St John's College News
Tiny copper 鈥榝lowers鈥 bloom on artificial leaves for clean fuel production
鈥淏y combining expertise from Cambridge and Berkeley, we鈥檝e developed a system that may reshape the way we produce fuels and valuable chemicals sustainably鈥Tiny copper 鈥榥ano-flowers鈥 have been attached to an artificial leaf to produce clean fuels and chemicals that are the backbone of modern energy and manufacturing. The researchers from the University of Cambridge and the University of California, Berkeley, led by Dr Virgil Andrei, a Research Fellow at St John鈥檚 College, Cambridge, developed a practical way to make hydrocarbons 鈥 molecules made of鈥read moreSt John鈥檚 academic awarded 拢4 million grant to 鈥榯hink big鈥 and investigate side effects of modern therapeutics
鈥淭his grant will allow us to understand how our bodies react to these modern medicines鈥Why some people experience adverse reactions to the new-age medicines including Covid-19 vaccinations will be explored in detail thanks to a 拢4.3 million MRC Programme Grant. Dr Ritwick Sawarkar, College Lecturer and Fellow at St John鈥檚, will lead the research into why some people react to RNA-based therapeutics such as the Covid mRNA vaccines and other medicines. Medical Research鈥read moreSt John鈥檚 student named as top University of Cambridge mathematics undergraduate
鈥淭he Mathematical Tripos is famously difficult鈥A position described as "the greatest intellectual achievement attainable in Britain" has been awarded to a student at St John鈥檚 College. The Cambridge undergraduate mathematics course, or Mathematical Tripos, is famously difficult and it is considered highly prestigious to be named as the 鈥楽enior Wrangler鈥. The Senior Wrangler is the person who achieves the highest overall mark among the鈥read moreCambridge Cancer Research Hospital given green light by government
鈥淚magine a world where there is no longer a fear of cancer. That鈥檚 the world we鈥檙e trying to create鈥澛Work will soon begin on Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital after it was given the go-ahead this week by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. The new hospital, which is a collaboration between the University of Cambridge and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, will transform how cancer is diagnosed and treated, changing the lives of cancer patients across the UK and鈥read morePhD student awarded 2025 Cavendish Prize for study that 鈥榬ewrites a law of physics鈥
鈥淭he opportunity to engage with brilliant researchers has been pivotal in shaping my scientific outlook and contributions鈥A PhD student from St John鈥檚 has won a 2025 Cavendish Annual Thesis Prize for his achievements in quantum physics that could advance display and solar technology. Pratyush Ghosh is one of three postgraduates at the University of Cambridge鈥檚 Cavendish Laboratory to be presented with the prize, which recognises outstanding achievements in computational, experimental and theoretical physics鈥read morePostgraduate palaeontologist and biophysicist receive awards
Prizes for talented PhD 蘑菇视频下载安卓 from St John鈥檚Two PhD 蘑菇视频下载安卓 at St John鈥檚 have been recognised for their innovative research and communication skills. Princess Aira Buma-at has won a 2024 Palaeontological Association Annual Meeting President鈥檚 Prize, the association鈥檚 highest award given to PhD 蘑菇视频下载安卓 and early-career researchers within a year of achieving their higher degree. Princess, who is a PhD student in鈥read moreFree e-book teaches young people about puberty and reproductive health
鈥淭he aim is to excite, inform and educate others about reproduction, impacts of a changing world and our environment, and latest findings鈥澛A St John鈥檚 academic has launched a free e-book about reproduction and fertility to better educate young people about their body and the impact of lifestyle and the environment on it. Professor鈥疉manda鈥疭ferruzzi-Perri, Professor in Fetal and Placental Physiology and Fellow of St John鈥檚, felt there was a need for information based on the latest scientific evidence after seeing the鈥read moreAlumni recognised in King鈥檚 New Year Honours 2025
BEM for rowing umpire of 45 years鈥 standingSix members of St John鈥檚 including an Olympic rowing umpire, archaeologists specialising in Holocaust and Islamic heritage and other leading educators have been awarded accolades in the King鈥檚 New Year Honours 2025. The honours recognise the achievements and public service of people across the UK. David Biddulph, a retired engineer and international rowing umpire, becomes a Medallist of the鈥read more鈥楤iology of eating behaviour鈥 to be explored at 2025 Linacre Lecture
Leading scientist will present historic medical lecture on causes and complications of obesityThis year鈥檚 historic St John鈥檚 College Linacre Lecture will be presented by Sadaf Farooqi, a Wellcome Principal Research Fellow and Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at the University of Cambridge. The lecture, titled The biology of eating behaviour, will take place on Tuesday 11 February at 5.30pm in the Main Lecture Theatre of the Old Divinity School. Delivered every year by a鈥read moreIndia mourns former Prime Minister as the 鈥榬emarkable鈥 St John鈥檚 alumnus is laid to rest in state funeral
Manmohan's father said he would be Prime Minister because he 鈥渁lways had his nose in a book鈥Tributes have been paid to Dr Manmohan Singh, the architect of India鈥檚 economic transformation, after he died aged 92 on Thursday 26 December 2024. Singh went from studying under street lamps as a child in India, to coming to Cambridge on a full scholarship, graduating with a First in Economics to leading the world鈥檚 biggest democracy for 10 years. Manmohan Singh was one of 10鈥read moreEngineer, wildlife cameraman, and investigative journalist recognised for their work improving lives
Gates Cambridge Scholars 鈥榤ake the world a better place in ways no one could have predicted鈥The positive impact three Gates Cambridge Scholars from St John鈥檚 have had on the world is being celebrated at a special awards ceremony. Emma Houiellebecq, Alex Vail and Emily Kassie are among eight University of Cambridge postgraduates and alumni to receive Impact Prizes from the Gates Cambridge Trust as it marks 25 years of its international scholarship programme on Friday 10鈥read moreCollege remembers 鈥榠nspiring鈥 former Dean of Chapel and President, after his death aged 87
Tributes paid to The Rev鈥檇 Dr Andrew Macintosh, 鈥榓 remarkable man and priest鈥An internationally-renowned Hebrew and Bible scholar once described as 'the best preacher in England', has died. The Rev鈥檇 Dr Andrew Macintosh, a Life Fellow at St John鈥檚, and former Chaplain, Tutor, Dean of Chapel and President, died on Thursday 5 December 2024. An ordained priest of the Church of England, Dr Macintosh had a long and distinguished academic career. In the 1970s he was鈥read moreResearch Fellow wins second science innovation prize in less than a month
鈥淚t fills me with joy and pride that my home country has decided to recognise the value of my research鈥An Italian early-career researcher at St John鈥檚 has been recognised by his home country for his work in neuroscience. Dr Andrea Luppi, a Research Fellow, has been awarded the Italy Made Me 2024 prize in Life Sciences by the Italian Embassy Scientific Office in London. The annual programme honours junior Italian researchers operating in the United Kingdom who received part of their education in鈥read morePole-vaulter, playwright, and music society president awarded prizes for 鈥榠ntellectual and practical activities鈥
Five graduates celebrated for their outstanding academic work and contributions to College lifeA pole-vaulting architect and an engineer who set up an orchestra are among the winners of prestigious 2024 Larmor Awards for their achievements as undergraduates at St John鈥檚. The awards began in the 1940s and are named after Sir Joseph Larmor, a 20th-century physician and mathematician who was a student and later a Fellow at St John鈥檚. Each year at least four undergraduates 鈥榓djudged to be鈥read moreFellow awarded literary prize for 鈥榗aptivating鈥 biography of Renaissance artist
Historian 鈥榙eeply honoured鈥 to receive Einhard Prize 2025 for her book on Albrecht D眉rerA St John鈥檚 historian has won a prize for her book about Albrecht D眉rer, Germany鈥檚 eminent Renaissance painter, printmaker and theorist. The Einhard Foundation in Germany has awarded the 2025 Einhard Prize to Professor Ulinka Rublack, Professor of Early Modern European History and a Fellow of St John鈥檚, for her book, D眉rer鈥檚 Lost Masterpiece: Art and Society at the Dawn of a Global World (Oxford鈥read moreTributes paid to giant of modern archaeology who has died aged 87
Professor Lord Colin Renfrew鈥檚 work 鈥榩rofoundly shaped the modern discipline鈥An 鈥榓rchaeological colossus鈥 and Honorary Fellow of St John鈥檚 has been remembered after his death at the age of 87. Professor Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn (Andrew鈥疌olin Renfrew) FBA FSA was an alumnus of St John鈥檚, former Master of Jesus College, and founding Director of the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research at the University of Cambridge. One of archaeology鈥檚 most鈥read moreScientist explores awe and mystery of connection between maths and physics
Professor David Tong gives Penrose Biennial Lecture 2024: 鈥楳aths vs Physics: The Smackdown鈥Theoretical physicist Professor David Tong has followed in the footsteps of his 鈥榟ero鈥 Sir Roger Penrose by giving the 2024 St John鈥檚 College Penrose Biennial Lecture, named in honour of the renowned mathematician, physicist and Nobel Laureate. An audio recording is now available of the lecture, titled Maths vs Physics: The Smackdown, which was presented at St John鈥檚鈥read moreInternational science prize awarded to St John鈥檚 Research Fellow for work on understanding the brain
鈥淭his prize represents a vote of confidence from the international scientific community that this is the right path"A neuroscientist from St John鈥檚 College has won a global prize for young scientists for his research on how different parts of the brain work together. Dr Andrea Luppi, a Research Fellow at St John鈥檚, was awarded the 2024 Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN) Prize in the category of Formal Sciences at the organisation鈥檚 ninth international congress in Bulgaria this week鈥read morePast and present College rowers make a splash at Head of the Charles Regatta 2024
鈥淭his is the first time Cambridge women sent student eights to the race in recent history, it was exciting to compete against top international crews鈥A student from St John鈥檚 joined two alumni 鈥 including an Olympian 鈥 to race in one of the biggest events in the global rowing, The Head of the Charles Regatta (HOCR) in Boston, Massachusetts. Gemma King, a former St John鈥檚 undergraduate and now PhD student in stem cell biology, and alumni Guy Pooley and Kirsten Van Fossen competed for Cambridge University Boat Club (CUBC) at the event.鈥read moreWriter in Residence wins literary prize for her book on Irish women emigrants
鈥淭he honour of the Michel D茅on Prize will draw attention to the challenges, resilience and quite remarkable achievements of these Irish emigrant women鈥檚 lives鈥A St John's poet, essayist, reviewer, and editor has been awarded the 2024 Royal Irish Academy Michel D茅on Prize for non-fiction. Vona Groarke, the College's Writer in Residence, won the award for her book, Hereafter: the Telling Life of Ellen O鈥橦ara, a poetic account of Irish women domestic servants in New York in the 1890s. From left: Professor Pat Guiry, President of the Royal Irish Academy鈥read moreDean welcomed as Canon Theologian at St Edmundsbury Cathedral
鈥淔or me, theological learning and thinking about our faith together is something every Christian can engage with"The Rev鈥檇 Dr Victoria Johnson, Dean of Chapel at St John鈥檚 College, has been announced as the new Canon Theologian at St Edmundsbury Cathedral. Dr Johnson will be visiting Canon Theologian and a non-executive member of the Cathedral Chapter in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, alongside her role at St John鈥檚. She said: 鈥淚鈥檓 really delighted to be contributing to the life of the Cathedral鈥read moreLecture named in honour of St John鈥檚 Nobel prize-winner to examine 鈥榖eautiful relationship鈥 between maths and physics
Second Penrose Lecture to take place on 19 November 2024Theoretical physicist Professor David Tong will give the 2024 St John鈥檚 College Penrose Biennial Lecture, named in honour of Sir Roger Penrose, the renowned mathematician, physicist and Nobel Laureate. Professor Tong, Professor of Theoretical Physics in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics at the University of Cambridge and Fellow of Trinity College, will give鈥read moreSecrets unveiled as College鈥檚 iconic Great Gate is restored to glory
Every 50 years The Great Gate of St John's requires restoration to keep it looking spectacularThe striking Great Gate of St John鈥檚 is an iconic feature of the streetscape of Cambridge and is the backdrop of countless photographs taken by locals, tourists and members of the College. It is decorated with Lady Margaret Beaufort鈥檚 coat of arms and the animals on either side are yales 鈥 mythical beasts with antelopes鈥 bodies, goats鈥 heads and swivelling horns. A statue of St John the鈥read moreCollege academics recognised for helping to create positive research culture
Researchers celebrated for promoting a welcoming and supportive environmentFive academics at St John鈥檚 College have been nominated by their peers for individual contributions to positive research culture at the University of Cambridge. St John鈥檚 Fellows Professor Meredith Crowley, Dr Amy Orben, Professor Ulinka Rublack and Professor Michael De Volder were among 43 academics to be recognised for best practice at the University of Cambridge鈥檚 inaugural Research鈥read moreCultural historian publishes major new book 鈥榯o re-colour the world of dress鈥 of Europe鈥檚 past
鈥淐olour was perceived as a potent power that shaped, as well as expressed, the soul鈥New dyes created one of the most important visual experiences of the Renaissance period, yet their story has been hidden until now, says a St John鈥檚 College academic in a major new book published today (17 October). Theatrical productions and period films uphold broad assumptions that black clothing dominated among elites during the period, while ordinary people wore coarse greys and bleached鈥read more