Dear Clare Hall members and friends,

Please find below a list of events taking place this week and beyond, to which you are warmly invited.

➢ Members’ events

New Clare Hall Books |
Pre-order now!

Clare Hall is delighted to share news of two forthcoming that highlight the College’s engagement with art, collecting and material culture.

Collecting Dutch Golden Age Paintings: The Search for the Winterfeldt Wouwerman by Professor Alan Short, President of Clare Hall, offers a personal and scholarly reflection on the pursuit of Dutch Golden Age paintings, drawing on decades of research and collecting experience. Several works from this collection are displayed in the President’s Lodge.

Studio Potters: The Bell Collection at Clare Hall by Clare Hall Associates Professor Gordon Bell and Helen Ritchie celebrates the Bell Collection, one of the College’s most distinctive cultural assets.

Find more information and pre-order the books here. There is a 10% discount if you subscribe to the publisher’s newsletter.

Clare Hall Through Your Lens: Seasonal Photography Competition |
Monday 16 February – Monday 2 November 2026

Following the wonderful response to our community photo project, Clare Hall Through Your Lens continues throughout this special anniversary year as our official 60th Anniversary Photography Competition.

We invite students, fellows, staff, and families to capture Clare Hall’s grounds, gardens, and moments of college life across all four seasons. At the end of each season, a judging panel will select the top three photographs, which will go forward to be included in a commemorative Clare Hall 60th Anniversary Calendar.

This is a chance to celebrate Clare Hall at 60, highlight our natural environment, and contribute to a lasting visual record of the College during this milestone year.

Find out how to take part on the main event page.

Clare Hall May Event 2026 |
Friday 19 June 2026, from 6.30pm

Clare Hall’s Swinging Sixties-themed May Event will take place on 19 June 2026 from 18:30–02:00. We hope you will join us! Your ticket includes free food and drinks throughout the night, four live bands, and lots of entertainment, including a tarot card reader and a silent disco.

May Event ticket sales close on 10 June, so make sure to purchase yours soon!

Buy tickets here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/clarehallgsb/2079556

➢ Lectures and talks

Clare Hall Colloquia – Easter 2026 |
Tuesday 28 April – Tuesday 16 June 2026, 7.15pm

The Clare Hall Colloquia provide members of the College – especially (but not exclusively) Visiting Fellows and Life Members – with an opportunity to present their research, whether in its early stages or already published, in a friendly setting. They are a great way to discuss your ideas, meet fellow members and to contribute to our vibrant community. Sessions take place on Tuesday evenings during term time, 7.15–9.15pm, in the Clare Hall Meeting Room. Refreshments are provided.

The next talk will take place on 26 May with speaker Professor Ben Allanach (Clare Hall Professorial Fellow).

Title: The Force Awakens: Quantum Collision

We shall introduce particle physics and the Large Hadron Collider at CERN as well as the experiments that happen there. After covering the discovery of the Higgs boson (as well as its importance to the field), we shall turn to some phenomena of interest that disagree with standard theory.  Our hypothesis is that there is a new, previously undetected force helping some particles break up in particular ways. We shall discuss tests of the hypothesis and how it might fit into a larger theoretical structure that explains some current mysteries. 

Please see the full Easter programme here.

The Betty Behrens Seminar on Classics of Historiography |
Thursday 21 May – Thursday 4 June 2026, 2.15pm

The Betty Behrens Seminar on Classics of Historiography offers a unique opportunity for students and scholars to reflect on some great historical works and engage in discussion with renowned experts. This Easter term, the seminar will take place between the 21 May and the 4 June and will be composed of three meetings. The charming and fresh atmosphere of the Richard Eden Suite in Clare Hall, West Court, will be the location for the discussions.

The first meeting is on Thursday 21 May from 2.15-4.00pm with speaker Rosamond McKitterick (Professor Emerita of Medieval History, University of Cambridge).

Find more information here. Register for the seminars via Eventbrite.

Building Healthy Societies SIG – Easter 2026 |
Tuesday 26 May 2026, 5pm

All Clare Hall members are warmly welcome to attend the meetings of the new Building Healthy Societies SIG this Easter term. The meetings are held on Tuesdays at 5pm, followed by supper together at 6pm.

The next meeting is on 26 May with speaker Dr Charlotte Hammer (Center for Existential Risk Management) – Where are we with pandemic preparedness in an increasingly complex world? 

Abstract: Pandemic preparedness is often discussed in terms of specific threats or past failures, yet it is unfolding in a world characterised by growing socio‑ecological complexity, fragility, and interdependence. This talk takes a strategic, forward‑looking perspective, using three plausible pandemic futures as analytic lenses to explore how preparedness functions under different conditions of uncertainty.

Drawing on empirical research, it considers (i) widespread antimicrobial resistance moving toward pan‑resistance, (ii) the emergence of a novel pandemic virus initially obscured by endemic febrile illness, and (iii) the global spread of climate‑linked arboviruses across heterogeneous surveillance and governance systems. Together, these futures illustrate how risk is increasingly distributed across time, place, and systems, complicating early recognition and response.

Framed by broader patterns of fragility and systemic stress, the talk reflects on what these futures imply for anticipation, visibility, and action in pandemic preparedness, and asks whether we are any closer to recognising threats before the storm fully forms.

Bio: Dr Charlotte Hammer is an applied infectious disease epidemiologist, sometimes social scientist, and public health emergency specialist. In January 2025, she joined the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk at the University of Cambridge as an Assistant Professor where she also co-directs the MPhil in Global Risk and Resilience. Her research focuses on disease emergence and infectious disease control under conditions of complexity and uncertainty, combining field experience, multi-modal data integration, and systems thinking. Her applied experience spans national and international public health agencies, policy institutions, and humanitarian organisations, including deployments with the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network.

For any questions, please contact the SIG leads Dr Nikolai Kazantsev (nk622@cam.ac.uk), Dr Elizabeth Garnsey (ewg11@cam.ac.uk), or Anjali Sergeant (aks203@cam.ac.uk).

English Literature SIG: Tim Fulford and Julia Carlson |
Friday 29 May 2026, 5pm

All Clare Hall members are welcome to attend the meetings for the English Literature SIG. Meetings are held at 5pm in the Clare Hall Meeting Room, followed by a group dinner in the Dining Hall.

For further details please contact Professor Eric Nye, SIG convenor, at ewn10@cam.ac.uk.  Zoom link provided on request.

➢ Music

Pianist Tyler Hay: Rubenstein, Liszt, and Chopin |
Saturday 23 May 2026, 7.30pm

Pianist Tyler Hay, celebrated for his imaginative and thoughtful programming, presents an evening of compelling piano music.

The programme features the rarely performed Piano Sonata No. 1 by Anton Rubinstein, once regarded as Liszt’s only rival and a composer whose works captivated audiences in his time. Alongside this, Liszt’s monumental Sonata, widely considered one of the greatest works in the piano repertoire, offers a powerful display of both formal brilliance and profound musical depth. Completing the programme are elegant waltzes by Chopin and Liszt, bringing contrast and colour to this rich and varied recital.

Programme
Chopin – 4 Waltzes
Rubinstein – Piano Sonata No. 1
Liszt – 4 Valses Oubliées
Liszt – Sonata

Tickets are available on Eventbrite: £20 – General Admission, £15 – Clare Hall members, £5 – students.

➢ Art

‘Infinite Variations’ – A 60th Anniversary Exhibition of Art in the Life of Clare Hall |
Friday 20 March – Friday 19 June 2026, 10am-4pm

Clare Hall is delighted to present its 60th Anniversary exhibition of artworks collected over the years. It is open to public from 20th March to 19th June 2026, Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm.

Find more information on the main event page.

The Bell Collection of British Studio Pottery, 1920-1980 |
Ongoing

A rotating display of some 400 pieces of studio ceramics. Learn more at https://www.clarehall.cam.ac.uk/bellcollection/

➢ External events

SDG & AI+ Academic Conferences 2026 |
Submit papers by Sunday 31 May 2026

Two non-profit, peer-reviewed academic conferences focusing on SDG and AI+ will be held in Cambridge in summer 2026. Both events are organised by UniHive and hosted by Clare Hall and Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge.

Professor David Cope (Foundation Fellow at Clare Hall) and Professor Pietro Liò (Professorial Fellow at Clare Hall) will act as the Academic Chair of each conference.

Find more information here.

Research Participant Recruitment – Class & Romantic Relationships |
Join by Sunday 31 May 2026

Elle Shea, Clare Hall alumna and PhD researcher at the University of Manchester, is studying how people navigate differences in social class backgrounds, experiences, and identities within romantic relationships. She is looking to interview individuals or couples who are currently, or have previously been, in a romantic relationship with someone from a different social class background. Participants must be aged 18 or over and currently live in, or have previously lived in, England.

     If you are interested in taking part or would like to find out more about the research, please contact Elle at elle.shea@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk. You can also find out more about the researcher here.

MASAMB Annual Meeting 2026 |
Register by Monday 24 August 2026

The MRC Biostatistics Unit is delighted to be hosting the Mathematical and Statistical Aspects of Molecular Biology (MASAMB) annual meeting 2026, on Monday 7 and Tuesday 8 September 2026 at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge.

Find more details, submit your abstract, and register for the event here.

Life Member’s LEGO® Project |
Support idea by February 2027

Life Member Dr Chu-Cheng Lin (PhD 2016–2021; now a postdoctoral researcher in Zoology/PDN) has created a detailed biological laboratory built from LEGO, inspired by his work in cancer cell biology, neurobiology, molecular biology and entomology.

The project is currently on the LEGO Ideas platform and needs support to reach the 10,000 votes required for official review (now at ~2,000). If successful, it could become a real commercial LEGO set, helping bring the world of scientific research to a wider audience.

👉 Learn more and support the project:
https://beta.ideas.lego.com/product-ideas/ab52d2c2-0688-48e7-a7d1-77ae54a6aa4b

Every vote helps increase visibility and bring this unique scientific model closer to reality. Below is just a part of the whole project.

➢ Activities and Societies

Pilates Sessions: Easter 2026 |
Mondays and Fridays, 13 April – 15 June 2026

We are delighted to host pilates classes at Clare Hall throughout the Easter Term. The classes will be held on Mondays during lunchtime and fortnightly on Friday evenings. Pilates is a form of low-impact exercise that aims to strengthen muscles while improving postural alignment and flexibility.

A full list of dates and the sign up sheet can be found here.

STRONG by Zumba sessions: Easter 2026 |
Tuesdays, 14 April – 16 June 2026

Clare Hall is delighted to host a new fitness class called STRONG by Zumba in the Easter Term. The classes will be held on Tuesdays, 5-5.45pm, in the Richard Eden Suite.

STRONG by Zumba combines body weight, muscle conditioning, cardio and plyometric training moves synced to original music that has been specifically designed to match every single move. Every squat, every lunge, every burpee is driven by the music, helping you make it to that last rep, and maybe even five more.

Please bring your own mat and a water bottle, and plan to arrive 5–10 minutes early to assist with setting up the room.

A full list of dates and the sign up sheet can be found here.

Yoga Sessions: Easter 2026 |
Thursdays and Sundays, 19 April – 14 June 2026

We are delighted to host regular Thursday lunchtime and Sunday afternoon yoga sessions in the Easter term. Yoga is a holistic mind–body practice that combines physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation to promote strength, flexibility, and inner balance.

A full list of dates and the sign up sheet can be found here.

Clare Hall Book Club |
Monday 1 June 2026, 8pm

Join the College’s Book Club as they discuss Cuddy by Benjamin Myers. All College members are welcome to attend in-person, meeting in Clare Hall’s King Room, or via Zoom. If you are not on the mailing list and would like to be, please send an email to gloria.carnevali@icloud.com, confirming your Clare Hall connection and putting the following as the email title: I would like to join the Book Club mailing list.

Learn more about the Book Club on this page.

Choir Practice |
Various Dates

A reminder that Clare Hall Choir practice takes place in Robinson College Chapel every Monday (in term-time, but not always restricted to the official Cambridge term dates) from 7.30-9pm. New members are always welcome, and no previous singing or musical experience is necessary. The only requirement is that you want to sing and have fun doing it! If you are interested in joining, please email Ben de Souza, the Choir’s Director, who is a Clare Hall Associate, freelance choral conductor and accordionist: bd402@cam.ac.uk.

Recent recordings of the choir can also be found on our YouTube channel.

Clare Hall Families |
Various Dates

Clare Hall Families is an informal group that holds events throughout the year, centred around our popular Family Suppers, which take place each term.

Join the Clare Hall Families mailing list and WhatsApp group by filling out the form.

For any enquiries, please contact Chandy Nath at chandy.nath@gmail.com.

Find a full range of events at https://www.clarehall.cam.ac.uk/events