Welcome from The Warden, Sir Richard Heaton KCB

This issue of Bin Brook focuses on Education. It is, of course, a central subject for the College. Teaching, and creating the best possible conditions for learning, are the core of what we are here for. They are shaping our plans for the future too.

In this issue, you will hear from a very wide range of Robinson people, who share knowledge and experiences from all corners of the academic and educational world. I should like to thank all of them. They include new Fellows or Senior Members of the College, such as Dr Emma Cooper, Dr Tom Crawford and Dr Naomi Deakin; or longer-standing colleagues like Dr Andrew Sharkey, who retires this year from the role of Director of Studies for Medicine after 18 years at Robinson. Also in this issue, our Senior Tutor, Dr Scott Annett, looks at our recent achievements in nurturing early-career academic talent and improving participation, as well as our plans to invest in new thinking and innovation in learning. Professor Bartomeu Monserrat, himself an innovative YouTuber, reflects on his journey from PhD candidate to Fellow. Dr Lizzi Rawlinson-Mills, reflecting on the successes of one of her recent students, Wahida Seisay, explores education as a Tripos subject offering unique personal and academic development. Professor Krista Kesselring reports on her time with us as a Baxandall Visiting Fellow.

There are also fascinating contributions from four alumni, Professor Ambrose Field, Sheila Duffy, Alastair Ingall and Tricia Moss. They each write inspiringly about changing lives, and the conditions for learning. 

As the Senior Tutor writes, at Robinson we are enthusiastically strengthening our teaching: across disciplines, with increased flexibility, and fostering collaboration across and beyond Tripos subjects. Our philanthropic supporters have allowed us to invest in education and learning in recent years. We know we can do much more. With your help we can become an educational front-runner at Cambridge.