Pembroke College, Cambridge

Happy Lunar New Year to all our students, staff, Fellows, alumni, Circle members, and friends celebrating today! 🐍🎉 To mark the Year of the Snake, our Librarian found this very sssssuitable image, taken from Albertus Seba's 'Rerum Naturalium Thesaurus' Vol II, originally owned by poet and alumnus Thomas Gray. #HappyLunarNewYear2025 #YearOfTheSnake

Our first blog of the year is here! Kicking off our new theme 'Enacting Purposeful Change' is a blog by The Master, Lord Smith of Finsbury, who offers some lessons from history, science and life on how to make change in the face of insurmountable problems. Read more here: https://bit.ly/PEM25CS #EnactingPurposefulChange #ThoughtLeadership #Environment #Culture #Museums #History #FDR #Politics #America #Britain

Did you know there are inner-Earth mountains, known as large, low-velocity provinces, many times the size of Everest, sitting above our planet's core? Pembroke Fellow and Professor of Global Seismology in Earth Sciences Sanne Cottaar discusses her research, which uses seismic waves produced by earthquakes to identify what sits between the Earth's core and the mantle. https://lnkd.in/eBhCzEW8 #PembrokeCollegeCambridge #PembrokeResearch

Congratulations to Pembroke alumna Sophie Elmhirst (2000), who has won the 2024 Nero Book Award in Non-Fiction for her book 'Maurice and Maralyn'. The judges described the novel as: “A captivating gem of creative non-fiction writing that grips both as a human survival story and as a profound, almost mythical tale of the wide blue yonder and the things that sustain us in times of crisis.” https://lnkd.in/ekNqspcT #NeroBookAwards2024 #PembrokeAlumni #PembrokeCollegeCambridge

Happy New Year from Pembroke College! 📷 Emma Richardson, Senior Porter

Congratulations to the winners of the 2024 Alumni Awards, Indra Sinha (1970), Professor Denny Levett (1990) and Phil Kwok (2015).   The Distinguished Alumni Award: Professor Denny Levett. As Professor of Perioperative Medicine and Critical Care at Southampton University, Denny has pioneered advancements in patient care, overseeing a critical care unit that treats over 1,000 high-risk patients annually. Her leadership in developing the UK’s first integrated perioperative medicine and prehabilitation service has improved patient outcomes and reduced hospital stays and earned her team the HSJ Cancer Care Initiative of the Year in 2020. Denny’s commitment to excellence was perhaps most striking during the COVID-19 crisis, where, under extraordinary conditions, her tireless work contributed to one of the UK’s top ICU survival rates. Denny is also an internationally respected researcher, studying human metabolism under extreme conditions, including high-altitude research conducted on Everest. She also mentors early-career doctors, especially women.   The Alumni Impact Award: Indra Sinha. Beginning his career in advertising, Indra channelled his passion for storytelling into powerful advocacy, crafting appeals for Amnesty International UK for urgent causes like the Kurdish Disaster Fund. A life-changing encounter with Bhopal activist Sathyu Sarangi led Indra to create a landmark campaign for the Bhopal Medical Appeal, an effort that he personally underwrote and has since provided essential care to over 60,000 victims of the Bhopal disaster. He devoted 20 years—10 of them as a volunteer—to supporting Bhopal survivors. His visionary work has built a community of 25,000 donors across 45 countries. His dedication to Bhopal’s cause is echoed in his writing, with the disaster forming the backdrop of his acclaimed novel Animal’s People, shortlisted for the 2007 Man Booker Prize.   Emerging Alumni Leader: Phil Kwok. Phil’s journey from his academic success at Pembroke to founding one of the world’s fastest-growing startups, EasyA, reflects his commitment to excellence and innovation. Through EasyA, Phil has already given over $2 million to support students, underscoring his dedication to giving back to the next generation. His achievements have been celebrated globally, with appearances on the BBC and features in conversations with top UK business leaders. Phil’s contributions extend far beyond his entrepreneurial success. He continues to support Pembroke directly, working with programmes like  LEAP and actively engaging in efforts to secure corporate sponsorships to support student initiatives. Phil’s voluntary work, especially his dedication to tutoring young people in technology, exemplifies his commitment to public service and his desire to uplift others. Congratulations to all three winners, and thank you to everyone who took the time to submit a nomination. #AlumniExcellence #PembrokeCollegeCambridge #AlumniAwardsWinners

In this seasonal message, the Master, Lord Smith, tells us why 2024 was one of the most monumental years in Pembroke's history and gives his thoughts on the coming year. #PembrokeCollegeCambridge #DolbyCourt #MillLaneProject

Merry Christmas to all Pembroke's students, alumni, staff, Fellows, Circle members and friends!🎄🌟

Today marks the 677th anniversary of the granting of the College’s foundation charter by Edward III to Marie de St Pol, Countess of Pembroke. In the year in which we are marking the 40th anniversary of the admission of women to Pembroke, let us celebrate the remarkable woman without whose vision and determination none of this would have been possible. Thank you, Marie. And happy birthday to the Hall of Valence Mary, more commonly known as Pembroke College. #PembrokeCollegeCambridge #PemWomen40

Our Gardening team hosted a fun, festive wreath-making event for staff in the Hall this morning. All the foliage came from the College grounds, including the Fellows' Garden, which has been undergoing a light refresh. Everyone who attended had a good time - and went away with a great wreath! Thank you to Sarah Claydon and her team for organising this event!