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New Director of Research Services

Dr David Secher took up the newly created post of Director of Research Services at the University in March. Research Services, a new division of the University's Central Administration, combines the Research Grants and Contracts Section with the Wolfson Industrial Liaison Office, to create single organisation dealing with technology transfer and the University's external research funding - from industry, research councils, European Union and charities.

Director of Research Services, Dr David Secher, set to tackle new challenges. Photo: PIC Pictures

Dr Secher, a Cambridge graduate (Churchill, Biochemistry) and Fellow of Gonville and Caius College, joined the University from the Cancer Research Campaign, where, as Director of Drug Development, he built a team responsible for testing new cancer treatments in patients. His previous experience includes research and development management in the biotechnology industry; chief executive of a new pharmaceutical joint venture; industrial liaison for the Medical Research Council; and thirteen years research on the staff of the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge.

Commenting on his new appointment, Dr Secher said:

"It is a huge honour to be moving to the centre of this great university at such an exciting time. The worlds of research funding and knowledge transfer are changing at an incredible rate. Cambridge, with its unique environment and history, has the potential to remain at the forefront of these developments, just as it has in teaching and research."

Reaching Out!

Thanks to a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £83,200, an outreach officer has been appointed to develop and promote the University museums in the Human and Natural Sciences.

Dale Johnston, who took up the post in March, is aiming to promote the wider role of the the Whipple Museum for the History of Science, Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, the Museum of Zoology and the Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology.

His main objective is to make the museums more accessible for visitors, by organising events that publicise the many current uses of the collections and developing new programmes to enable amateurs and enthusiasts to work side by side with the museums.

Dale has a strong record in museum work, having most recently been Exhibition and Outreach Officer for the North Somerset Museum Service.

He said: "This post is a new venture for the University and it may even be the first time that any university museum in Britain has appointed a dedicated Outreach Officer. I am very excited about 'reaching out' to members of the public and indeed of the university, raising awareness not only of the marvellous objects on display at the museums, but also the very active role that these museums play in the life of the University. I look forward to making accessible the many benefits that they offer to people of all ages and interests."

The Face of West Cambridge

Andrew Gordon joined the University in October to take up the position of Site Development Manager for West Cambridge. Based in the Old Schools, he provides a central point of contact for the myriad of internal and external stakeholders. Procuring the design and construction of buildings and infrastructure remains the role of EM.

The site will contain a range of accommodation and infrastructure in addition to the academic facilities. Policies for designing, building, financing and operating need to be developed. The site master plan provides a strong framework for development, but defining and interpreting the University's needs is an evolving process.

Andrew qualified as a quantity surveyor, and after experience in London and New Zealand spent nineteen years with the Hong Kong Government and a Hong Kong educational institution.

New Appointments

Professor Hugh Mellor has been appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor until the end of 2001. Taking over from Professor Quentin Skinner, his chief responsibilities will be academic co-ordination of the University's submissions for the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), and advising the Vice-Chancellor on support for the humanities.

Professor Mellor was Professor of Philosophy at the University, holding the same chair as Wittgenstein, until taking early retirement last year. As Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mellor's priority is to increase support for the arts, humanities and social sciences within the University.

He said, "The University has done a marvellous job of attracting external research funding for the sciences; I would like to see us starting to match that for non-science subjects."

The University's online news service has a new Editor. Beverley White, who joins the University's Press and Publications team, replaces Emma Barnes, who has moved on to new ventures. Bev will provide the daily news service of press cuttings about the University, as well as occasional news stories featuring research developments and events in and around the University. Bev can be contacted by e-mail on bw220@cam.ac.uk, and the University's News Service can be seen on the home page.

Dr Burt Totaro, University Lecturer in the Department of Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics, has been elected Lowndean Professor of Astronomy and Geometry. Mr Robert Haining, Professor of Geography at the University of Sheffield, has been elected Professor of Human Geography as of October this year.

Student Science Show

A group of Cambridge graduate students have been awarded a £7,000 grant to promote science over the airwaves. The project is part of a new scheme run by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), which aims to raise public awareness of science and its relevance to everyday life.

Three students, Chris Smith, Shibley Rahman and Catherine Hawkins, have devised a radio show, called Scienceworld, which aims to provide up-to-date scientific information and stimulate debate about science issues.

The show is broadcast on Cambridge Red Radio (107.9FM) each Sunday between 5pm and 6pm.

Honorary Degrees 2000

The University has approved the award of honorary degrees to the following at the annual ceremony in July: Peter Michael Beckwith, Chairman of PMB Holdings and member of the Guild of Benefactors; Rt Hon Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, President of the Family Division; Rt Hon Edward Alan John George, Governor of the Bank of England; Professor Brenda Milner, Professor of Psychology, McGill University and Dorothy J. Killam Professor, Montreal Neurological Institute; Professor Elias James Corey, Professor of Chemistry, Harvard University; Gudev Singh Khush, Principal Plant Breeder and Head, Division of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Biochemistry, International Rice Institute, Philippines; Sir Denis Rooke, formerly Chairman of British Gas plc; Sir Tom Stoppard, playwright and novelist; Professor Alexander Goehr, Emeritus Professor of Music at the University.

Telling Tales

A collection of stories written by children for a national writing competition has now been published. The anthology, published by Cambridge University Press, is called I'm Telling You! and it includes each of the winning stories in the 1999 Cambridge Young Writers Award. Education Secretary David Blunkett was present at the competition's award ceremony and has written a foreword to the book. Rosemary Hayes, competition project manager, said Mr Blunkett's support had helped raise the profile of the publication. "The wide availability of the book will, we hope, stimulate more children to write creatively and to enter the next Cambridge Young Writers Award in 2001," she said.