Alchemy Issue 2 - January 2018

32 Pages·2017·14.89 MB·English

LONDON’S GLOBAL UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STUDIES
Alchemy
UNDERSTANDING SCIENCE
The newsletter of the Department of Science & Technology Studies /// Spring 2018
Welcome
Welcome to Alchemy
STS is booming. No doubt about
it. This year we’ve seen glorious Highlights
graduations for students in all
our degrees. We’ve seen staff
promotions, internationally Undergraduate
important awards, and publications
stacked high. (You should read
them. Many are open access - free 03 Why STS? From Finishing
First-year to Interning in
to download via UCL Discovery). Our
New York.
public engagement continues to thrill
04 Undergrad News
and empower. We’re on television, on
05 Lunar Soc Reborn
radio, in the news, and broadcasting
across all sorts of digital channels.
Masters
STS graduates (and students!) are
working in great jobs around the
world, too. Others are producing mind- 05 STS Student Awards 2017
bending research. “We’re going to 06 Working among the Birds
need a bigger building,” I’m told on a
regular basis. Alumni
Professor Joe Cain Image: Celine West
In 2017, STS students used the National Student Survey to report 100% overall
07 Super-NOVA
satisfaction with our programme. Hurrah! This is the third time in five years we
07 Alumni Podcasts
received that accolade. STS’s scores on the survey were the highest in UCL, too.
08 Alumni News
Though delighted, we’re not complacent. We know every year is a new challenge.
09 Future-proof Careers
STS academics, our professional services team, and fellow students all pitch in
to make the department what it continues to be: fabulous. This is hard work, but it
PhD
produces something we all can be intensively proud about.
Consider the power of our brand across UCL. Our Dean regularly asks for more
10 Jeremy Bentham's DNA
STS carrier bags. The Provost (occasionally) carries a tin of STS mints. The new
12 How to Complete a PhD
STS pen is a must-have accessory around campus. At a recent recruiting
14 STS at Tate Modern
fair in the medical school, someone rushed up to us as soon as the doors
15 PhD News
opened. “I want to be in STS,” they declared, “Nothing else will do.”
16 Early Career Perpspectives
We know the feeling.
Staff
Prof. Joe Cain - Head of Department, January 2018
17 Staff News
18 Edit to the Nation
19 Prof. Agar Wins Medal
Alchemy - Issue 2 (Spring 2018) 20 Chemistry in EU
20 Teaching Fellows
Editors: Malcolm Chalmers & Dr Department of Science 21 Science, Art and Politics?
Carina Fearnley and Technology Studies
22 Trump and Tesla
Gower Street, London
Head of Department: Prof. Joe Cain 24 New Staff
WC1E 6BT | United Kingdom
Alchemy is published annually 25 STS on TV
www.ucl.ac.uk/sts
and is freely available in electronic
format at www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/about_ Twitter - @stsucl Department
sts
Facebook - STSUCL
Articles in this issue of Alchemy
Instagram - ucl_sts 26 Farewells and Awards
reflect the opinions of the authors,
27 History of Science Events
not of UCL. All text by Malcolm Chalmers, unless
otherwise credited. 27 Carina in New Zealand
28 EBM+ Research
Alchemy is available as a PDF via the STS website. 29 STS Module Fair / OneBook
In the PDF version, underlined words provide links to the relevant paper or page. 30 The Bookshelf
31 STS Department Seminars
2 ALCHEMY SPRING 2018
Undergraduate
What does STS have to offer?
BSc HPS student Dylan Kawende has just completed his
impact on my aspirations as a lawyer.
first year at STS. Here, he gives his opinion of the course, Interning at Linklaters was incredible.
and some of the opportunities study has provided for him: The people were very friendly and took a
genuine interest in my personal history and
WHY STS? future ambitions. I learnt a great deal about
the strategies that Linklaters has employed
What attracted me most to STS is the to mitigate the risks posed by the rise
cross-disciplinary nature of the degree. of artificial intelligence and Brexit and I
As a former IB Diploma student, I have gained a useful insight into capital markets
for a long time enjoyed interdisciplinary and derivatives, which are two extremely
learning. I imagined that combining technical areas of the law.
subjects like history, philosophy and
science at university level would make for One lawyer in particular left an impression
an enriching and intellectually stimulating on me. He recommended a list of books
experience, and it certainly has. One aspect that have influenced him greatly and
of my degree that I found fascinating was we had a profound conversation about
discovering that during the Renaissance, our shared vision of social justice. He
new ideas in art like realism, and principles advised that if I truly wish to enter law to
of proportion, informed anatomical studies help redress the structural imbalances
and other branches of science in a radical Dylan delivers his presentation in New York and abject inequalities that permeate
break from Aristotelian and scholastic throughout my society, it is essential I do
tradition. People don't generally think art Society, Leadership and Management not allow the lure of the commercial world
and science are compatible but being part and Basketball . This year I was elected as to corrupt this ambition. I was awestruck
of STS has enabled me to see otherwise, the Events Officer of Law for All, which is by his transparency and inspired by his
which is great because I love them both! one of two law societies at UCL. Law for conviction.
All aims to open up the legal profession to
Traditionally, science is held as the ultimate all students regardless of their academic CULTURE
source of knowledge and completely focus and I've really benefited from it.
divorced of subjectivity -- thanks to the For example, I received a competitive Meeting Colin Warner was an historic
propensity among scientists to espouse scholarship with Freshfields, which is a moment. He was wrongfully convicted
to Whiggish history, this notion of leading law firm and I interned at Linklaters of murder and his best friend, Carl King,
unquestionable acceptance of science as this summer for a month in their New York devoted his life to proving Colin's innocence
the golden discipline capable of answering Offices as part of my scholarship with the - it took 21 years but King's efforts were
all of our fundamental questions about Amos Bursary. not in vain. We had the opportunity to
nature spills over into the public sphere. watch the premiere of the movie depicting
But here at STS we investigate the history The Amos Bursary is a charity that was this poignant but inspiring tale, Crown
of science from antiquity till the modern era set up by Baroness Valerie Amos and her Heights and participated in a panel
with a critical eye, and we find a far less sister Colleen Amos to inspire and develop discussion where Colin Warner recounted
idealised version of science proposed by young men like me, academically-able his experience. The film highlighted the
the likes of Robert Merton, an American British students of African and Caribbean gross miscarriages of justice that are taken
sociologist of science and scientists descent who have excelled in state schools on a daily basis both in the U.S. and U.K.
themselves. and grammar schools across London. contexts and cemented my motivations for
Every year they select 10 scholars to intern going into law.
WOULD STS BE RIGHT FOR at one of their sponsor firms in New York
ME? and I was among the privileged few to be Further, I thoroughly enjoyed the
chosen. Spending a month in New York Underground Railroad tour delivered by
was truly life changing. I developed both Ludie Rminaya, which can be categorised
If you have broad range interests
professionally and culturally and spending as follows: (1) starve for power (2)
surrounding science and you'd like the
the summer at Linklaters has left a lasting divide and conquer and (3) rule of fear.
opportunity to explore then STS is for
According to Ludie, these were the tools
you. I really like the fact that I can choose
used to systematically oppress anyone
modules outside of the department as
with a 'drop' of African blood. Her tour
this gives me the opportunity to create "ONE LAWYER IN focused on the Underground Railroad
even broader connections with other
PARTICULAR LEFT AN but she made historical points about the
disciplines. The STS department is
overlaps between classism and racism, the
incredibly supportive and encourage you IMPRESSION ON ME.
complex relationship between indentured
to be as creative you wish with electives.
HE RECOMMENDED A servants and African slaves and best of all,
I'm so excited to take modules in moral and
how African-Americans were able to draw
political philosophy and I hope to focus LIST OF BOOKS THAT
sympathy for their cause and reclaim our
my dissertation on the notion of scientific HAVE INFLUENCED humanity. The tour helped me gain a better
proof and how that concept gets applied
HIM GREATLY AND WE understanding of the African-American
in a court of law since I intend to read law
lineage and our shared cultural heritage.
after. HAD A PROFOUND
CONVERSATION ABOUT
I also keep busy outside of class. UCL
Words and photo - Dylan Kawende
is renown for its wealth of societies - OUR SHARED VISION OF
(2nd year BSc History and Philosophy
some of those I’ve joined include Law SOCIAL JUSTICE." of Science)
for All, Debating, African and Caribbean
UCL DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STUDIES 3
Undergraduate
Undergraduate News
Science in action: introduction
to museum curation
As part of the HPSC3003 Communication
of Scientific Ideas module, students were
given a chance to create a display for
the Grant Museum. Biosciences student
Robyn Webb, part of the group who put
the display together, explained their
thinking .
"Our first objective was to decide
on a topic. After appraising several
possibilities, we decided to do the project
on 'Sexual Selection', for we knew we
could be informative yet very visual
with this topic. Next, we decided on the
structure of the display, and the content.
The structure was constructed using the At the UCL NSS ceremony - (l-r) Dr Simon Werrett, Lori Coletti Campbell, UCL Provost Sir
'inverted pyramid' method, by which the Michael Arthur and STS Student Rep Jaspreet Jagdev. Image: Joe Cain
eye is drawn to key information, and the
detailed information is read after the key our experience to diagnose; we problem
information. STS receives 100% NSS solve. In the end, everybody remembers a
Satisfaction rating - again! great teacher. We want everyone coming
We then decided on the objects we could to UCL to remember STS."
use to best display the theme. We also For the third time in four years, STS has
made sure the content aligned with the received a perfect score on the National UCL held a ceremony on November 22nd
objectives of the museum - interesting Student Survey, receiving 100% overall to congratulate various departments
and informative. Finally, we formatted satisfaction from students completing on their results in the NSS and PTES
our labels using the museum templates, their degree in 2017. This is the highest (Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey).
in accordance with museum guidelines. result in the Faculty and one of the highest STS took pride of place, with the highest
For example, our small specimen labels results across the whole of UCL. While the results for student satisfaction in the
contained a maximum of 23 words." response rate may be too low to interpret entire university. UCL Provost Sir Michael
results with confidence, this survey is Arthur singled out STS for praise, calling
For the module as a whole, Robyn used in the Higher Education sector as a the department 'outstanding', and noting
was enthusiastic. "I chose this module general performance indicator. that the set the bar high for colleagues
because I wanted to learn about potential across the sector.
careers involving science, but which are Professor Joe Cain, STS Head of
not lab-based. I've always been interested Department, is full of praise for his Full details on the NSS, including its
in journalism and communications, but I've colleagues. "I think STS has some of methodology and the chance to submit
never had the opportunity to learn about the strongest teaching and learning your scores for 2018, can be found on
them, or practice that sort of writing. underway at UCL. There is a special kind the website at www.thestudentsurvey.com
of energy and enthusiasm here that fires
I would fully recommend this module to up students. They come alive, and they
other students. It's very distinct from find deep and lasting value in what we do
other science modules, and is a great together. Top scores like this are a pat-
opportunity for you to hone your written on-the-back for our teaching community
skills. Being able to choose what you - both academics and administrators.
write about is really exciting, and sets this These people put huge amounts of effort
module apart from others. Additionally, into their work, and it shows."
the teaching is excellent - the staff are
engaging, encouraging and enthusiastic. STS has one of the top results for UCL
They also provide great (and prompt) in 2017. However, Professor Cain is not
feedback on your assignments!" complacent. "The data also highlights
areas where we have more work to do.
Each year, STS analyses the NSS data
and considers solutions to issues raised.
We have a lot of improvements ongoing.
We always look for more. Surveys like
NSS are one way we gather information
on these lines".
"We have many others, including simply
talking with students and listening to their
concerns, day after day, term after term.
There's no trick here: we listen; we use
Grant Museum display - Image: M. Chalmers Sir Michael Arthur - Image: Joe Cain.
4 ALCHEMY SPRING 2018
Undergraduate / MSc
Lunar Soc
returns
STS's student society 'Lunar Soc' has a
lengthy history, but ran aground in 2014
to the disappointment of many. The new
intake of students, encouraged by the
undergraduate tutors, decided to restart
the society. This year, Lunar Soc was
reborn.
Second year students Dylan Kawende
and Flossie Boyd were nominated as the
initial Lunar Soc chair and vice-chair.
Some of the new Lunar Soc Committee - l-r Dylan, Flossie, Andrew, Jamie and Ricky
The rest of the committee includes Image: Dylan Kawende
Andrew Taylor as Treasurer, James Dyson
as Executive Administrator, and Jamie
Stephens, Ricky Ruiyang Tu, Vaish Mohan "We ate. We drank. We laughed. But creating cheesy team names!
and Sam Cutler handling Events, most importantly, we engaged in a
whimsical quiz cooked up by our very Our vision is to instil a permanent
Celebrations begun with the traditional own Flossie Boyd, who is Vice Chair. sense of community within STS that will
student social event that is the Pub Quiz. perpetuate through the years to come.
Further events are already in place, with The event was a fantastic opportunity Help us bring this vision into fruition by
a Lunar Soc Pub Crawl on January 30th, for the committee to meet with students offering your suggestions and attending
and a celebratory ball planned for the across the STS community. the many events we have lined up for
summer. We're glad to see Lunar Soc The first year cohort, in particular, you.
return, Phoenix-like, and hope it returns to came in their droves and displayed an
former glories. admirable level of enthusiasm. The time has arrived for us to employ
our talents and pursue a new course.
You can join Lunar Soc at the STS Lunar The winning team - Temporarily Let's seize this opportunity together!
Society Facebook Page, or in person at Nameless - were very impressive. They
any of the events. truly epitomised the scholarly power of Words - Dylan Kawende
an STS education and the banality of UCL STS Lunar Society - Chair
Here's Dylan's recap of the first event.
Each year, STS awards prizes to students of courses within the department. The
STS Student who have achieved outstanding work. Peter Medawar prize for top overall final
In 2017, the following students were the result in any STS undergraduate degree
Awards 2017 ones we felt most deserving. went to Hanruo Feng, while Hanruo also
shared the Best BSc Dissertation prize
The Kathleen Lonsdale Prize is awarded with Oscar Price.
for overall academic performance in
an STS MSc course – this year, the The Joan Beauchamp Proctor prize for
prize was split between Lauren Collee top overall second year performance
(STS) and Ilan Goodman (HPS), both went to Rebecca Hodges, while the Wang
of whom excelled across the taught and Zhenyi prize for first year performance
research components of the course. The was shared by Flossie Boyd and Giulia
department were happy to present the Galli. The Gertrude Falk prize for overall
award to two deserving students. performance on the iBSc was awarded to
Isabel Norris, who also received the iBSc
Likewise, the award for best dissertation Best Research Project prize.
was split between two students, with the
following dissertations all considered Finally, Georgia Haire and Saskia Little
worthy of receiving the accolade: (both HPS) were awarded the STS Alumni
prize for their outstanding contributions to
Joseph Shuttleworth (HPS) - Can the academic life of the STS department
machines believe? at MSc level, with Kate Balding and Dylan
Kawende receiving the equivalent award
Lauren Collee (STS) - 'A deeply for BSc students. This award goes to
weird place': fragile stories and the student (or students) who provided
disobedient bodies on the St Kilda the most assistance to the department
archipelago (You can read a summary of throughout the year, and made 22 Gordon
Lauren's work on page 6) Square a happier place to be.
Amongst our undergraduates, prizes A whole-hearted congratulations to all of
are available covering the whole range the above.
UCL DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STUDIES 5
MSc
Conversations
with Seabirds
MSc student Lauren Collee spent a week on the
isolated island of St Kilda as part of her dissertation
research, which studied interactions between
people and seabirds. She tells her story below.
In fairy tales, things often come her a little. ‘She’s like the mysterious bird or maybe the flowers - and I have never
in threes, and it’s usually the third lady of St Kilda’, says the chef. seen one fall, although I’m sure it happens.
who has the monopoly on the tale’s There are no human paths. Only sheep
magic. The remote archipelago This far North, it’s light until midnight. I lie paths.
of St Kilda has three appointed in my tent listening to the rain on the nylon,
guardians: the warden, the archaeologist, and thinking: ‘how does she spend so After days of getting used to this
and the seabird ranger. In the weeks before much time with these creatures? They’re precariousness I decide to make my way
my research trip, I sit in the British library so different.’ When I find my first clue, it is up to the highest peak. The sun it out, but
reading all the ranger’s seabird reports entirely by accident. I am up a cliff in the the wind is up. Unexpectedly, I stumble
and typing up careful lists of questions. I rain, walking along a ridge that is dotted across an old plane wreckage. I’d heard
track down her email address and send an with cleits. about it from a hostel owner in Leverburgh,
overenthusiastic interview request. After about the twelve men who didn’t expect
a week she replies, thanking me for my The St Kildans used to hunt seabirds in to come across a giant rock in the middle
email and warning me that she won’t be the thousands and store their catch in of the Atlantic Ocean and who died in the
very available. these old stone structures over the winter. night.
When I peer into their dark mouths, I
I whinge to my housemate about it: see boxes connected to piping nestled A rusted propeller is protruding from the
‘What if there’s no one else there?’ She in amongst the lichen and animal bones, grassy slope. The bodies have long since
says: ‘You’ll just have to talk to yourself. their lids weighed down by heavy stones sunk into the ground. I feel very faint all of
And to the seabirds.’ I imagine myself from the beach. the sudden and have to sit down against a
approaching a kittiwake with a research rock. I remember that one of the staff had
participant consent form: Seabird 1, do ‘You know she took all that up there herself to rescue a volunteer some time ago who
you like it here? Are you concerned about in a wheelbarrow?’ someone says when I got cragfast: he was struck with vertigo
rising sea temperatures? What does this get back down to the bay. ‘In a snowstorm, and simply couldn’t move. I try to wriggle
place look like from up there? Have you too’. my toes but that’s just about all I can
chosen not to breed this year, or have manage. I start to panic.
you just not bred this year? Why can’t you Vinciane Despret says: It is not possible
talk? (This would all be a whole lot easier to have control over anything, but it is From this spot, I can see a single, grey-
if you could talk). possible to have influence. The seabird white fulmar riding an air current, doing
and marine ranger plants nesting boxes huge circles. Its wings remain perfectly
Geertz says: the basis of a meaningful all over St. Kilda to try and influence the taught. I am several metres away from the
encounter is neither to understand, nor Leach’s Storm Petrels to lay their eggs. lower arc of its flight-path: it swerves and is
to be understood. To converse is enough. Some remain untouched; in others she carried up and off again by the momentum
In mid-June, I take a train, then a bus, finds a few droppings and some feathers of its dive. For a minute I think it hasn’t
then a plane, another bus, and finally a but no egg. She wants to ask them: what is noticed me. Then it rounds and comes
boat. It’s a clear day, but after the Isle of it about these boxes? What do you want? back again in a smaller circle. And again.
Harris disappears behind us, it’s a long Words speak louder than actions, says It catches my eye four, five, six times and I
while before anything else appears on the Lacan. Actions speak louder than words, take a deep breath with each round. Then
horizon. says everyone else. The seabirds can only it is gone. I regain feeling in my legs, push
communicate with the seabird warden myself back up onto my feet, and carry on
Eventually I start noticing small white through their behaviour; she finds she up the hill. ‘Thanks’, I catch myself saying
bodies skimming across the water, must do the same. out loud.
headed for the great mass of rock that
is coming slowly into view. I sit up front She contacts the Men’s Shed group in Later, when I finally track down the seabird
with the skippers and they debate whether Inverness and asks them to build her warden and we are sitting together in the
the island of Boreray looks more like a some new boxes: much smaller, this time. old Manse with cups of tea, she talks
sleeping dragon or a cow, from this angle. Then she takes them up the cliff; all forty about ‘favourable conditions’, ‘indicator
They drop me off on the pier, a shivering seven of them, with a wheelbarrow, in a species’, ‘breeding success’, ‘off-duty
bundle of Goretex with a bag full of survival snowstorm. This is no small feat. The cliffs birds’. But there’s something much more
gear: ‘See you in a week’. that surround the natural bowl of village enigmatic in there, too; something that
bay slope upwards very rapidly, and then makes me think of witches, fairies, ghosts.
For the first four days, there is no sign drop off at perfect right angles. To get up It’s the conviction that we live in a
of the seabird warden. Every time I ask high, you have to walk very close to the world that is always looking back.
where she is, I get the same answer: ‘Ach, edge, where the sheep paths are. These
probably up a cliff somewhere’. It seems sheep are wild and fearless: They hang Words and photos - Lauren Collee
I’m not the only one to have mythologized right over the drop to get at the grass –
6 ALCHEMY SPRING 2018
Alumni
NOVA on the Horizon
NOVA © PBS Horizon © BBC
After interviewing the Editor of Horizon, MSc graduate and
2017 prize-winner Brian Kantor explains how he used this
STS Alumni
experience to move into working for NOVA in the US:
Podcasts
The closest I had been to the BBC interviews with him and his producers,
was in Minneapolis, Minnesota, directors, and researchers in order to
driving home from work whilst the write my master’s dissertation about The STS Alumni Podcast series
speakers in my car pushed the the Horizon unit’s culture of knowledge continues with a series of
sounds of the BBC World Service into my production. With this access, I glimpsed fascinating conversations, with
ears. But within months of beginning an how the unit’s producers employ the more to follow. As well as recent
MSc in science technology and society visual language of science fiction films in MSc graduate Brian Kantor's
at UCL, I would pass through the security their own programmes. I learned that, by discussion with Jean-Baptiste
checkpoint at the BBC’s headquarters in doing so, they reinforce the impression Gouyon about his work with the
London and interview Steve Crabtree, that their programmes are cutting edge BBC and PBS (see left). Camilla
the series editor of the BBC’s flagship and that they have privileged access to Tetley told Malcolm Chalmers
science documentary programme, scientific knowledge. about her work with the Royal
Horizon. Society, and how the skills from
Not a week after submitting my her STS degree helped to develop
It was the first step towards the next dissertation, I went on to join the Horizon a career path.
phase of my professional life: science unit again — this time as a colleague.
documentary film-making. In science During a month-long work experience, From a completely different angle,
communication, as in all creative and I was fortunate to participate in every Andrew Gregory and Chiara
intellectual endeavors, theory and step of producing a Horizon film — from Ambrosio held a fascinating
practice form a dipole — a stabilizing pair. combing news headlines for relevant chat with Minna Orvokki Nygren,
On one hand, theory is nothing without science stories and securing props for a musician and former MSc
its object of analysis — the practice of shoots, to assisting the cameraman on graduate, who had written a piano
communication itself. Conversely, without set and featuring as an extra in a Horizon piece based on the fluctuations in
theory, science communicators lack film. Equipped with my STS training, the orbits of Pluto and Charon - a
the structure and method required to I knew that as film producers, we were fantastic combination of science
engage audiences in the meaning of their contributing to the institution of science and art. Lt. Rubin Nash took a very
message. The STS department trained by shaping how audiences access and different approach. He found that
me in both. perceive scientific knowledge in their the problem-solving and analytical
daily lives. skills of an STS degree helped him
Coursework at UCL taught me to question hugely when entering a career in
facile narratives of science that we A year later, I’ve moved back to the U.S., the Royal Navy. He also spoke to
encounter every day — that the outcome but I’ve kept the theory and practice of Andrew Gregory about his work
of science is always greater certainty, or science communication close at hand. since completing his studies.
that the locus of knowledge production As a researcher for NOVA, the American
is a discrete place like the laboratory or science documentary programme All of these can be listened
observatory. As I learned to see scientific inspired by Horizon, I research episode to via the STSUCL Careers
knowledge and authority less as a ideas, produce short videos, and shape soundcloud or STS Website, along
static entity and more as a process of the science stories viewed by millions of with earlier interviews from civil
performing historically specific practices, Americans on a weekly basis. Though servants, museum curators, BBC
I also learned to tell stories about science the job keeps me busy, in the quieter broadcasters and many more.
that reflect these political and cultural moments I fondly recall the day I sat down
dimensions by producing a radio story with my personal tutor at UCL. With an
and writing blogs and feature articles. impish yet understated expression
on his face, he said, “I know the If you're an STS alumni and you
Thanks to this training, my encounter series editor of Horizon. Would you would like to join us for a podcast,
with Steve Crabtree was not my last. like to interview him?” contact us at [email protected]
During the following months, I conducted
Words - Brian Kantor
UCL DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STUDIES 7
Alumni
Alumni News
UCL Marrow Hero
UCL Marrow, a new student branch of and provides consistent support during
Anthony Nolan (formerly The Anthony the whole process".
Nolan Trust) is aiming to increase the
number of students registered to donate Despite this, Charlie wasn't able to donate
Bone Marrow. on that occasion. "In my case, the first
person asked to donate initially couldn't
As part of their work, the group ran a complete their medical assessment
campaign featuring their 'Hero of the (at which point I was called) but later
Day' - and their first Hero was STS's passed and was able to donate as
Charlie Norell. originally planned. This is quite common
and just ensures that the patient receives
Charlie described his experience of the closest match as soon as reasonably
being told he was a potential donor. possible".
"After providing blood samples, I was "I feel very lucky in being able to
found to be a match and got booked experience how Anthony Nolan operates
into the London Clinic for a full clinical and see the amazing work they do- I
examination - this was basically like even received a handwritten thank you
a free MOT and all the staff were so card from them!"
friendly!"
Would you like to see if you can save
"I was also able to meet two people a life? You can find more information
literally donating via Peripheral Blood on UCL Marrow at their Twitter and
Stem Cells (PBSC) in the same room. The Instagram accounts, or going straight
whole process is really straightforward to the Anthony Nolan website at https://
and accommodating for you. Someone www.anthonynolan.org/
from Anthony Nolan is assigned to you
On the subject of connections, UCL
Connecting with STS
are developing what they have called
the ‘Connected Curriculum' project. An
important part of this is involving alumni
in learning and research at all stages
of Undergraduate, MSc and PhD study,
to try to improve upon our already high
standards.
Initially, UCL are looking for opportunities
for current students to interact with
alumni, moving forward to the possibility
of alumni mentoring current students.
The goal is that students engage with
diverse alumni in research and learning
STS graduation ceremony - August 2017. Image - Joe Cain
activities. While this is something STS
STS's new Alumni officers - Dr Emma of the department - in future, we aim to has done for some time, we understand
Tobin and Dr Simon Lock - are providing show clips of lectures, seminars, and the importance of this process to the
new services to help alumni stay in touch. other departmental events. Follow the wider UCL community, and hope some
account for more information. of you will be willing to assist.
In addition to UCL's existing Alumni
Community, STS has finally introduced All of this is in addition to our existing Alumni are actively encouraged to
a Facebok Group for alumni to maintain Twitter and Facebook accounts, and of contribute to mentoring schemes and
their connections with the department course, the STS website at ucl.ac.uk/ to work with departments to enhance
and each other. The group reached 100 sts. We also operate an STS mailing list their educational provision. If you are
members within 3 days, and looks to be to keep alumni and interested parties interested in being part of this in any way
a useful source for alumni in the years informed of upcoming events, such as as an STS alumnus, or more directly with
to come. STS seminars, JBS Haldane lectures the department, please contact Dr Tobin
and new editions of Alchemy. To sign or Dr Lock, via the department at sts@
Similarly, STS now has an Instagram up for this or any of our other accounts, ucl.ac.uk
account at ucl_sts. This will be used to visit 'Follow STS' at www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/
show a more informal insight into the life about_sts/follow_sts Words - Dr Emma Tobin
8 ALCHEMY SPRING 2018
Alumni
Future-proof careers
STS are proud to see our alumni succeed WHAT WILL YOU GET FROM IT?
after graduation. UCL Careers Consultant Raj
Hear from industry professionals about
how they got into the sector – and what
Sidhu talked to us about the career-building
they’d recommend for current students.
opportunities on offer at UCL, and gives us Gain a chance to interact and ask
questions that are relevant to you –
two case studies of recent successes. sessions are restricted in numbers
which makes for a more intimate setting
compared with larger careers fairs.
STS graduates are well known for the interactions with. A wide range of roles
breadth of careers they choose to & employers feature – including curators
Speakers are selected for their range of
embark upon… from becoming barristers, from the V&A and Museum of London as
professional experiences, so it’s a great
launching consultancy start-ups to part of last year’s Museums and Cultural
chance to learn about professions you
acting as public engagement officers Heritage week, the Wellcome Trust
mSay TneSve r Ahalvue mconnsidi ered or possibly
and scientific communicators; breadth and Greenpeace as part of Charities &
even been aware of. Often panellists will
which has obvious parallels with STS’s NGO week and the Green Alliance and
be happy to network towards the end of
curriculum and philosophy of Flexible Geographic Information Systems as part Podcasts
sessions – meaning 1-1 conversations
Futures as well as my own personal of Environment week, to name a select
are possible – and a great thing to
interactions with STS students during few.
mention if you ever end up applying to
1-1 careers consultations* throughout
them!
the year. So far in Term 1, we've had weeks on
Government & Policy, Museums & Cultural
Receive personalised email alerts for our
If I would recommend just one thing for Heritage, and Media.
Themed Weeks and lots of other things
you this year (beyond booking for a chat
going on at UCL Careers that interest
about your career thinking), it would be During Term 2, we offer:
you by signing up to email alerts through
to attend Themed Week talks that appeal
your MyUCL Careers account https://
most to you. Charities & NGOs – w/c 29th January
uclcareers.targetconnect.net/home.html
Environment – w/c 5th February
What are Themed Weeks? They are a Health & Life Sciences – w/c 5th March
*book online here you Careers 1-1
series of employer-led talks, Q&A and
appointment at UCL … https://uclcareers.
networking sessions designed for small We also have a week on International
targetconnect.net/home.html
groups of students to have meaningful Development – Spring 2018, date TBC
Case Studies - two different experiences:
Name: Jake Soper Name: Charlotte Connelly
Studied: BSc History and Philosophy of Science Studied: BSc History and Philosophy of Science
First job: Civil Service Fast Stream First job: Science Museum Curator
Jake works as part of the Child Poverty Unit – stretching across Charlotte found work as an Assistant Curator of
3 departments: the Treasury, the Department for Work and Computing and Communications at the Science Museum
Pensions and the Department of Education. Jake carries out – developing content for exhibitions, answering public
analysis of policy ideas and briefs ministers on recommendations queries, acquiring objects for collections and much more.
– explaining how they might be able to achieve goals they wish She's now working on a PhD with the Museum - details
to achieve. on her blog page at blog.sciencemuseum.org.uk/author/
charlotte-connelly/
Jake joined the Civil Service Fast Stream after his time at STS.
The recruitment process consisted of a Maths and English Charlotte decided on a career in museums in her third
exercise, followed by an e-tray exercise analysing his email year, volunteering at two museums in the North West of
responses in a modelled scenario. The Fast Stream assessment England following graduation – including at National
day then followed – consisting of role plays, interviews, group Museums Liverpool; documenting algae specimens.
exercises and policy appraisals. The critical thinking elements of Charlotte maintained a blog throughout her museum
an STS degree were very useful. experience.
After successfully gaining a place on the Civil Fast Stream, Charlotte recommends staying in touch with all your
Jake was posted into policy appraisal and given an intensive contacts from university – as opportunities can often arise
training programme of rotations between roles, enhancing skills in this way, as well as getting volunteer experience whilst
relating to supporting ministers in parliament, critically analysing at university for whatever you might be interested in – or
information and understanding policy appraisal. simply to test out different career areas.
UCL DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STUDIES 9
PhD
TAKING ANCIENT
DNA FROM JEREMY
BENTHAM’S DEAD HEAD
Jeremy Bentham is one of UCL's intellectual icons. Luckily for UCL, he left
his body and his head to the university. One goal of this exhibition was to
try to sequence Bentham’s genome using cutting-edge technology and a
small sample of DNA taken from his nearly 200-year-old head. DNA, short for
deoxyribonucleic acid, is the molecule that carries the genetic information
and growth instructions for humans and nearly every other organism. The
objects in this case are intended to explore and explain the process of
sampling, extracting, sequencing, and analysing genetic information from dead
organisms, a practice recognized worldwide as ‘Ancient DNA Research’.
This research, funded by a UCL Grand Challenges Grant and a UCL Octagon
Gallery Grant, was an entirely collaborative effort involving multiple individuals
from various institutions across London. It involved different departments at
this university from UCL Culture and UCL Petrie Museum to the Department
of Genetics, Evolution and Environment and the Department of Science and
Technology Studies. It also involved critical collaborations with the Natural
History Museum and Royal College of Surgeons. The expertise employed to
ethically and successfully study Bentham’s DNA included curators, geneticists,
and social scientists. Overall, science is about partnership and this research is
an excellent example of collaboration in action.
But how - and why - would such a piece of research be carried out? We asked
lead project organiser and STS PhD Elizabeth Jones to answer some questions
about this first ever attempt to extract and sequence Jeremy Bentham's DNA
WHY IS JEREMY BENTHAM been applied to his face because it has a
IMPORTANT AS A UCL waxy finish. Unfortunately, his head ended
INTELLECTUAL ICON? up looking rather alarming, so a fake head
Jeremy Bentham's heads - both real and wax
was placed on his skeleton instead of his
Image: Malcolm Chalmers
Jeremy Bentham is a famous philosopher real head. The real head is kept in a secret
and social scientist of the 1700s and storage space here at UCL. HOW DID YOU START THE
1800s. He is most remembered for his STUDY?
doctrine of Utilitarianism, which is the WHY DO YOU WANT TO
principle that political or social decisions SEQUENCE HIS GENOME? First, we had to address the issue of
should be based on what promotes ethics. We had permission from curators
the greatest happiness for the greatest Well, there are two rather simple reasons and the university to take a sample from
number of people. Myth has it that for why we wanted to sequence Bentham’s Bentham’s head, but we had to ask
Bentham was one of the UCL’s founding genome: one, we had the technology to do representatives of the Human Tissue
fathers. This is not entirely true, but it it and two, we were curious to see if it could Act, too. Fortunately, Bentham’s head is
is true that his vision for an open and be done. But aside from these reasons, what nearly 200 years old and falls outside of
secular education system influenced the hypothesis might we be testing by trying the Human Tissue Act regulations that
people who did found UCL in 1828. to recover Bentham’s DNA? Well, if we can would have required us to obtain further
recover enough information to reconstruct permission from a relative or another
WHY DOES UCL HAVE HIS the genome, then we could potentially reveal institution, so we were free to go ahead
BODY AND HIS HEAD? basic information like hair colour, eye colour, with the project.
and perhaps genetic ancestry. However, if we
Bentham wrote his will on 30 May 1832. recover a high quality genome then we might HOW DID YOU TAKE A SAMPLE
In it, he requested to have his skeleton be able to test another hypothesis. FROM HIS HEAD?
preserved, his head mummified, and
both put on display. He wanted it to be Approximately ten years ago, two researchers When drilling into something special
called the ‘Auto Icon.’ He died shortly from the UCL Bentham Project published an like Bentham’s head, it is crucial that we
afterwards on the 6 June 1832. His body article that proposed a hypothesis. In this minimize destruction and optimize the
was dissected in front of friends, and paper, they made a sort of retrospective chances of getting a quality sample of
his skeleton placed in his clothes and diagnosis based on Bentham’s biography DNA. Initially, we wanted to take a sample
set in his chair. They also removed his that he may have had Asperger’s Syndrome, of the petrous bone – which is the inner
brain from his skull and curators think a mild form of Autism on the Autism Spectrum. ear and there is evidence that suggests
they suspended his head over sulphuric Now, even if he did have a form of Autism, it it is a rich reservoir for molecular
acid to draw out the moisture, then would not be easy or perhaps possible for preservation because of its density which
dry out the soft tissue, leaving only the scientists to give a straight-forward ‘yes’ or protects then preserves the DNA. So,
skin remaining. Curators also think that ‘no’ answer to this hypothesis. However, with we turned Bentham’s head upside down
an oil or leather treatment might have that in mind, we began the process. to have a look but found that accessing
10 ALCHEMY SPRING 2018