» Issue 3: Autumn 2005

Presidents' Report

Barry Brooks

WELCOME to this third issue of Imperial Engineer, which I am very pleased to see is receiving more plaudits than we have room to publish. However, may I correct one misunderstanding? CGCA and RSMA remain as autonomous associations that have chosen to work more closely together to provide better services to our members. Imperial Engineer is a good example of this collaboration, allowing us to communicate with C&GC and RSM alumni and with students and staff of today’s Faculty of Engineering, which now has engineers of all specialisms.

May I take this opportunity to congratulate Past-President Sir Colin Terry on being awarded a Fellowship of Imperial College? He has been at the heart of what we have been doing to take CGCA, and the Chapter, into the 21st century.

As we continue to evolve, one change that seems sensible is to support the development of the departmental societies by nominating CGCA ‘departmental’ alumni representatives to provide advice and links between them and industry. For those who’d like to play a role here, please contact Teresa.

Our programme for this year includes two prestige events. The first, on 8 November, is a specially-arranged visit to the Courtauld Institute of Art for a reception and private view of an exhibition of André Derain paintings from around the world. They are in addition to the permanent exhibition which is, in fact, owned by London University. Although sponsored by CGCA, and organised by another Past-President, Morton Neal, we have opened this event to all staff, students and alumni of Imperial to provide a unique opportunity to socialise with other supporters of the Faculty and College.

Our next prestige event is the Annual Dinner on Thursday 16 March, at the Ironmongers’ Hall. Lord Ramsbotham (late Chief Inspector of Prisons and, through City & Guilds, a strong advocate of vocational training) will speak. As this year’s dinner was a sell-out, keep an eye open for an application form.

Before you turn the page, may I leave you with a question? Imperial is celebrating its centenary in 2007 (yes, I know this is 10 years after CGCA’s), and we have been asked to generate ideas to mark the occasion. On the one hand, the College, and the Faculty, are looking for significant building projects, such as a modern Aero and Mech Eng building on Exhibition Road, and/or improved student common rooms or a new Faculty students’ union office. But could we in CGCA fund something such as a CGCA scholarship, taking the work of the OC’s Trust one or two orders of magnitude further?

Such a scheme would show how our 110-year old Association can support engineering students of the 21st century in the most useful way. What do you think? Could you help – with funds and fundraising?

Roger Clegg

AS I HAVE recently taken over as president, I’d like to share some of my thoughts about challenges faced by of the RSMA and my ambitions for it.

The last couple of years have seen a tremendous evolution at Imperial in the form of the Faculty and the Chapter. Initially some viewed the Chapter as a means to replace the existing associations. I don’t believe this was ever the case. I view the Chapter as a vessel through which the old and the new can exist harmoniously and learn from each other. We must move with the times but not lose sight of what the Associations and their alumni stand for. The pride a person feels for their college is not just in the qualification one receives but is much more based on the principles and experiences garnered during their studentship and taken into the world.

One of the successes of the Chapter has been how successfully those principles, as expressed through the Associations, have been integrated without losing a sense of identity for the constituents. The Chapter will soon develop its own set of traditions and principles. Let’s not forget that this year will see the first graduates of the Faculty. It is important for them to know where they have come from as well as what they are part of.

However, this is not the first time that RSM has been part of such an evolution in the 154 years since it was the Government School of Mines and of Science applied to the Arts. As long as we hand down the traditions and principles through the students and alumni, the spirit of the original colleges will live on. I believe that this will make the Chapter and the associations stronger. If anything, our history shows that we embrace change.

In terms of ambitions for the RSMA over my term, I’d like to increase our official links with the overseas members and allow them greater representation in the RSMA decision-making. It should not be forgotten that the committee of the RSMA represents over 1,575 members in 73 countries. Without your contributions we could not continue to provide the valuable service to students in the form of grants, hardships funds and sponsoring of social and sporting events.