Author: Clare

From the archives: alumnus meets Churchill

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Seventy-five years ago [Friday 8 May], Sir Winston Churchill announced the end of the Second World War, now remembered as Victory in Europe (VE) Day. Michael Wemms (BA 1963) remembers his encounter with Sir Winston Churchill, who not only led Britain to victory, but led Bristol as its longest standing Chancellor from 1929 – 1965.

It was, I think, 1956. I was still at school and met the local MP (Humphrey Atkins). A long story, but the result was a call to meet him at the House of Commons. When I arrived, there were five of us, all from different schools. None of us quite knew why we were there.

We were ushered to a smallish room and, completely by chance, I was the first through the door. Sitting alone in an armchair was Winston Churchill. He jumped up to welcome us like long lost friends, poured our tea and offered cakes.

It took a while for even the bravest of us to get our wits together, but he quickly charmed us into a very relaxed and free flowing chat. We asked lots of questions, especially about the War, and even ventured a few views about the state of the nation and our politicians. I remember that we all held strong political views.

Towards the end he said how much he had enjoyed the chat, but we hadn’t asked him the most important question – why had we gone to War and why had it all mattered so much? If only I could remember his actual words. He spoke a little about honour and decency and how we couldn’t stand by, but then he began to gaze out the window – for a moment I think he was in some other time and place.

He explained that we had fought for our identity, our heritage and our history. He went on to talk about beauty in all its forms and I particularly remember how he described the beauty of outdoor things created by man, but changed by time and nature, how we had to preserve beautiful things as well as the way we live our lives. He talked very sadly about there being no choice, but what a terrible price we had paid.

Suddenly, he turned directly to me and asked what I was studying. ‘Literature, Economics, Latin and History Sir,’ I managed to say. ‘Do History my boy,’ he replied, ‘at Bristol.’ So I did!

With thanks to alumnus Michael Wemms. This piece was originally published in 2015.

COVID-19 Research Appeal goes from strength to strength

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As we reach the end of another strange month in 2020, with the UK still in lockdown, it is wonderful to report that alumni and friends’ support for our appeal for COVID-19 research continues to be an enormous success.

If you are perhaps feeling overwhelmed by the scale of the COVID-19 pandemic, please take some comfort in the fact that Bristol’s team of COVID-19 scientists, researchers and academics – over 147 of them – are working hard to tackle this enormous global challenge. They are helped, in no small part, by the £200,000 donated so far to our COVID-19 Research Appeal, an astonishing outpouring of support and belief in Bristol.

Professor Jeremy Tavaré, Dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences, recorded a thank you message this week for the 600 donors who have given to Bristol’s COVID-19 research.

It’s important to remain hopeful that Bristol’s research, in collaboration with partners in the UK and around the world, could be key in getting us back to some kind of normality. Support from alumni is crucial, because like many universities in the UK and around the world, Bristol has had to freeze capital budgets as we wait to understand the full impact of the pandemic on higher education. The passionate interest that alumni and friends are showing for our research is certainly spurring on our COVID-19 team at Bristol.

Progress to date on ramping up our research

From the donations coming in to our appeal we have so far managed to achieve the following:

The installation of a new incubator into Drs David Matthews and Andrew Davidson’s secure laboratory, to enable their teams to scale up their research. David and Andrew’s work on SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID- 19, is focused on understanding the pathogenesis of the virus. Their work is taking place in Bristol in one of only two specialist university labs in the whole of the UK and is critical to the development of diagnostic tools, drugs and vaccines to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

Setting up additional secure (Category Level 3) laboratories at Bristol University’s Langford site to facilitate research into the airborne transmission of SARS-CoV2, led by Professor Jonathan Reid and colleagues from the Bristol Aerosol Research Centre.

The purchase of a state-of-the art microscope, which will enable the rapid imaging and screening of cells, providing critical data for researchers working on COVID-19 at Bristol and much further afield.

The purchase of an ELIspot Reader, a highly sensitive instrument for measuring immune responses to infection and vaccination. This instrument can extract large amounts of data from very small numbers of cell samples, so it is key for developing new vaccines and treatments for the virus at speed.

The acquisition of an RNA extraction instrument, which prepares cell samples for COVID-19 diagnostic testing. The University will now be ideally placed to test and validate new approaches to the diagnosis of the virus, while also being ready to contribute to the national capability for COVID-19 testing.

Critical funds for the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute, which is supporting researchers across the University who are applying their expertise to the pandemic.

Bristol’s researchers in the fields of immunology, infectious diseases and public health continue to contribute to the world’s understanding and control of this shocking epidemic. It is truly an interdisciplinary project and there’s real momentum behind the work. Bristol is incredibly well-placed to take advantage of this and to use our expertise to help the world through this pandemic. You can read about everything we’re doing as it happens on our web page dedicated to the University’s COVID-19 research and on this blog.

Bristol is one of the few centres in the UK with such specialist expertise in the study of coronaviruses. This appeal is a great opportunity to make a difference in the race to unlock valuable new information about the COVID-19 virus, which we believe can result from Bristol’s expertise.

– Dr Jonathan de Pass (MBChB 1979) and Mrs Georgina de Pass, COVID-19 Research Appeal donors

 

COVID-19 appeal launched to overwhelming support from alumni

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As the COVID-19 pandemic has spread around the world, a group of researchers at the University of Bristol has united to collaborate on finding ways to overcome the disease. An appeal for funding to support this work has been met with fantastic support from alumni.

The University’s COVID-19 Emergency Research Group (UNCOVER) are addressing a wide range of areas as a priority, which are explained in great detail on our main website.

In particular, Dr David Matthews and Dr Andrew Davidson, who have been working on the human coronavirus since 2002, have mobilised their teams to scale up their research. Their work on SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is focused on understanding the pathogenesis of the virus. Their work is taking place in Bristol in one of only two specialist university labs in the whole of the UK and is critical to the development of diagnostic tools, drugs and vaccines to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

To date, alumni donations have procured critical equipment and resources, including a new incubator for Drs Matthews and Davidson’s laboratory. Additionally, donations have funded the preparation of another high-security laboratory, suitable for handling SARS-CoV-2, to allow the expansion of this fundamental research. And alumni have matched the funding offered by the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute, enabling research into testing and vaccines to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

Researchers around the University are now looking to quickly scale up our research on COVID-19, which includes: growing the capacity of our secure laboratories and providing our researchers with the equipment they need; early tests on vaccines that could be capable of combatting the virus; and tapping into our unique ‘Children of the 90s’ cohort to track the factors that impact susceptibility to infection and understand the true frequency of infection.

So far hundreds of alumni have donated to this vital research and for this we say a resounding thank you. We know that unfortunately many of our alumni are facing financial hardship as a result of this pandemic, but for anyone who may be able to support the research you can read more and donate online.

Bristol medical students lead the way on nutrition for health benefits

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Ally Jaffee and Iain Broadley founded the Community Interest Company (CIC) Nutritank in 2017 while studying Medicine at Bristol. Jaffee is currently in her fourth year and Broadley is a member of the cohort who have graduated early [April 2020 instead of July 2020] in order to quickly support the NHS during the COVID-19 crisis.

Described as ‘an innovative, informative hub for food, nutrition and lifestyle medicine’ Nutritank is a one-stop shop for students of medicine, current medical practitioners and anyone interested in food for health. In a world where many widespread conditions such as heart disease and diabetes have contributory dietary factors, the founders are passionate about advocating healthy eating for all, promoted by those working in the health sector.

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Bristol Voices launched to support students through COVID-19

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The first wave of Bristol alumni and staff have already volunteered to support remotely – via phone or messaging services – current students affected by social distancing as a result of COVID-19, through our just-launched Bristol Voices programme.

The University is home to many students and this is a particularly difficult time for them. Whilst the University has comprehensive support available, a lack of regular contact with friends, colleagues and classmates can quickly lead to feelings of isolation and anxiety.

Bristol Voices is our response to supporting students during this uncertain time. Through Bristol Voices, we are connecting students remaining in Bristol with a dedicated member of the Bristol community for enhanced, one-on-one interaction to support their social wellbeing. Bristol Voices is a collaboration between the Development and Alumni Relations Office (DARO) and the Student Services team and is part of the University’s wider response to the COVID-19 crisis.

The University of Bristol already has a dedicated support system in place with free services for all students. Bristol Voices is an additional programme established with our alumni community in mind, to offer extra, informal social support for our students during COVID-19.

Our volunteers have a wide range of experience and backgrounds, and knowledge of student life at Bristol. We have alumni signed up to volunteer who studied an array of subjects and work in many different fields, including teachers, managers and researchers. But what they all have in common is a willingness to help and lend an ear to these students who may currently be struggling with social isolation.

We are very appreciative of the alumni who have put themselves forward during these difficult circumstances, and we welcome them joining the hundreds of volunteers we currently work with across a wide range of programmes.

Read more about alumni volunteering opportunities.

Your University’s reponse to COVID-19: a message from Professor Hugh Brady

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Professor Hugh Brady, Vice-Chancellor and President, University of Bristol, has a message for all our alumni and friends.

The impact of COVID-19 continues to be felt profoundly around the world. Today, I would like to update you on how Bristol is protecting its global community of staff, students and alumni. I also want to share with you how, with the support of our alumni community, our researchers are working to understand COVID-19, and combat this pandemic.

Caring for students and staff

Last week, in common with many UK universities, we took the difficult decision to end our Easter term early. This should play a part in reducing the speed of COVID-19 transmission, and it gives our academic community time to prepare for a full transition to online learning and assessment for our students from the start of next term.

We are acutely aware that for many students, this decision poses significant challenges. For some, returning home or leaving campus is not an option, while for others, learning online next term will only be possible with access to the University’s computers and internet. As many of you will already know, a lack of regular contact with friends, colleagues and classmates can quickly lead to feelings of isolation and anxiety.

The University remains open, with core facilities, staff support and regular communications available to students and staff who need them. Our Student Hardship Fund, to which alumni have generously given in the past, will be used to provide financial support to all students that need it in these unprecedented times.

Alumni events

This week, we also made the decision to postpone our programme of alumni events for the remainder of the academic year. Again, this decision was not easy for the University: our alumni events are some of the highlights of our calendar. But as with the decisions we have made to protect the wellbeing of our students and staff, so with these and other University events we are following the latest advice from the UK Government to reduce the transmission of COVID-19.

Staying connected

During these times, when many of us will be using digital tools to communicate and interact more than ever before, I would encourage you to join us on Bristol Connects. If you haven’t yet set up your account for this online Bristol community, it’s quick and simple to do so. Within the space, you can connect with other Bristol graduates and current students, either to offer or benefit from careers advice; find old friends; and make new connections in your professional sector or area of the world.

Bristol’s fundamental research into COVID-19

I’d like to close by highlighting some of the critical research into COVID-19 that is taking place at the University of Bristol, and the impact that your generous support is already having on this work.

Dr David Matthews and Dr Andrew Davidson of the School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine are one of just two University research teams in the UK who are working with Public Health England to grow SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. You may have seen the work of their team covered recently by the BBC on Newsnight on 5 March. Their work to understand the pathogenesis of the virus – how it causes disease, and how it interacts with our bodies – is critical to the development of diagnostic tools, drugs and vaccines to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thanks to gifts from Bristol’s alumni community, we have been able to provide immediate funding for a new incubator for Drs Matthews and Davidson’s research. In addition, your generosity has enabled the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research, based at Bristol, to act rapidly in providing funding for new research into COVID-19 that is taking place across the University.

Supporting our research and students

We are so grateful to count on the support of our alumni for this critical work. If you would like to donate to our research on COVID-19, or indeed to help students experiencing the financial impact of the pandemic, you can do so by donating online, or by contacting Rob Grimes in the Development and Alumni Relations Office.

Here at Bristol, we are thinking of you all as you and your families face this unprecedented challenge. I know that you will also be thinking of the friends that you made during your time here at the University. Please keep in touch with us and with each other, and I look forward very much to seeing you in the future.

In celebration of our fantastic Bristol scholars

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On Tuesday 25 February the Development and Alumni Relations Office (DARO) hosted our inaugural Scholarship Celebration in the Great Hall of Wills Memorial Building.

The event brought together students who have benefitted from scholarships with some of the donors who made it possible. Celebrating with our students and donors was a poignant reminder of the significant impact scholarships have on our whole University community, as well as the individuals who receive them.

My story is one of the many lives you have touched and on behalf of all the scholars, we are eternally grateful – Omolola Funsho

Omolola Funsho, spoke about how receiving the Futures Scholarship eliminated her financial worries in her first year of studying Physiological Science:

It has also allowed me to completely immerse myself in university life. I have made many friends from different backgrounds, courses and walks of life. I’ve joined the African and Caribbean Society, I joined a dance class, I’ve joined the Neuroscience and PhysPharm Societies and I’ve been able to attend many talks led by professors at the University, quiz nights and Christmas balls.

Thanks to the scholarship, Omolola has been able to focus on her studies (rather than working multiple part-time jobs to support herself), join societies and purchase a laptop which has allowed her to study flexibly.

James Watts, whose PhD scholarship was funded in honour of Dr Ian Keil, an alumnus who had also benefitted from a studentship in the 1950s, also spoke about the difference a scholarship makes.

The support of Dr Keil’s family, given in his honour, has enabled James to further his career by supporting his research in an area where funding is scarce. If you’d like to find out more about our scholarship and PhD programmes, you can read about some of them in our latest impact report.

Generosity of alumni and friends provides £1.4m for projects across the University

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Alumni and friends of the University of Bristol continue to inspire us with their generous donations. Many of our supporters give to specific projects that are close to their hearts, but today we’d like to say a particular thanks to the unsung heroes who donate to our ‘unrestricted funds’, amounting to £1.4m in the latest round of funding.

Donors who choose to give to ‘unrestricted funds’ trust the University to support the projects we consider to be the most deserving and impactful. These gifts therefore support a wide range of Bristol work and for this we’d like to say a huge thank you, and share with you just some of the wonderful projects your money is supporting.

The Science of Happiness

Run by Professor Bruce Hood in the School of Psychological Science, the Science of Happiness course has introduced 400 students to scientifically validated strategies for living a more satisfying, happier life in its first year alone. The donation from unrestricted funds will allow the team to explore potential mobile app technology which would help the University to keep in contact with students during their time here and after graduation. The Science of Happiness course has led to a significant improvement in student wellbeing and the University wants to investigate ways to sustain this once the course is completed, as well as reach out to others who are unable to take the unit.

 

Special Collections Outreach Project

Donations from alumni and friends have funded a 2-year part time Exhibitions and Engagement Officer post which will enable the University to build on the momentum of previous activity designed to bring our unique archives to a wider local and national audience. This includes projects such as the recent Oliver Messel archive project, Sharing the Messel Magic, which reached 47,000 people and help us share our treasures with the wider world. It will also help us find innovative ways of bringing together material drawn from both Special Collections and our Theatre Collection, which take up over 10km of shelving! As part of this outreach project we hope to curate 6 new exhibitions, which may be exhibited in our new University library in the future.

 

The Student Living Room

Based in Senate House, funds allocated to expand the Student Living Room will help to support the student experience at Bristol. These Bristol Students’ Union spaces give students somewhere to relax, unwind and connect with others. In 2018, a research project carried out jointly by Bristol SU and other Students Unions found that 35% of students say that they rarely or never feel relaxed and 1 in 4 of are regularly stressed about isolation. The Living Rooms provide students with space on campus to combat isolation and facilitate positive wellbeing. Last year over 63% of Bristol students used the Living Rooms, and they drank over 13,000 cups of tea!

 

Sanctuary Scholarships

To date the Sanctuary Scholarships programme has assisted 37 students from 14 different countries and has made an incredible difference to the lives of these Bristol students. Jon Lightfoot, the Student Funding Officer who supports the programme, had this to say:

The support from our alumni and friends allows us to open a door to academically gifted students from forced migration backgrounds who are beginning their higher education academic journey with us. It also enables our students to achieve postgraduate taught level study, giving our Scholars the best chance to stand out and shine in the competitive world of graduate employment.

 

Bristol Illustrious Visiting Professorships

This new scheme aims to establish two visiting professorships each year, bringing eminent global research leaders to the University to give a series of lectures and to engage with our academic community. Lectures will be recorded and shared online, ensuring that academics around the world – and the Bristol alumni community – can access cutting-edge research and education at the University. One of the Professorships is expected to be linked to our Cabot Institute for the Environment.

 

Sustainability Opportunities Fund

Thanks to your generosity, we’ve been able to support a new Sustainability Opportunities Fund which will help the University on its mission to become carbon neutral by 2030.  Martin Wiles, Head of Sustainability, explains what this new project is all about:

This fund is one of a number of initiatives the University is developing to help pump prime sustainability and carbon reduction activities. The fund is overseen by the University’s new Sustainability Council, who are particularly keen to hear ideas that will have longer term impact at any level within the University. We are on a long journey to carbon neutrality in 2030 and this is one of the first steps in that journey.

Thank you to our alumni and friends whose generosity helps support so many great initiatives across the University.

 

 

“Life and careers are never linear”: Interview with Alex Wilmot-Sitwell

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Following his recent appointment as one of the University’s Pro-Chancellors, we caught up with Bristol alumnus, Alex Wilmot-Sitwell, to talk about his career trajectory, life experiences and his time at Bristol.

Alex graduated from the University with a degree in History (BA 1983) and went on to start his career in Corporate Finance at The English Trust. He moved to South Africa in 1991 and subsequently joined Robert Fleming in South Africa as a Director in Corporate Finance in 1995. He joined SBC Warburg in 1996, which later became UBS. At 37, he became Head of UK Investment Banking at UBS and moved back to London. During his time at UBS, Alex worked on some of their biggest deals, including the restructuring of Lloyds Banking. At UBS, he went on to become Global Head of Investment Banking, co-CEO of UBS Investment Bank and finally CEO of UBS AG in APAC. He served on the Group Executive Board at UBS AG.  In 2012 he joined Bank of America Merrill Lynch as the President of their business in Europe, Middle East and Africa. Today, Alex is a Partner at Perella Weinberg Partners’ advisory business based in London, having joined in September 2018. He has regularly been ranked as one of the 100 most influential people in the City.

Alex was a Vice President of Save the Children UK from 2008 – 2014 and a member of the University of Bristol Centenary Campaign Board from 2009 – 2014. He was also on the Advisory Board of The Sutton Trust until 2018. Today he serves on the Advisory Board of the National Theatre.

What attracted you to study at the University of Bristol?

Then, as now, Bristol stood out for me as a university with real depth and breadth and as an institution which had quality and respect right across the board.

What is your fondest memory from your time at Bristol?

Without a doubt it’s the friendships that I made there. To this day I still have those strong networks around me that have stood the test of time. I also loved the city, especially Clifton for its architecture and the splendours of the Suspension Bridge across the gorge. And you can’t beat the Downs for a breath of fresh air. It’s just such a beautiful city, I loved studying there.

One of your sons also graduated from Bristol – have you spoken about the differences and similarities you both experienced while studying here, and can you tell us about them?

Yes, my son Ben graduated in 2018. Since my time as an undergraduate the University has changed a lot, not least by doubling in size, but I think the city remains an amazing place to be. Like me, Ben has left university with a strong group of incredible lifelong friends. In fact, my niece is also currently studying at Bristol and she too loves the vibrancy of the city and the friends that she’s making there.

What is the best career advice that you have ever been given?

My father used to remind me that ‘the cemeteries of the world are full of indispensable people’ and this has stuck with me. There can be a tendency, especially when you reach very senior management positions, to talk yourself into thinking that you are indispensable and always right. No-one is either of those things. You can’t take yourself too seriously. If I had to give career advice, I would say that life and careers are never linear. Sometimes you have to go backwards in order to go forwards and we shouldn’t be afraid of that.

What’s been the proudest moment of your career to date?

Becoming Chief Executive of UBS Investment Bank in 2009, only 12 years after I restarted my career. To be frank, I was a late starter. I went off on some entrepreneurial tangents which didn’t quite work out. I only went into banking properly in 1995, at the age of 34, which is quite old for mainstream banking! I had tried various things before that, including living and working in South Africa through interesting and difficult times, so to get to that point after some false attempts makes me quite proud.

As a history graduate, what do you feel we can learn from history? In today’s political landscape do you think we are in danger of ignoring previous lessons?

I think it’s quite foolish to overlook historic patterns and precedents as things do tend to repeat themselves. I believe in always looking forward, but we must remember that we can learn a lot from historical events, which can improve knowledge and decision-making in judgements about the future. It can prove dangerous to ignore what history can teach us.

As someone who is passionate about the arts, can you tell us about a recent performance, exhibition or work of literature that’s moved you and why?

I’ve just finished reading Jack Fairweather’s phenomenal book The Volunteer, about a Polish resistance hero who voluntarily got himself sent to Auschwitz where he built a resistance movement. It’s a harrowing but brave story of survival, selflessness and putting others before yourself.

My wife and I have also just seen Sir Tom Stoppard’s play Leopoldstadt, set among a Jewish family in Vienna across six decades, where many of the family were sent to Auschwitz. This year is the 75th anniversary of the ending of World War Two and the Holocaust is highly relevant today in terms of a real threat to tolerance, the rise of extreme right-wing politics, nationalism, Islamophobia and Anti-Semitism. It’s a stark reminder of how appalling and dangerous populism and intolerance are, and how we should celebrate and protect an open and tolerant society.

As one of the newly appointed Pro-Chancellors, what are your ambitions for the University of Bristol in the future?

Bristol has a tremendous opportunity to be innovative. The Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus development is very exciting, joining up different areas of Bristol and becoming a world-leading centre for science and technology. Likewise, the changes to the Clifton campus, including the new library will be hugely positive. I see them as a centre, a gathering point at the heart of the University.

Universities generally are facing unprecedented challenges right now; financial, social and sustainability. Managing universities in the UK in an era where free movement of people – students, researchers, academics, teachers – is due to be restricted is another challenge. Bristol has an opportunity now to be a thought leader. Universities need to change and evolve in order to meet student requirements. Our graduates will end up doing jobs that haven’t even been invented yet. Bristol needs to be at the forefront of innovative thinking in order to excel in this space.

A celebration of all your support

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Grace Kendrick (BA 2017, MA 2019) and Julius Ogayo, International Students Officer (Bristol SU), at the event

On Saturday 9 November the Development and Alumni Relations Office (DARO) had the honour of being the first team at the university to hold an event in the beautiful newly refurbished Fry building. The occasion was our Supporters’ Celebration, where we took time out to thank our alumni and friends who support, donate, mentor, volunteer or otherwise give back to the University.

It was a fantastic afternoon hosted by the Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Hugh Brady, and ably supported by many academics, students and staff who gave up their time to showcase their work and how alumni and friends’ support makes a big difference.

In the year 2018/19 £15,824,502 new philanthropic funds were raised for the university. In addition, over 1,300 alumni and friends volunteered through DARO to support students and the university.

The impact of the support given by alumni and friends continues to grow and flourish and we’re proud to feature just some of the staff and students who’ve benefited from this support in our latest Impact Report.

If you’d like to see the photographs from the event they are available now on Flickr.