William Wood
President
Hello there! I'm Will and I'm your MCR President this year. You might remember me from places such as the first page of the freshers' guide. I'm a fourth year PhD Physicist although this will be my fifth year in Clare overall. My main role as President is to represent your interests to college and to help resolve issues that you may have in that capacity. My other focus is leading the MCR committee to make sure the MCR continues to be the fun-filled, loving and inclusive community that I have always known it to be.
Come and chat when you get the chance!
Sam Hodder
Vice President
Hi Everyone, I'm Sam and I'm your MCR Vice President. I am entering the first year of my PhD in Cancer Biology but have been at Clare for two years now. As Vice President, my main job is to represent the MCR at the inter-collegiate and university wide level at the Cambridge Student Union. I am really keen to make sure the MCR is as warm and friendly as possible and a welcoming place for everyone studying at Clare. Please don't hesitate to get in touch with me, or any of the other committee members, if we can do anything to help you have a better time here at Clare. Looking forward to meeting you all!
Tom Zago
Secretary
Hello and welcome to Clare! My name is Tom, and I am the MCR secretary, aka (mostly) organised Tom. Apart from my duties as your secretary, I proud myself being a second-year PhD student at the Faculty of History and you will most likely meet me wandering around college with a stack of books under my arms while talking - well what a surprise - about history and all things past. However, leaving the past aside, my work as secretary for the most part consists in ensuring a proper communication between the MCR’s committee and you, its members. If ever in doubt about whom you should contact in the committee (in case you ever feel the need, we all are a good company), just drop me an email and we will get you the answers you want.
Henri van Soest
Treasurer
Hello! My name is Henri, and I am the MCR treasurer. I am a third-year PhD student at the Department of Land Economy. I will be looking after the MCR finances this year as I have done for the last year. My work mainly takes place behind the scenes, but is essential for ensuring that we can enjoy formals, swaps, ceilidhs, and other fun activities. I also interact with the college on financial matters. In addition, I help set out the college’s investment strategy through my participation in the investment committee.
Tom Else
Social Secretary
Hi everyone, I'm Tom, one of the two social secretaries this year. I am just about to start the second year of my PhD at the CRUK Cambridge Institute. Mine, and Jojo's jobs are to organise social events throughout the year, in particular Freshers Week, and formals on a Friday. We have worked hard to come up with plans for Freshers Week, to give you the best possible start to your time here. Hopefully, we will also be able to organise weekly formals at some stage in the year, which are a great way to meet people and enjoy yourself at the end of the week. I can't wait to see you all, and if you have any suggestions or questions about Freshers Week or the social side of the MCR, please feel free to drop me an email!
JoJo Benn
Social Secretary
Hey everyone and welcome to Clare! I'm JoJo (Somehow derived from Jonathan) and am going into the second year of my PhD in Neuroscience. I'm one of your MCR social secretaries alongside Tom, meaning we'll be putting together the best possible freshers week to welcome you all into the Clare MCR community. We'll also be (coronavirus permitting) organising the MCR formal meals which normally happen every Friday in term time and are the perfect way to unwind and catch up with everyone after a long week! Looking forward to meeting you all in freshers and give us a shout if there are any particular events you'd like to see put on through the year!
Pat Taylor
Bar Manager
Hi everyone, I'm Pat, one of the two MCR bar managers along with Tom. My day job is doing a PhD in metallurgy. The MCR bar is the social hub of the college, with a great atmosphere and cheap drinks to boot (£2.50 for a beer/double shot with mixer). We particularly pride ourselves on our vast collection of over a hundred whiskeys. And of course we stock a selection of non-alcoholic drinks too. Now obviously the bar will not be quite so lively as usual whilst the pandemic is still raging, but this term we will be opening according to the current regulations for bars/pubs so long as the government keeps allowing us to. I look forward to seeing you propping up the bar this October!
Tom Edinburgh
Bar Manager
Hi, I'm Tom. I'm a PhD student in Maths, working with clinical data from intensive care. Pat wrote his bio first so I'll try not to copy what he's said about how objectively brilliant the bar is. This is in all likelihood going to be a strange year behind the bar but we'll be trying our best to make sure everything runs as smoothly and safely as possible. Please get in touch if you've got any bar-related questions/jokes/concerns/suggestions and see you soon!
Aliya Ali
Female Welfare Officer and BAME Officer
Hello! My name is Aliya and I'm your Female and BME welfare officer. I work alongside Ross to cover all things welfare related. When I'm not busy organising yoga classes for our MCR community, I work on my PhD in Arab and Islamic Studies. I really enjoyed my first year at Clare, I made many friends and learnt new and exciting things. I am excited to welcome you with the same enthusiasm (if not more) as last year (Covid permitting). If you have any questions, please get in touch!
Ross McGinn
Male Welfare Officer
Hello everyone, welcome to Clare! I'm Ross, a second year Biophysics PhD student and I will be your male welfare officer this year. The welfare team are here to help you settle into Cambridge life and support you through Freshers' Week and the rest of the year. We liaise with the College nurses and University staff on all things welfare, so are always available to offer advice and support. I hope to be a friendly face around college so please feel free to approach me in the bar (hopefully) or anywhere else you see me and introduce yourself. Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions before then. I can't wait to meet you all
Ellie Dunstone
LGBTQ+ Welfare Officer
Hi everyone! I'm Ellie and I am the MCR LGBT+ rep! I am a third year PhD student working in computational cancer genomics at the Sanger Institute! My role is to work with the other MCR welfare reps and the JCR LGBT+ rep to make sure the college is an inclusive and fun place for our LGBT+ members. I'll be organising socials throughout the year, so watch this space! So far plans include a freshers' week social with the Clare JCR, meet-ups with other colleges, and a trip to Cambridge Pride! I am also available at any time for confidential advice and support on LGBT+ related or any other issues, or just a chat! Welcome to Clare :)
David Ewing
Green Officer
Hello! My name's David and I'm the Green Officer at Clare (on the side I do a PhD in French). Following convention, green is understood by the committee, and its humble delegate, in a broad sense. I am a go-to for matters relating to college greenery -- gardens, grass, etc. -- as well as environmental matters: waste reduction and recycling, carbon neutrality (decarbonizing the investment portfolio and reducing carbon consumption in college buildings), travel (pandemic permitting, look out for bike workshops, and contact me if you have any bike or pedestrian queries), sustainable living in Cambridge, and the MCR's own micro-circular economy: the Greencycle space at Clare Court, where previously loved household items await patiently a new home. For more info on these or any other green things, don't hesitate to get in touch!
Sammie Mason
Exchange Officer
Hey everyone, I'm Sammie, a first year PhD student at the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute with a research interest in heart regeneration. I'm super excited to meet you all in freshers week and to welcome you to Clare!! As your exchange (swaps) officer this year I will be arranging opportunities for us to go and experience formal dinner at other colleges. Swaps are a great way to go and visit some of the 30 other colleges and see what they have to offer. I'm particularly excited to be taking on this role as I love eating food, and I hope to be joined by lots of you at a swap soon!
PJ Sterenborg
Sports Officer
Hi everyone, welcome to Clare! I'm PJ and I'll be your MCR Sports Officer this year, here to answer any of your sport-related questions. All MCR members have access to our lovely sports ground near Bentley Road, the squash courts, and the Clare Colony Gym. This year I'm also Men's Captain of a certain oar-driven watercraft club that I won't promote in my official Sports Officer capacity, so I'll just leave it at that. In my spare time I do a PhD in History. Looking forward to meeting you all!
Danny Parle
Accommodation Officer
Hi everyone and welcome to Clare! I'm Danny, a 3rd year PhD in biological chemistry and the MCR accommodation officer. My role is to represent the MCR in accommodation and estates related matters. So, if you have any concerns or queries about accommodation before you arrive, or if there's anything you need help with throughout the year, just let me know. See you all soon!
Will Kitchen
Admiral of the Punts
Greetings from the river. I'm Will (“Will Two”, not to be confused with the decidedly more presidential “Will One”), holder of the most flamboyant title on the MCR committee and a final year medical student with an unusual penchant for broken bones. Clare normally has a fleet of three punts, available 24/7 from April to November, but these are sadly out of commission for the remainder of 2020 due to building works currently involving our dock...leaving me somewhat unemployed. Come April 2021 though, it'll be my job to organise punt bookings and maintenance. Until then, I'm probably just going to spend my time annoying all of you freshers by trying to get as many of you as possible to try out rowing with Clare Boat Club. Take care; see you all on the river soon! (Please don't fall in, I might have to fill out paperwork...!)
Calum Ashcroft
Clareity President
Hi and welcome to Clare! My name is Calum and I am in my third year of a PhD in Maths. I’m in charge of Clareity this year, a series of informal evening talks with wine and pizza where MCR members (grad students and junior research fellows) share their research with the rest of the community. We will also have a day-long symposium later in the year. I hope to see you all at our first Clareity evening, which happens soon after freshers’ week!
Glynnis Maynard
Quartermaster
Hello! I'm Glynn, the MCR Quartermaster, better known as the resident Cookie Fairy. I make sure the MCR bar (‘Rona willing) is stocked with all the fingers, rings, and creams your heart desires. When I'm not blessing the MCR biscuit tins with the most elite confections Sains has to offer, I'm working on my PhD in Archaeology. My research looks at intersections of image-making, geopolitics, and the social construction of health in the Neo-Assyrian period of 1st millennium BCE Iraq. Oh, and for the caffeine-dependent, I ensure the bar has tea and coffee selections hailing from the furthest corners of the known world--at least, according to M&S. If you have a particular predilection or secret yearning for a type of biscuit/tea, let me know and I'll make it happen
Daphne Martin
Mature Students' Officer
Hello and welcome to Clare! My name is Daphne and I'm in my first year of the PhD in Classics. As Mature Students Officer, I'm the representative for MCR members who are older than average and/or have families. In addition to organizing get-togethers (coronavirus permitting), please feel free to use me as a contact point within Clare for any queries or concerns prior to arrival, during freshers week, or during the rest of the year. Looking forward to meeting you all very soon!
Leland Stange
Library Officer
Hello everyone! I'm Leland and will be doing an MPhil in Classics. As the bookshelf on my head may attest, I love libraries and will be representing the MCR on the library committee meetings this year. Feel free to come to me with any questions about academic affairs and study spaces, and be on the lookout for small events regarding Clare's splendid rare book and manuscript collection. Also do make use of the free book exchange opposite the bar in the MCR -- anyone can take and leave books as they please (I'll be sure to routinely sanitize covers). Safe travels, and looking forward to chats with you all soon!
Max Lycke
Computing Officer
Hi and welcome to Clare! I am Max your computing officer, which means I keep the Clare website up to date and make sure committee members can communicate with you/log in to their accounts. That's about it, as events booking has been moved on to the UPAY system, which is where you will be booking formals and events. I'm a second year PhD student at the PDN Department where I focus on marmoset and human stem cell models of primate development.
Anis Barmada
First Year Officer
Anis has recently joined the committee as one of our two first year officers. His role is to represent the interests of first-year students and provide the "MPhil perspective" as the rest of the committee is almost entirely comprised of PhD students due to one-year students otherwise not getting to run for committee positions.
Holland Freeman
First Year Officer
Holland has recently joined the committee as one of our two first year officers. Her role is to represent the interests of first-year students and provide the "MPhil perspective" as the rest of the committee is almost entirely comprised of PhD students due to one-year students otherwise not getting to run for committee positions.