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This Cambridge Life

People make Cambridge University unique. Cooks, gardeners, students, archivists, professors, alumni: all have a story to share.

The “zero-chance” doctor who now advises government

The “zero-chance” doctor who now advises government

Growing up on free school meals at one of the lowest performing state schools in the country, Raghib Ali went on to become a leading…
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University of Cambridge
Oct 26, 2022
The PhD student encouraging young Black aspiring scientists to claim their place

The PhD student encouraging young Black aspiring scientists to claim their place

When PhD student Sigourney Bell turned to Twitter to connect with other Black scientists, she could never have guessed that this would be…
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University of Cambridge
Sep 16, 2022
The doctor turned detective investigating the imprints of cancer

The doctor turned detective investigating the imprints of cancer

Self-confessed ‘nerd’ Serena Nik-Zainal went from hospital wards to the laboratory on a mission to provide patients with the best possible…
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University of Cambridge
Aug 26, 2022
The psychiatrist who faced a dilemma but couldn’t turn his back on his people

The psychiatrist who faced a dilemma but couldn’t turn his back on his people

Children in West Africa with cognitive difficulties are going undiagnosed because the tests used to assess their mental health are based on…
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University of Cambridge
Jun 1, 2022
The social scientist who inadvertently became a poet

The social scientist who inadvertently became a poet

At the age of thirteen Mona Jebril found herself stranded in Gaza, becoming a refugee for the second time in her life. Her talent and…
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University of Cambridge
Mar 30, 2022
The chemist who saved a restaurant and launched a vision for Africa

The chemist who saved a restaurant and launched a vision for Africa

David Izuogu’s ambition is to establish a research institute in his home country of Nigeria. But he isn’t waiting until he realises his…
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University of Cambridge
Jan 17, 2022
The neurobiologist who grew ‘mini-brain’ tissues in a dish

The neurobiologist who grew ‘mini-brain’ tissues in a dish

When Madeline Lancaster’s attempt to grow neural stem cells ‘failed’ she had no idea that the floating balls of cells she saw in her petri…
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University of Cambridge
Jan 5, 2022
The philosopher who wants us to think deeply about ordinary things

The philosopher who wants us to think deeply about ordinary things

Nikhil Krishnan, winner of a 2021 Pilkington Prize for outstanding teaching, says that what he loves about teaching is what he loves about…
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University of Cambridge
Dec 17, 2021
The energy researcher who wants to build better to consume less

The energy researcher who wants to build better to consume less

Against a global backdrop of rising energy demands and finite resources, Rihab Khalid set out to understand how buildings can become more…
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University of Cambridge
Dec 10, 2021
The student helping to demystify Cambridge

The student helping to demystify Cambridge

Tami Briggs didn’t want to apply to Cambridge but getting the right information made her change her mind. She became a volunteer for…
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University of Cambridge
Dec 6, 2021
The microbiologist tackling humanity’s next biggest killer

The microbiologist tackling humanity’s next biggest killer

Since childhood Stephen Baker says he had a grim fascination with poo. He caught the bug for microbiology and spent 12 years in Vietnam…
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University of Cambridge
Nov 22, 2021
The medical student who dug deep to overcome challenges

The medical student who dug deep to overcome challenges

Fitzwilliam College medical student Buraq Ahmed has had more than his fair share of challenges to overcome. Arriving in the UK from Iraq in…
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University of Cambridge
Nov 5, 2021
The conservationist helping us to make better decisions

The conservationist helping us to make better decisions

Bill Sutherland has started a revolution in conservation. Put simply he’d “like us to stop doing the things that we know don’t work and do…
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University of Cambridge
Aug 6, 2021
The conservationist who started a Twitter trend and saved Nairobi’s wildlife

The conservationist who started a Twitter trend and saved Nairobi’s wildlife

Nyandire Reinhard believes the key to protecting ecosystems is to foster a love of nature in the community. He shares the story of how…
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University of Cambridge
Jul 28, 2021
The researcher finding inspiration for the planet’s future in Latin American art

The researcher finding inspiration for the planet’s future in Latin American art

Joanna Page has been exploring how work by Latin American artists can help to bring humanity back into a relationship with nature and give…
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University of Cambridge
Jul 28, 2021
The neuroscientist who champions LGBT+ equal rights

The neuroscientist who champions LGBT+ equal rights

Duncan Astle is a neuroscientist on a mission to understand why the brains of some children develop differently to others — and how it…
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University of Cambridge
Jul 15, 2021
The cosmologist modelling the Universe with maths

The cosmologist modelling the Universe with maths

Dr Tobias Baldauf likes nothing better than seeing an equation ‘cross reality’. His work is helping us to answer some of the remaining…
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University of Cambridge
Jul 15, 2021
The scientist watching light at a millionth of a millionth of a second

The scientist watching light at a millionth of a millionth of a second

When she’s not making atomic-scale changes to create super-efficient light bulbs and cut carbon emissions, Professor Rachel Oliver has her…
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University of Cambridge
Jun 29, 2021
The course director forging a new pathway to higher education

The course director forging a new pathway to higher education

Dr Alex Pryce is the Course Director for the University’s new Foundation Year, which offers a pathway to higher education for disadvantaged…
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University of Cambridge
Jun 29, 2021
The grateful gardener who brought Apocalypse Now to a flowerbed

The grateful gardener who brought Apocalypse Now to a flowerbed

He builds human-sized nests from twigs, spins circles in the garden and torches wicker men at Harvest Moon. The music-loving college…
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University of Cambridge
Jun 29, 2021
The volunteers who went virtual but still delivered Christmas

The volunteers who went virtual but still delivered Christmas

When Vanessa Chuang and Olivia Taylor became student volunteers, they had no idea they’d need to re-invent their activities as a virtual…
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University of Cambridge
Dec 22, 2020
The conservationist, the herders and the fashionistas

The conservationist, the herders and the fashionistas

Respect for the Mongolian landscape is engrained within her, says Onon Bayasgalan. Her work is helping herders in her home country to…
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University of Cambridge
Dec 22, 2020
The student linguist who started a pro-refugee fashion revolution

The student linguist who started a pro-refugee fashion revolution

Tiara Sahar Ataii has just been named Undergraduate of the Year for Impactful Social Action. She shares how her love of languages and…
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University of Cambridge
Dec 22, 2020
The scientist reducing the rise of superbugs by talking to farmers

The scientist reducing the rise of superbugs by talking to farmers

Chioma Achi is worried about the global misuse of antibiotics in agricultural practices. Her work helping farmers in Nigeria to reduce…
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University of Cambridge
Nov 10, 2020
The scientist who launched a comic and flew the flag for Black History Month

The scientist who launched a comic and flew the flag for Black History Month

Self-confessed comic addict Osarenkhoe Ogbeide sees beyond the superhero to the scientist. When he’s not developing printable gas sensors…
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University of Cambridge
Oct 23, 2020
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