WINTER 2023

CAm Notes #2

One of the largest festivals of its kind, the annual Cambridge Festival includes in-person and online/streaming events from Friday, March 17 until Sunday, April 2. Coordinated by the University of Cambridge, the Festival aims to tackle some of the big questions of our age and find viable solutions. It also looks at less weighty subjects and includes an extensive series of events for children and families to enjoy. Divided into five themes: power, society, health, environment and discovery, the Festival includes debates, talks, exhibitions, workshops, films, tours, performances, and launch events for several new books. Bookings open on Monday, February 13.

Click here for more information.

The first major exhibition to explore Charles Darwin’s life and work through his vast global network of correspondents opened at the University of Cambridge Library on July 9, 2022. This exhibition of Darwin's prolific correspondences — from eminent scientists to pigeon fanciers and gardeners — will be at the New York Public Library May through August 2023. This one-of-a-kind exhibit examines how the great naturalist sought help from a cast of thousands of men, women and even children across the globe as he wrote his foundational works on evolution such as On the Origin of Species.

Join Cambridge alumni on May 4 for an exclusive viewing of the exhibit the day before it opens to the general public. More information to come soon!

Book Talk with Professor Dame Alison Richard

On April 6, 2023, in Seattle, Newnham alumna and former Cambridge Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Alison Richard will discuss her new book, The Sloth Lemur's Song: Madagascar from the Deep Past Present to the Uncertain Present. The book is a moving account of Madagascar based on her extensive research into the mysteries of this remarkable island. More information here.

Collegiate Cambridge Events in North America

Cambridge in America hosts and supports events across North America for Collegiate Cambridge alumni and friends. Upcoming events include a gathering for North Carolina alumni, a concert by “TikTok Organist” Anna Lapwood in San Diego, and a Centre for Geopolitics event in Toronto, Canada. Visit here to keep up with new events all year.

Several Cambridge alumni hold appointed positions in the Biden Administration in the White House, the Vice-President’s Office, Transportation, Justice and State. Three Cambridge alumni, Reuben Brigety (Sidney Sussex College), Yuri Kim (Magdalene College), and Julissa Reynoso Pantaleón (Emmanuel College), are serving as Ambassadors, representing the international breadth and depth of a Cambridge education.

The British Ambassador to the USA is Karen Pierce DCMG (Girton College), representing His Majesty The King and the UK government, overseeing the direction and work of the Embassy and its Consulates, including political work, trade and investment, press and cultural relations, and visa and consular services.

Click here to read more about these Cambridge diplomats.

News from the Board of Directors

The Board of Directors for Cambridge in America (CAm) held their Annual General Meeting on December 9, 2022, and unanimously voted Chris Kojima (Hughes Hall) and Carlos A. Pérez-Dávila (Queens’ College) to the Board.

Chris Kojima is a Partner of Goldman Sachs, where he is global head of Client Solutions & Capital Markets within Goldman Sachs Asset & Wealth Management. Leading a team of over 1,000 professionals across 37 offices, Chris oversees the global client franchise and capital formation activities for the firm’s alternative investments and public market investing platforms, which today represent over $2.5 trillion in assets. You can see his full bio here.

Mr. Carlos A. Pérez-Dávila is a Senior Managing Director at Quadrant Capital Advisors, Inc. in New York City. Mr. Pérez-Dávila is a Member of the Board of Bavaria S.A, Colombia’s largest brewing company. He is also a Member of the Board of Valorem, a company which manages a diverse portfolio of industrial & media assets in Latin America. You can read his full bio here.

With much gratitude for their exemplary service the Board bade farewell to Cristina Burelli (Queens’ College), Pareshbhai Patel (Girton College), Susan Poland (Churchill College) and Una Ryan (Girton College). Una and Cristina will continue as Chairs of CAm Regional Committees in the Bay Area and Washington, DC respectively.

For more information about the CAm Board, click here.

North American Alumni Groups

Did you know there are over 50 regional alumni contacts and volunteer groups around the United States and Canada? These individuals and groups help alumni stay connected in North America. Whether hosting trivia nights, garden parties, or Boat Race viewings, our North American alumni community is part of a global network of alumni engaging with peers and with Cambridge. Click here to learn more.

Cambridge alumni and staff are often asked to comment on the news of the day by prominent news media, most recently in CNN, Forbes, NPR, The New York Times and the Washington Post. 

CNN

December 27, 2022

“All around the world, women are better empathizers than men, study finds” Cambridge study on global gender disparity when performing the ‘theory of mind’ test.  Read more

December 13, 2022

Tony Roulstone, fusion expert from the Department of Engineering, discusses the breakthrough in nuclear fusion. Read more 

Forbes

Nov 29, 2022

Coverage of University of Cambridge research on wellbeing during the transition to secondary school Read more

NPR

December 9, 2022

Mary Brazelton, expert in the history of science and medicine in China at Cambridge comments on vaccine hesitancy in China. Read more

The New York Times

December 9, 2022

Ezra Klein interviews Dr. Mohamed El-Elrian, noted economist and President of Queens’ College

Read the manuscript here

November 22, 2022

Rory Finnin, Associate Professor of Ukrainian Studies, comments on negotiations around the prices of Russian oil. Read more  

Washington Post

December 11, 2022

Rory Finnin, Associate Professor of Ukrainian Studies, comments on Crimea and the Russian-Ukraine conflict. Read more

November 28, 2022

William Hurst, Chong Hua professor of Chinese development and deputy director of the Centre for Geopolitics at the University of Cambridge comments on the Chinese protest movement. 

Read more

Save the Date – Alumni Festival 

The 2023 Alumni Festival will be held in Cambridge from September 22-24. More information to come soon! 

Alumni Advisory Board

The University Alumni Advisory Board (AAB) held their first 2023 meeting on February 1 in London. Comprised of alumni from around the world, the AAB advises the University's Alumni Engagement team on how to best engage with the global alumni network of Cambridge. Recruitment will begin shortly for new members to represent various regions on the Board. For more information about the AAB, click here. 

The University has partnered with H&M and Replay to offer stunning new selections of Cambridge-branded clothing. To get fully kitted out by Cambridge, you can also visit our Alumni Shop for ties, scarves and more.

Your gift to Collegiate Cambridge helps support excellence in teaching and research, provides vital resources for student wellbeing, and ensures access to a Cambridge education for the most qualified students. Learn more about how to make your impact here. 

Established in 1998, The 1209 Society honors and acknowledges the many generous benefactors in the US who recognize the importance of the University of Cambridge and its thirty-one Colleges through their estate planning. Members of the 1209 Society enjoy several benefits including bespoke events and communications. Learn more about the 1209 Society here. 

To ensure we can stay in touch with you, please take a moment to update your details if you have recently moved or changed your email address. 

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Cambridge in America (CAm) advances the mission of the University of Cambridge and its thirty-one member Colleges by providing expertise in fundraising and engagement and growing the base of support for Collegiate Cambridge among alumni and friends in the US.

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