News In Brief

Three Clare members receive New Year's Honours

Congratulations to:

Professor David Price (1974), lately Vice-Provost for
Research, Innovation and Global Engagement at UCL, was awarded an OBE for services to Science and Research.

Professor Robert Allan Houston (Former Fellow), Emeritus Professor of Modern History, University of St Andrews, was awarded an MBE for services to Higher Education.

John Thompson (1959 and former Alumnus of the Year), Chief Executive Officer and Board Member, Masiphumelele Corporation, was awarded an MBE for services to the Masiphumelele settlement in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Clare students help Cambridge to a clean sweep at the Boat Race

This year 3 Clare students were part of the victorious crews for the annual boat race.
Sam Taylor rowed in the Men’s Lightweight Crew, Daphne Martin rowed in the Women’s Lightweight Spare Four and Jasper Parish coxed the Men’s boat to victory on the Tideway on March 26th. Last year Jasper coxed the Women’s boat to triumph and is the only student to be victorious with both teams!

Gillian Tett elected Provost of King's

Dr Gillian Tett (1986) has been elected as the next Provost of King’s College Cambridge, the 45th holder of the post since the College’s foundation in 1441. Gillian is currently Chairman of the US Editorial Board and America Editor-at-Large at the Financial Times, having previously been Managing Editor. She joins a distinguished list of recent Clare members who have been elected Heads of House of Cambridge Colleges, including John Boyd (Master of Churchill), Robert Mair (Master of Jesus), Malcolm Bowie (Master of Christ’s), Duncan Robinson and Rowan Williams (Masters of Magdalene), and of course Loretta Minghella, Master of Clare. Gillian will take up her appointment at King’s in October 2023.

Hoover Institution Library acquires Riveles papers

The professional papers amassed during more than 40 years of work for the United States government by Dr Stanley Riveles (1963) have been acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives. Stanley was the chief negotiator of nuclear reduction
treaties under Presidents Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and Clinton. The collection also includes material relating to Stanley’s work with Radio Free Europe in the 1960s. The papers are expected to attract significant interest from researchers studying the history of nuclear weaponry, ballistic missile defence, arms reduction negotiations, Cold War politics, military strategy and national security.

Jonathan Cohen appointed Artistic Director of HHS

The Handel and Haydn Society, based in Boston, USA, has named conductor, cellist and keyboardist Jonathan Cohen (1997) as its 15th Artistic Director, beginning in the 2023-24 season. Jonathan is the Founder and Artistic Director of Arcangelo, Music Director of Quebec’s Les Violons du Roy, Artistic Director of the Tetbury Festival in the UK, and Artistic Partner of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Jonathan is also a two-time Gramophone Award winner and a Grammy Award Nominee. He is one of the youngest Artistic Directors in the history of the Handel and Haydn Society.

Earliest predator named after David Attenborough

A fossil representing the earliest known animal predator has been identified by UK scientists. The 560-million-year-old specimen, which was found in Charnwood Forest in Leicestershire, is probably a forerunner of the group of species that today includes jellyfish. The researchers named the fossil predator Auroralumina
attenboroughii in honour of Sir David Attenborough (1945, Honorary Fellow) who grew up near Charnwood Forest and went fossil hunting there as a boy.

Ottoline Leyser awarded Croonian Medal and Lecture

Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser DBE FRS (Fellow) has been awarded the Croonian Medal and Lecture 2023 by the Royal Society. The award recognises her role in two of the most important discoveries regarding the nature and perception of plant hormones, and for her contributions to gender equality in science. The Croonian Medal and Lecture, awarded annually, is regarded as the premier lecture in the biological sciences. It was conceived and endowed by William Croone, one of the founding Fellows of the Royal Society. The first lecture was given in 1738. Past winners have included John Gurdon, Fred Sanger, Max Perutz and Francis Crick.

Clare Engineer appointed Chief of the Air Staff

Sir Richard Knighton (1988) has been appointed Chief of the Air Staff and Aide-de-Camp to HM the King. Sir Richard is the first engineer to lead the Royal Air Force. He joined the RAF as a University Cadet and studied Engineering at Clare where he met his future wife, Caitlin Jenkins (1988); they married in Clare Chapel in 1998. Sir Richard spent his early career in frontline roles working on Nimrod Maritime Patrol Aircraft, Tornado and in several roles within the Harrier force. Later, as the Assistant Chief of Air Staff, he was responsible for the strategic coherence and coordination of the RAF, and planning for the RAF100 centenary programme.