of the Somerville
been preparing for publication the individual teaching award from the
undergraduate and postgraduate
project’s first book, a collection of MPLS this year. His research is in
students who completed finals this
essays entitled Remembering the representation theory, an area of
summer, and who achieved some
Jagiellonians (Routledge, spring mathematics concerned with the
fantastic results including several
2018). The book traces how this study of symmetries. He is particularly
Law Faculty prizes for the best
major Renaissance dynasty has been interested in unitary representations
performance in the year across the
remembered in a dozen different of reductive Lie groups and Hecke
collegiate university.
European countries, from the sixteenth algebras in the framework of the local
century to the present day. Natalia’s Professor Stephen Weatherill has Langlands correspondence.
book on the early Reformation in spent most of the academic year
Jonathan Marchini has continued
Poland is also set to appear later in looking down the back of the sofa for
to pursue the research funded by his
2017, to coincide with the Luther a trade deal between the UK and the
ERC Consolidator Award to develop
Year, the 500th anniversary of the EU that will deliver to the UK the exact
statistical methods for uncovering
Reformation (1517/2017). The book is same benefits as membership of the
structure in high-dimensional datasets
entitled King Sigismund of Poland and EU, sorting through the recycling in the
in human genetics and neuroscience.
Martin Luther, and is being published hope of finding super new free trade
This year a main focus has been the
by Oxford University Press in agreements between the UK and
research related to the UK Biobank
December. Natalia has also spoken at India, the USA and Australia while also
project (http://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/)
an international conference in Bruges, greeting with glee the vast injections
which has collected genetic data on
delivered a public lecture in London of new cash into the NHS. So far he’s
500,000 UK individuals. His research
and undertaken two very illuminating been disappointed, but he does think
group has been responsible for
research trips to Vilnius and Prague. he might have spotted a few unicorns
estimation of haplotypes (paternally
along the way. In the meantime, in a
Benjamin Thompson has continued and maternally inherited DNA) for
spirit of hoping things will somehow
the process of implementing History all the individuals, and for using his
work out fine in the end, he has
curriculum reform as Director of methods to predict genetic data
seen four books published in the
Undergraduate Studies in History. unobserved by the assay used to
last twelve months: Law and Values
Taking advantage of what may be a collect the data. This work will be
in the European Union (Clarendon
last opportunity to use ERASMUS published towards the end of 2017.
Law Series), The Internal Market as
funding and engage in European a Legal Concept (OUP), Contract Quentin Miller also received an
solidarity, he went to Lisbon to teach Law of the Internal Market (Intersentia individual teaching award. His
about the late medieval church. Publishing) and Principles and Practice research interests include the design
Thinking about Time and Temporality of EU Sports Law (OUP). He has and implementation of programming
for the medievalists’ project has been continued to teach at undergraduate languages, and language support for
curious in these turbulent times, and postgraduate levels while also parallel processing.
and with big changes ahead for the supervising seven research students,
Somerville History School. and he shares the general delight at
the success of the Somerville finalists
in Law in 2017.
14Medicine Damian Tyler has enjoyed his first
year teaching in Somerville and several
Helen Ashdown’s main focus this of his students have won awards
year has been her ongoing research and distinctions. His research team
into blood eosinophils in chronic has successfully undertaken the first
obstructive pulmonary disease. In human experiments using the novel
particular, she is leading a clinical technique of hyperpolarized magnetic
study which is now recruiting patients resonance imaging for the assessment
from across Oxfordshire. She has of cardiac metabolism. This emerging
also published papers on the clinical technique makes it possible to image
features of whooping cough, and how the heart turns the fuels we eat
the workload of NHS GPs. She (like sugars and fats) into the energy
has recently taken over as national we need to keep our hearts beating.
research lead for the Primary Care It is believed that alterations in the
Respiratory Society UK, and has balance between the use of fats and
chaired the South West Regional sugars may underlie many diseases
Conference of the Society for of the heart and so this new imaging
Academic Primary Care. In March she modality may provide a sensitive way
welcomed the arrival of her daughter to diagnose heart disease and to help
Elizabeth – just in time to attend the monitor its treatment. Francesca Southerden
conference with her!
Vanessa Ferreira is Associate
Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine
Modern Languages
and Deputy Clinical Director of OCMR. Simon Kemp has two new books Sbornik statej pamjati V.M. Zagrebina’
She is an Honorary Consultant coming out this year. The first is a (1942-2004), edited by Ž. L. Levšina
Cardiologist, and Clinical Lecturer monograph entitled Writing the Mind: et al. (St Petersburg: Rossijskaja
at Somerville, and for the past year Representing Consciousness from Nacional’naja Biblioteka, 2016)
has been continuing research using Proust to the Present, published this (https://vivaldi.nlr.ru/bx000008288/
cardiac MRI to study the human summer with Routledge. It ventures view). She also gave a paper on
heart. She has published seven towards a literary history of the mind ‘Uses of perfective non-past forms
scientific papers and one news article, over a century of European culture, in early Church Slavonic homilies’ at
completed two book chapters and examining how psychological novels a conference, ‘St. Clement of Ohrid
two consensus papers. Vanessa change through the century with in the Culture of Europe’, at the
has submitted two major grant the rise and fall of psychoanalysis, University of Sofia in November 2016.
applications this year and is actively existentialism, and behaviourism,
Since joining Somerville as the
involved in committee work and on the decline of religious belief and the
new Fellow in Italian, Francesca
external Boards. advent of cognitive science. It’s the
Southerden has presented her
first of a projected trilogy, so he is now
Victoria Stokes was awarded a research on medieval Italian poetry
hard at work on the second volume,
Wellcome Trust Clinical Research at conferences and workshops in
looking at theories of consciousness
Training Fellowship in 2016 for her Paris and Berlin, as well as in Oxford.
and literary criticism. Secondly, as
DPhil project entitled ‘The Role of In May, she travelled to Eugene,
part of his role as Schools Liaison
the Adaptor Protein-2 Sigma Subunit Oregon, for the annual meeting of the
and Outreach Officer for the French
(AP2) in Calcium Homeostasis’. She Dante Society of America, of which
sub-faculty, he has been involved with
is exploring the biology of G-Protein she is an elected member of the
Oxford University Press’s plans to
Coupled Receptor (GPCR) function, Council. Together with her colleague
create study guides for French texts in
focusing on the calcium sensing in medieval Italian, Elena Lombardi
response to the recent changes in the
receptor (CaSR). Loss-of-function (Balliol College), she has been
A-level syllabus, firstly as a consultant,
and gain-of-function mutations to convening the ‘Cavalcanti Reading
and then as the writer of one of the
the CaSR result in hypercalcaemia Group’, which has attracted a lively
first volumes, a companion to Camus’s
and hypocalcaemia, relevant to her and committed group of scholars
L’Étranger.
background as a Specialist Registrar and graduate students. She has
in Diabetes and Endocrinology. She is Mary MacRobert has published ‘The completed a forthcoming article on
studying the CaSR signalling pathway place of the Mihanovi Psalter in the Petrarch’s ‘Art of Rambling’, and is
and its components, focusing on the fourteenth-century revised versions of working on finishing a monograph
role of the adaptor protein-2 sigma the Church Slavonic Psalter’ in volume entitled Dante and Petrarch in the
subunit which is involved in clathrin VI of Studia Ceranea (2016) (http:// Garden of Language, which brings
mediated endocytosis of the CaSR. ceraneum.uni.lodz.pl/s-ceranea/ together her interests in language,
She teaches undergraduate and spis-tomow), and ‘The enigmatic desire, subjectivity, and poetic space.
postgraduate medical students at Athens Psalter (Greek National Library, As a longstanding member of the
Somerville. MS 1797)’ in “Slova I zolota vjaz’”. Somerville Medievalist Research
15Group, she is delighted to have for Philosophy; and was involved Emeritus Fellow
participated in this year’s meetings in the search for Somerville’s new
alongside her colleagues in Modern Principal. Her article ‘Vice in the Judith Heyer has been continuing to
Languages, English, and History. Nicomachean Ethics’ appeared in the write and lecture on different issues
journal Phronesis early in the year; emerging from the village data that she
Almut Suerbaum has chaired the has been collecting over the last three
another longer piece, ‘Spicy Food
Final Honours Schools for Modern decades or so, spending the winter
as Cause of Death: Coincidence
Languages and the six joint schools, months in South India and the rest
and Necessity in Metaphysics E2-
which has been complex, but also of the year in Oxford. In 2016-17 she
3’ will appear in Oxford Studies in
fascinating – from oral exams to has published: ‘Rural Gounders on the
Ancient Philosophy vol. 52 (2017).
making sure that theses, dissertations Move in Western Tamil Nadu: 1981/2
‘Deliberation and Decision in the
and portfolios went to the right to 2008/9’, in P.J. Himanshu and G.
Magna Moralia and Eudemian Ethics’
readers, from calming nerves of Rogers (eds.), Longitudinal Research
is forthcoming in Brink, Sauvé-Meyer
candidates and examiners to chairing in Village India: Methods and Findings
and Shields (eds.), Virtue, Happiness
meetings. She has given invited (New Delhi, India: Oxford University
and Knowledge: Essays for Gail Fine
lectures in Berlin, Bonn, Freiburg, Press, 2016), and ‘Loosening the Ties
and Terence Irwin (Oxford: Oxford
Helmstedt and Zurich, mostly on of Patriarchy with Agrarian Transition
University Press, 2017). In December
medieval religious song and mystical in Coimbatore Villages: 1981/2 -
2016, Karen gave the keynote talk
theology – a welcome counterpart, as 2008/9’, in B. Mohanty (ed.), Critical
at an international conference for
were the meetings of the Somerville Perspectives in Agrarian Transition:
younger ancient philosophers at the
Medieval Research group, whose India in the Global Debate (New Delhi,
Humboldt in Berlin, and in September
members were enormously pleased India: Routledge, 2016).
2016 gave a talk at the Southern
to be afforced by Francesca
Association for Ancient Philosophy at
Southerden, Somerville’s Fellow in
Cambridge. Karen waits to see how
Italian.
Brexit negotiations will impact her
legal status in the UK and suspects
Philosophy she will have to seek legal help.
This has been a year of transition
for Philosophy at Somerville. In Physics
September, Alessandro di Nicola Steve Simon spent much of
concludes his two-year stint as the spring/summer as a Visiting
Lecturer, and in October we will Professor at the Niels Bohr Institute in
welcome our new Tutorial Fellow, Copenhagen.
Mari Mikkola, a specialist in feminist
philosophy, who will join us from
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. We Honorary Senior
will then start a new and exciting Research Fellow
chapter in the history of Philosophy
at Somerville. Our students have Stephanie Dalley has given several
been delivering excellent results lectures on the Hanging Garden
in prelims and finals this year, with of Babylon, including one at the
distinctions for Somervillians in Trondheim Arts Festival; her book on
Maths and Philosophy, Physics and the Mystery of the Hanging Garden
Philosophy, and PPE, and firsts for (OUP, 2013) is now published in
students specializing in Philosophy Arabic by Beisan Press (Beirut),
for Greats and PPE finals. The past translated by Najwa Nasr. She
year has involved Karen Nielsen went to Basra (southern Iraq) for
in a hefty amount of administrative the opening of the new museum
work: she served on appointment of antiquities, spoke at a small
committees for a University Lecturer conference, and visited the site of Ur,
Nicola Ralston (1974, History, Honorary
in Ancient Philosophy at Brasenose, and the revived marshes, which now
Fellow) and Gavin Ralston (Foundation
and for the CUF in Feminist and cover an area the size of Belgium. Fellow) attending a Buckingham Palace
Theoretical Philosophy at Somerville, Her forthcoming book, a History of Garden Party, at which Gavin was
also on the Board of the Faculty of Babylon, is now on its third draft, to representing St Paul's Cathedral,
Philosophy; was Mods Examiner be published by CUP. where he is Lay Canon
16Report on Junior Research Fellowships
Every year Somerville supports a substantial number researchers. The workshop on shipwrecks, in collaboration
of Junior Research Fellows (JRFs) in a wide range with Dai Bowe, is mentioned above. César has also been
of fields. Each JRF is asked to write an annual report working with Maan Barua, a British Academy Early Career
for Governing Body to consider. The following piece Fellow at Somerville and former JRF here, to run a series
attempts to summarise just some of the very of informal discussions drawing together researchers
exciting research that our early career researchers from a wide range of disciplinary fields to consider recent
are pursuing. publications in Geography, Anthropology, Environmental
Humanities, as well as Science and Technology Studies.
Anissa Kempf is working in the Department of Physiology,
Anatomy and Genetics to discover more about the cellular Melissa Bowerman works in the Department of
and molecular mechanisms for regulating sleep. Anissa does Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, developing muscle-
this by studying the proteins active in the brains of flies. specific therapies to improve the quality of life for patients
suffering from two incurable neuromuscular disorders.
Julia Bird works in the Department of Economics, studying
Melissa works within the research team led by Professor
urbanisation in developing countries. Julia uses census
Matthew Wood, a Professorial Fellow at Somerville. Melissa
data and satellite images (where she is also developing
has received Principal Investigator (PI) funding for her work,
new techniques that will allow the evolution of any city to
recognising the quality of her individual contribution to this
be studied), along with other sources of data to track urban
important research.
development. Julia uses analysis tools developed in various
disciplines, including criminology and epidemiology, to Fernando de Juan is a Theoretical Physicist who
provide new insights which allow the effects of public policy generates theoretical models to explain and predict
to be evaluated. Julia has studied Kampala, Nairobi and the properties of an exotic class of materials known as
Dhaka in particular depth. topological insulators and semimetals. Juan works with
experimental groups in Oxford and elsewhere to compare
Kerstin Timm works in the Department of Physiology,
observed properties with theoretical predictions. This
Anatomy and Genetics in the research group led by
class of materials can show useful properties such as
Somerville Fellow Professor Damian Tyler. Using the group’s
superconductivity or photovoltaic current generation
revolutionary imaging technique for tracking how the heart
(the latter potentially useful for solar power generation).
metabolises specific molecules, Kerstin is studying the effect
Developing a robust theoretical understanding of how the
of doxorubicin, a valuable cancer therapy drug which has
structure determines the macroscopic properties of the
significant adverse side effects in the heart. If doxorubicin’s
material could mean that new, valuable materials can be
impact on the heart can be elucidated and detected early
discovered more easily.
enough, a better balance between the drug’s positive impact
on the cancer and its negative impact on the heart could be Lisa Lamberti is a Pure Mathematician, working on algebra
achieved and patient outcomes could be improved. and combinatorics. Lisa’s work has some overlap with that
of Somerville Emeritus Fellow, Karin Erdmann, and a jointly
David (Dai) Bowe is a medieval Italian literature scholar,
authored paper is anticipated.
focusing on the works of Dante. In particular, Dai is pursuing
an ongoing project on the role of women’s voices as Patricia Lockwood works in the Department of
authoritative and/or corrective in Dante and other medieval Experimental Psychology. Patricia investigates the
Italian verse. Dai worked with another of Somerville’s psychological and neural mechanisms that underpin how
JRFs, César Giraldo Herrera, and the Faculty of Modern people interact with other people. In particular, Patricia
and Medieval Languages as well as The Oxford Research examines how the ability to interact with others is affected
Centre for the Humanities (TORCH) to organise a one-day by factors such as personality, ageing and disorders of
conference on the theme of ‘Shipwrecks and how to avoid social cognition, including psychopathy and autism.
them’. The workshop drew on the imagery of shipwrecks
Ana Sofia Cerdeira works in the Nuffield Department of
from many sources and should ultimately generate a volume
Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Ana analyses the results of
on shipwreck as a metapoetic and narrative image.
the first clinical trial looking at the role of particles generated
César Giraldo Herrera works in the School of from the placenta and detectable in the maternal circulation
Anthropology and Museum Studies. He has particularly in preeclampsia. The condition, a potentially very serious
wide-ranging research interests. One major project involves complication of pregnancy, is currently not easy to treat
studying how Amerindian shamanic practices designed or monitor. A measurement, using these particles, that
to support health and combat disease have real positive indicated the level of severity of the condition could be
microbiological impact, achieving measurable health benefits very beneficial in improving appropriate management and
through rituals that owe nothing to western/northern treatment of the condition.
medicine methodology. César’s book on the subject
Edmund (Ed) Wareham works in the History Faculty,
promises to provoke a major debate and have a significant
and his research interests in medieval German monastic
impact. César has also collaborated with other Somerville
17You can also read
