St Catharine's College Cambridge

Meet See Zheng Hong, our newest Tunku Scholar from Malaysia who has just arrived at Catz to start a PhD in Law. It’s now 20 years since we first admitted a Tunku Scholar from Malaysia thanks to funding established in memory of our alumnus Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj (1922, Law), the first Prime Minister of Malaysia. Read more:

See Zheng Hong | St Catharine's College, Cambridge "My research interest lies in comparative constitutional law, particularly in interrogating the causality link between ‘the restoration of judicial power and judicial independence’ and ‘democratic resurgence’ and vice versa in the Global South.

We were so thrilled that the sunshine came out on Saturday for our Benefactors' Garden Party, which was kindly hosted by the Master and Professor Irvine in the Master's Garden.

Among the different events that Catz hosted this summer was a residential workshop that brought together Jewish and Palestinian educators from Israel – the fourth time that we've provided a neutral environment that helps to strengthen connections in the pursuit of peace. Read about their experience:

Four years of peacebuilding at Catz | St Catharine's College, Cambridge Among the different events that St Catharine’s hosted this summer was a residential workshop that brought together Jewish and Palestinian educators from Israel – the fourth time that the College has provided a neutral environment that helps to strengthen connections in the pursuit of peace.

There's less than two months to go until our Economics Society hosts its annual dinner on 8 November in College. Hosted by our Fellows, the evening will bring together Catz students and alumni who have studied Economics, Land Economy or Management. Find out more, including how to book your spot, at https://www.caths.cam.ac.uk/about-us/news-and-events/Economics-Soc-Dinner

An amazing array of objects and artwork were made in camps in WWII Germany by civilian internees. These examples feature in a new book by Catz Fellow Dr Gilly Carr (2006) called 'A Materiality of Internment' (2024, Routledge), which draws on over 15 years of research and interviews with more than 65 former internees to examine how we can interpret their experiences through these items. Find out more: https://www.routledge.com/A-Materiality-of-Internment/Carr/p/book/9781032259154

We were very pleased to welcome back members who matriculated between 2000 - 2002 for our Members' Reunion on Saturday 7 September.

A warm hello on a chilly September morning from our team of student ambassadors who are helping out at our Open Day. If you know anyone visiting Cambridge today, please tell them to swing by to say hi. We've made sure that our online prospectus includes undergraduate perspectives if any potential applicants are unable to visit: https://www.caths.cam.ac.uk/study-us/undergraduate-study/prospectus

Congratulations to alumnus Sir Ian McKellen (1958, English; Honorary Fellow 1982) and the cast and crew of The Critic, which is released in UK and US cinemas tomorrow.

A year ago we announced how we planned to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040. Thanks to everyone’s efforts over the first 12 months alone:

🔥 Our new heating policy reduced gas usage by roughly 150,000 kW h.
🛏️ Student rooms participating in a pilot of new heating sensors used 17% less gas (72,138 kW h) than the same period from the year before.
💧Our transition away from gas boilers means that 8.4% of our student rooms will be heated by our six air source heat pumps and a further 13.6% by non-emitting energy sources this coming year.
☀️ We submitted planning applications for almost 200 roof-mounted solar panels.
🍽️ Our chefs participated in 26 hours of training to improve our plant-based dishes, with a noticeable uptick in diners choosing plant-based options.
🧱 New student accommodation (Belfield House and Silver House) used sustainably sourced cross-laminated timber, triple-glazed windows and high-performing insulation, along with fixtures that should reduce water use by up to 80%.
♻️ 200 reusable food and drink containers were purchased from Catz and we introduced non-plastic alternatives for disposable items.
🏦 We were among the leading institutions and trusts in UK higher education collaborating on a new effort to create a market for cash products that do not contribute to the financing of fossil fuel expansion.

Net zero by 2040: Taking action in 2023–24 | St Catharine's College, Cambridge Back in September 2023, St Catharine’s published its first ever roadmap explaining how the College intends to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040, an ambition that it originally set out in its environmental strategy. As the first year draws to a close, it is important to celebrate where prog...

We're celebrating reaching the televised stages of University Challenge – given the tough competition we've only qualified twice before in the last 20 years! The four Catz students who competed last night did a sterling job of representing us and were rightly described by host Amol Rajan as 'terrific contestants'. Find out how to watch the show if you missed the live broadcast and how they got on:

Catz on University Challenge (spoiler alert!) | St Catharine's College, Cambridge St Catharine’s is celebrating reaching the televised stages of the University Challenge quiz programme – having only qualified twice before in the last 20 years. The team’s first-round match was broadcast last night (9 September) and is available to watch on BBC iPlayer. Meet the team

Alumna Rachel Mckeown (2017, Natural Sciences), who is now a Harding Distinguished Postgraduate Scholar at Catz pursuing a PhD in developmental neuroscience, condensed her research into a 3-minute talk for SciCommConnect, an online event all about science writing and presentation. Watch her talk and read a short interview about her:

SciCommConnect three-minute talks — Interview with Rachel Mckeown - the Node In June, the Node, preLights and FocalPlane organised SciCommConnect, an online event all about science writing and presentation. As part of the day, we

The Rev'd Jonathan Collis will be supporting the Catz community as Chaplain on an interim basis from 16 September, ahead of Ally Barrett (2019) starting as Associate Vicar at Great St Mary's, the University Church in Cambridge. Jonathan is Rector of St Botolph’s (across Trumpington Streetfrom Catz), and has considerable experience of chaplaincy across collegiate Cambridge. We're in the process of seeking a Chaplain to take up the permanent role and candidates are asked to submit their applications by noon on 12 September via caths.cam.ac.uk/chaplain

Catz alumnus Richard Ayoade (1995, Law) published his second children's book yesterday. 'The Fairy Tale Fan Club: Legendary Letters Collected by C.C. Cecily' (2023, Walker Books) offers an exclusive opportunity to read letters between curious kids and their fairy-tale idols: https://www.walker.co.uk/The-Fairy-Tale-Fan-Club-Legendary-Letters-Collected-by-C-C-Cecily-9781529500318.aspx

The UN has declared 5 September the International Day of Charity to encourage volunteering and philanthropic activities, so as a registered charity we wanted to celebrate the lasting impact of legacies on the Catz community. Thanks to triathlete, civil engineer and academic Prof. Dame Sarah Springman (1983, Engineering; Honorary Fellow 2015) for sharing why she is recognising Catz in her Will. Read more:

A College built on legacies | St Catharine's College, Cambridge The following article was first published in this year's edition of The Wheel, the College's annual newsletter, in July 2024.

Get ready to tune into BBC Two at 8.30pm on Monday 9 September to cheer on Catz students taking part in University Challenge. We’ll be rooting for captain Luna Jarvis (about to start the third year of Natural Sciences), Malhaar Mohirir (who has just completed his MPhil in Politics & International Studies), alumna Larabella Myers (2023, Technology Policy - graduating after the series got underway) and Jay Sardesai (another third-year Natural Sciences undergraduate). Keep an eye out for their mascot, which the team named Toby in memory of the former Master’s dog.

We are pleased to invite applications to a new fund that will support our students to make the most of their time in Cambridge. The Welland Family Fund has been established thanks to gifts totalling £105,000 made in recognition of the achievements of Prof. Sir Mark Welland (Master 2016–23; Honorary Fellow 2023) supported by his wife, Lady Welland (Fellow Commoner 2020). Find out more and how to apply at caths.cam.ac.uk/welland-family-fund

New funding for student projects and initiatives | St Catharine's College, Cambridge St Catharine’s is pleased to invite applications to a new fund that will support our students to make the most of their time in Cambridge.

It's opening night next week for Catz alumnus Simon Godwin (1994, English) who is directing a raucous production of Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors at the Klein Theatre in Washington DC from 10 September until 6 October. Find out more at shakespearetheatre.org/events/comedy-of-errors-24-25

Catz Fellow and astronaut Dr Jenni Gibbons (2016) is part of the Artemis II mission, which could be setting off for the moon as early as September 2025. She is the designated Canadian backup astronaut for Artemis II and has been busy preparing to support the crew when the time comes, whether in space or with the Mission Control team at Johnson Space Center in Houston. Read more at caths.cam.ac.uk/universe

Photos: NASA.

On this day in 1957 Catz alumnus Tunku Abdul Rahman (1922, Law; Honorary Fellow 1960) officially proclaimed the independence of the Federation of Malaya, before becoming the country's first prime minister. The Tunku Abdul Rahman Fund was later established in his memory by the Government of Malaysia and the College to encourage the development of the humanities and the social sciences in Malaysia, and we are proud to be home to a vibrant community of researchers who are supported by this Fund. Find out more at caths.cam.ac.uk/research/tunku.

We were honoured to welcome Zambry Abdul Kadir, Higher Education Minister for Malaysia, to Catz earlier this year.

(Photos by Imaan Hidayat Syafarian, Official Photographer Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysian Government.)

Our postgraduate prospectus was created with the help of our current student community, and is available online at caths.cam.ac.uk/postgrad-prospectus. For example, Sam and Jessica, Co-Presidents of the Middle Combination Room (MCR) Committee this year, help explain the valuable role played by the MCR:

"The Catz MCR represents the postgraduate students of the College – anyone who is doing a PhD, Master’s degree or in the clinical portion of a medical/veterinary medicine degree. The MCR Committee organises all sorts of events throughout the year to ensure you can meet and hang out with people and we will help you find your way around too!”

Postgraduate prospectus | St Catharine's College, Cambridge Welcome! Our aim at St Catharine's College (fondly known as Catz) is to be a friendly, supportive community which helps you make the most of all the University of Cambridge has to offer. The College welcomes applications from students who have applied for any one-year (e.g. Masters) or multi-year (e...

Three Catz alumni who span the last 50 years of the College's history share one thing in common: they all set crosswords. We interviewed Alan Chamberlain (1975, MML), Dr Hamish Symington (1999, Natural Sciences) and Archie McCann (2020, Engineering) to find out more. Special thanks to Archie for setting us a Catz-themed crossword too!

Catz Crosswords | St Catharine's College, Cambridge The following article was first published in this year's edition of The Wheel, the College's annual newsletter, in July 2024. Three members of the St Catharine’s community, spanning almost five decades, are keen crossword setters. We spoke with them to find out more…

Alumni from all years and decades are warmly invited to sign up for the reunion day organised by the St Catharine's Alumni Society in College on 21 September. Bookings close on 12 September and you can secure your place by visiting caths.cam.ac.uk/event/society-reunion-day-2024/register.

(Photo by Catherine Twilley (2023), Development Director.)

If you know someone who is thinking about applying to Catz, our undergraduate prospectus is available online at caths.cam.ac.uk/undergrad-prospectus. Thanks to student reps from the JCR Committee who helped shape the current version, including Nuozhen, JCR Accommodation Officer 2024–25, who shared that "the compact nature of Catz means that it's a very friendly and close-knit community".

Our thoughts are with the friends and family of alumnus Thomas Boyd OBE DL (1960, MML) who will be gathering at Beverley Minster on 5 September for a thanksgiving service to celebrate his life. A tribute was published by his local newspaper, the Hull Daily Mail, shortly after his death:

Tribute to Thomas Boyd, lifelong champion of Hull’s fishing industry A thanksgiving service will be held to celebrate the life of the former Boyd Line chairman

A warm welcome to Dr Martin Parker Dixon who is joining us as Deputy Senior Tutor on 2 September. This newly created role will advance our mission to provide outstanding pastoral support to students and remain at the forefront of collegiate Cambridge. Find out more: https://www.caths.cam.ac.uk/appointments

This summer, we were delighted to publish a Fundraising Impact Report for 2023–24, which celebrates some of the achievements across the Catz community made possible by the generosity of our alumni and friends. Read the report online at caths.cam.ac.uk/sites/default/files/impact_report_2023-24_online_version.pdf

Did you know there is a Catz connection with The Hundred cricket tournament, which concluded at the weekend? Alumna Kirsty Bashforth (1988, Economics) has just completed her second summer as chair of Northern Superchargers. Kirsty kindly spoke to us about her love of sports before and after she arrived at Catz, as well as her new role supporting both men and women’s teams. Read more:

Alumna at the wheel of cricket team | St Catharine's College, Cambridge An alumna of St Catharine’s is combining her business acumen and life-long passion for sport at the helm of a Leeds-based cricket side that fields men and women’s teams representing North-East England and Yorkshire in The Hundred, a 100-ball cricket tournament launched in 2021. Kirsty Bashforth ...

Superheroes have origin stories but what about Cambridge scientists? Catz Fellow Prof. Adrian Liston (2023) has joined forces with illustrator Yulia Lapko on 'Becoming a Scientist: The Graphic Novel', which tells the story of the twelve scientists in his biomedical research laboratory to inspire readers between 12 and 18 years of age. Learn more:

Becoming a scientist | St Catharine's College, Cambridge A Fellow of St Catharine’s has produced a new graphic novel to encourage high school students from all backgrounds to pursue STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Professor Adrian Liston (2023) has joined forces with illustrator Yulia Lapko on Becoming a Scientist: The ...

We are delighted to have awarded over £32,000 to students this year to recognise and reward their academic achievements as well as their wide array of contributions to their subject or our community. We caught up with some of the students who have received awards this summer to find out about their experiences. Read more at caths.cam.ac.uk/awards-2024