From the President - Spring 2021

Wolfson is where people from across the world come together, to create communities, to share ideas, to create solutions, to be inspired. So, in this spring newsletter I thought I’d remind you of just what Wolfson is doing to maintain and support this community, even when times are tough.

It will not have escaped any of you that the past year has exposed deep divisions within our societies, across the world. Divisions between haves and have nots; between the north and the global south. We are reminded of the legacy of colonialism in the Black Lives Matter movement, of health inequalities exposed by Covid, and of the unequal effects of climate change. At Wolfson we are working to ensure that we are part of the solution and not part of the problem.

First, there is access: enabling and encouraging top students to come to Wolfson to study and to experience all that Wolfson and Cambridge have to offer, irrespective of their individual circumstances. We have been able, through the generosity of our many donors to fund an increasing number of postgraduate scholarships and undergraduate bursaries. Through the improved Cambridge Bursaries Scheme we can ensure UK undergraduates have sufficient funds to participate in all aspects of student life. We are embedded in the University’s new 'Foundation Year' initiative and we are aiming to offer our first ‘Get In’ Masters scholarship this October. We are also proud to partner with the Cambridge Trust in sponsoring a Rowan Williams Cambridge & Wolfson College Studentship to support students from areas of conflict, who face severe barriers in coming to study in Cambridge. Last year, for the first time, awards were made from the new Norma Emmerton Fund for women in STEM. Read more about our College initiatives here.

But of course, we have more to offer (and have to offer more!). This year has seen the launch of a “Let’s talk about Race and Racism” initiative, sponsoring many different activities within the College – driven by students, fellows and supported by alumni – ensuring that difficult subjects are confronted head-on and that there is real diversity in our cultural offering within College. Through our research hubs we are encouraging and supporting researchers tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges: Global Health; Sustainability and Conservation and Gender. I do hope you have come along to these events – the silver lining of the pandemic cloud has been that all our events have been virtual so that Wolfson members from across the world have joined in. If you want to catch up, check out our Wolfson Media Collection. The Wolfson Research Event coming up at the end of the months will offer more – do sign up and come along! Moreover you should make a date to join us for the Annual Lee Seng Tee Distinguished Lecture to be given by Dr Nicola Rollock, Senior Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor on Race & Higher Education, which will be virtual for the first time this year. All this, and more, are featured in this issue of Ring True.

Hard times remind us of all that is precious, which is why we are always so pleased to see the daffodils dancing in the breeze as a reminder of all the wonders of the garden to come. Similarly, after this hard winter of lockdown, we must hold fast all that we hold dear in Wolfson – community, curiosity, and support for the diversity that helps foster new perspectives and new insights in every field of research and scholarship. 

I thank you for your support. Click through to read our special Spring 2021 issue of Ring True. Sign up to our “This Week at Wolfson” roundup to be inspired, keep in touch, and I hope to see you soon.

Professor Jane Clarke FMedSci FRS
President

This message is part of our Spring 2021 issue of Ring True on diversity and inclusion at Wolfson.