St Catharine's College

Illustration of a horse with a front leg raised from Andrew Snape's 'The anatomy of an horse London' from 1687

Illustration of a horse standing in John Johnston's 'A description of the nature of four-footed beasts' from 1678

Illustration of a horse rearing up in John Johnston's 'A description of the nature of four-footed beasts' from 1678

We're galloping into the #LunarNewYear & #ChineseNewYear at Catz today! It is the start of the Year of the Horse in Chinese astrology so a special exhibition in the Gallery includes these 17th-century illustrations of horses. There are also student-organised events in the JCR and the MCR tonight.

Cover designs for 'Mrs Sidhu's Just Desserts' by Suk Pannu, 'Starchild' by Maggie Aderin and 'Geology: An Illustrated History' by David Bainbridge

New books from the Catz community
🍰 'Mrs Sidhu's Just Desserts' (Hemlock Press) by Suk Pannu (1986, Engineering)
🔭 'Starchild' (BBC Books) by Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock (Hon Fellow 2024)
🪨 'Geology: An Illustrated History (Princeton University Press) by Prof. David Bainbridge (2003)

... We'll be thinking about fasting, but also the business of rules of life and spiritual disciplines more broadly. Contact the Rev'd Nell Whiscombe at chaplain@caths.cam.a... for further details. 4/4

St Catharine's Chapel reflected in panes of a window in Main Court

... for students from different faith traditions & none, who come together in a spirit of exploration, listening, encounter and hospitality. The theme this month will be ‘rules and disciplines’, taking in Lent, Ramadan & the Fast of Esther. 3/4

✝️ For Ash Wednesday, there's a Eucharist (Holy Communion) with Imposition of Ashes in our Chapel at 6pm. Ashes will also be available at 9am on Wednesday from the Chapel steps in Main Court.
🤝 On 3 March we're joining @corpuscambridge.bsky.social for the latest in a series of interfaith events 2/4

The St Catharine's College boat house and neighbouring buildings reflected in the surface of the river Cam and rotated 90 degrees from horizonal to vertical

It's a time of reflection for many in our community:
☸️ Parinirvana Day is being marked with a day of activities at Cambridge Buddhist Centre: cambridgebuddhistcen...
☪️ For Ramadan, Catz Islamic Society is planning a 'Big Iftar' so students can break their fast together 1/4

Sending love from the Catz community ahead of Valentine's Day. Photo of a heart-shaped air display above the College by Martin Bond/A Cambridge Diary. Learn more about it at caths.cam.ac.uk/we-heart-our-graduands Valentine's messages from our students #CambridgeUniversity #ValentinesDay #Valentine

Sending love from everyone at Catz to loved-ones around the world today on Valentine's Day 💌 Some of our students took the chance to record messages this week to friends, family, partners & even their pets! Watch now at

Promise the Earth: why real climate action means restraint A new book by a St Catharine's engineer and an Oxford theologian argues that our faith in technology to solve the climate crisis is distracting us from the uncomfortable truth: that saving the planet is neither a task for future technologies nor for world leaders alone. It is something all of us — especially those with comfortable lives — can and must do, now.

Prof. Julian Allwood (2018), Dudley Robinson Professorial Fellow in #Engineering at Catz, has teamed up with theologian Prof. Andrew Davison on 'Promise the Earth' (2026, Cambridge University Press), a new book that calls for a rethink on how we can reduce our emissions:

Eight distinguished individuals including the former German Chancellor, Dr Angela Merkel, have been nominated for honorary degrees at the University of Cambridge. 🎓

Explore all the nominations: www.cam.ac.uk/news/former-...

Prof. Philippe Sands, Prof. Gilly Carr and Sir John Benger in front of a wall with a sign reading 'St Catharine's College'

Prof. Philippe Sands showing a passage from a book to a student at St Catharine's College

We're delighted Philippe Sands (Fellow Commoner 1984–86; Research Fellow 1986–88) has been nominated for an honorary Doctorate in Law from @cam.ac.uk: cam.ac.uk/news/forme.... We published a report from the "electric & riveting" lecture he gave at Catz in 2025: caths.cam.ac.uk/phil...

Dr Jenni Gibbons taking a selfie next to a rocket and the Orion spacecraft at the Kennedy Space Center with a sign reading 'Let's go!'

Dr Jenni Gibbons taking a selfie next to a rocket at the Kennedy Space Center

Eight orange astronaut suits hanging on a rail

International Day of Women & Girls in Science: Generations of Catz women have taken science to new frontiers, incl astronaut Dr Jenni Gibbons (Fellow 2016–24; Hon Fellow 2024) who shared photos from NASA's Kennedy Space Center preparing for the Artemis II mission. Read more: www.asc-csa.gc.ca/en...

Collage of eight photos showing groups of attendees from the St Catharine's Electives Week reception and dinner

Our first Electives Week Dinner was a fabulous event with current St Catharine’s @jbs.cam.ac.uk Executive course students, alumni and their guests joining us for a drinks reception and dinner on Tuesday 3 February. It was a wonderful opportunity for Catz students and alumni to connect and chat.

List of figures from the 2025 Telephone Campaign: 14 student callers, 2 weeks, 1938 completed calls, £180,000 raised, 215 gifts, 22 countries

Our Telephone Campaign 2025 raised over £180,000 in two weeks from alumni and friends in 22 countries. Thank you! Read our report on the Campaign's success at caths.cam.ac.uk/tele...

Alex Rutter, Shun Wen Chen and Zhicheng Ye outfitted for kendo outside the main gates at St Catharine's College

A terrific trio of Catz students have been active as captain, secretary & social secretary of @cam.ac.uk #Kendo Society which is hosting this year’s Varsity matches on 7 March (the Light Blues have won 5 years in a row) & a national tournament on 12 April. Read our interview at caths.cam.ac.uk/kendo

Sports highlights: Weeks 1 & 2 The following highlights from various sports clubs and teams were compiled from recent reports. If any captains or team members have a result that you'd like to feature in the next round-up, please contact comms@caths.cam.ac.uk.

Our latest sports update sees Catz students participating in football, lacrosse and running, and explains how everyone can cheer on @cam.ac.uk in Varsity fixtures in powerlifting (today!), rugby union, football and rowing. Read more at

YouTube video by Bill Sutherland's Conservation Concepts Getting scientific papers accepted: tips from editors

Want some top tips from editors on how to get scientific papers accepted? youtu.be/XLWTAqHk1zA?...

St Catharine's College dining hall laid for the 1473 Foundation Gala Dinner

On Saturday 31 January, we welcomed members of our 1473 Foundation to our annual 1473 Foundation Gala event. Find out more about the 1473 Foundation at www.caths.cam.ac.uk/.... Photos from the event can be viewed at www.facebook.com/med....

📸: Rob Holding

Graphic for Time to Talk Day with the date of 5 February 2026

It's #TimeToTalkDay so there’s a mental health drop-in session in our Garden Room at 2–3pm today for our students, staff & Fellows. 15 managers from across our various departments completed training in January to prepare them for conversations about mental health in our community

Cambridge is changing the story of cancer Find out about groundbreaking cancer research at Cambridge, including our planned new hospital, how we're studying the earliest stages of cancer, how AI is helping fight the disease, and the patients ...

Cambridge is #ChangingTheStoryOfCancer.

Early diagnosis, prevention and research can improve outcomes and lead to kinder, more effective treatments.

With @cambcancer.bsky.social and your generosity, we can transform cancer care for generations.

Find out more 👉 cam.ac.uk/cancer
#WorldCancerDay

Two trees in St Catharine's College Main Court decorated with pink woolly items

Student hangs a brown and black woolly decoration in the shape of a breast on a tree

Student hangs a multicoloured woolly decoration in the shape of a breast on a tree

We're tickled pink to see the return of the Catz Yarn Society's yarnbombing during Cambridge Pink Week, which helps to raise money and awareness for breast cancer charities. Now in its fifth year, you can read more about the origins of the annual yarnbombing at caths.cam.ac.uk/pink... @cam.ac.uk

Tales of self-doubt in the biomedical sciences For the first time, a group of Cambridge scientists reveal the personal struggles they’ve faced – and continue to face – as they strive for success in a new book edited by Professor Adrian Liston (2023), Equalities Fellow and Postgraduate Welfare Tutor at St Catharine's.

Catz Fellow Adrian Liston has published 'Self-Doubt', a book about the personal struggles faced by scientists as they strive for success. It opens with a dedication to 'all those who suffered through a crisis of self-confidence believing they were alone'. Learn more:

Dr Natalie Roberts

Our Addenbrooke Lecture on 16 Feb will be given by Dr Natalie Roberts, Executive Director of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) / Doctors Without Borders UK: caths.cam.ac.uk/adde.... The lecture is named for John Addenbrooke, a Scholar, Fellow, Lecturer & Bursar at Catz: caths.cam.ac.uk/john...
📸: MSF

Dr Cecil Belfield Clarke

Sign on a brick wall reading Belfield House

L'myah Sherae standing at the entrance to Belfield House

We're celebrating @lgbthm.bsky.social this month: caths.cam.ac.uk/LGBT.... Belfield House is one of the ways we remember our LGBTQ+ history all year. Read about Dr Cecil Belfield Clarke (1914, Nat Sci) at caths.cam.ac.uk/cb-c..., based on research by L'myah Sherae (2018, Int Relations & Politics)

Dr Hend Hanafy speaking during the 'Sentencing in the Egyptian Legal System: A Comparative Approach to the Sentencing Guidelines in England and Wales' roundtable event

Attendees during the 'Sentencing in the Egyptian Legal System: A Comparative Approach to the Sentencing Guidelines in England and Wales' roundtable event

From Cambridge to Cairo ⚖️ Hend Hanafy (2021) told us about organising & speaking at an event in Egypt on 'Sentencing in the Egyptian Legal System: A Comparative Approach to the Sentencing Guidelines in England and Wales'. Learn more: www.caths.cam.ac.uk/... Faculty of Law

More honours and a life peerage St Catharine’s is proud that so many members of our community have been recognised by HM King Charles III through appointments in the New Year Honours list and to the House of Lords:

More honours news ⭐ MBEs awarded to Catz alumni Simon Friend (1979, Geography), Julia PG Jones (1996, Natural Sciences) and Stephen Perks (1981, Education) as David Isaac CBE (Honorary Fellow 2024) joins the House of Lords as a life peer. Read more:

Tributes paid to St Catharine’s emeritus fellow and Cambridge University Association Football Club stalwart Dr John Little Materials scientist was a former five-time football blue.

Tributes have been paid to @stcatharines.bsky.social emeritus fellow and #Cambridge University Association Football Club stalwart Dr John Little

www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/news/tribute...

Cartoon-style illustration of a tropical seaside resort with lettering reading 'CATZACABANA 25.06.26'

News about the Catz May Ball on 25 June🌴Tickets for Catz students are out from 6.30pm today: see instagram.com/catzma... & catzmayball.co.uk. Our staff, Fellows & alumni will be receiving emails about how to buy tickets when they are released tomorrow. The totally tropical theme is 'Catzacabana'

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The scholarships will support study towards AI-related Masters degrees and provide an unparalleled package of benefits.

Find out how to apply 👇
https://bit.ly/4t56QpJ

View of St Catharine's College from the street on a winter's day including beech trees without leaves and a blue sky

After our undergraduate admissions interviews in December, today is when everyone hears via the UCAS Hub if we can offer a place to study at Catz. Hearing from us earlier/later in the day does not indicate whether an application has been successful. For further details visit: www.undergraduate.st...

Edie Behr

Kellaway Concerts are back 🎶 A student showcase at 6pm on Friday 30 January features soprano Edie Behr (a second-year MML undergraduate; pictured) & violinist Jemima Ward (a final-year English undergraduate). Admission is free & tickets can be reserved online at caths.cam.ac.uk/kell... @cam.ac.uk