» Issue 8: Spring 2008

Presidents' Report

Peter Garratt

BY THE TIME you receive this, my term as President of CGCA will be nearing its end. This I find amazing. I’m convinced that, when you reach the age of 60. time passes much more quickly. I think it has something to do with relativity; not the Einstein version, but simply that one week is only 0.03% of one’s life at age sixty, whereas it is nearly 0.1% thereof on graduation. I am sure our friends from the Physics Department would come up with a more erudite explanation.

These musings fit neatly with the sustainability theme of this edition of IE. During my year in office I have been preoccupied with the sustainability of the City and Guilds College Association. I am convinced that this hinges upon striking the right balance between the proud traditions of the City and Guilds College and the interests and aspirations of current engineering students at Imperial. These, as well as the College itself, have changed radically in recent years. I think it unlikely that any recent or current engineering graduates will spend their entire professional career with one employer, as I have done, or indeed that many of them will end up as practising Engineers. It is essential that CGCA fully understands and responds positively to these changes.

With this objective in mind, I think we have struck a rich vein in our recent opening, at the recommendation of the Students Union, of a dialogue with the student departmental societies. These are dynamic bodies and appear keen to work with CGCA to ensure that it is sustainable. They have come up with constructive suggestions as to how this might be done and the ball is now in our court. Our ability to build on these suggestions will depend on the willingness of our younger alumni members to devote a little time and effort to working in various ways with current students.

I shall hand over to Dame Julia Higgins in the confident expectation that CGCA is good for another century, at least!

Kurt Budge

ALMOST one year into my presidency and still so much to do. RSM alums will shortly receive, if they haven’t already, a survey questionnaire intended to give the RSMA committee information that will enable it to channel its finite resources to best serve RSM alums and RSMA members. It is critical that the wider body of RSM alums respond to this initiative and that you let us know what you need. This is a presidential plea!

Many alums, we feel, may have lost touch with the RSM in the years before common usage of the internet and email and we need you to get back in touch. Others may want to break the connection with the RSM and be taken off the database. We need to know who you are, as well. These days questionnaires come from all directions, but we really do need you as alums to engage on this one, if we are to be a proactive and meaningful association committee.

Other important news since last reporting: the RSMA had a splendidly successful November annual dinner at which Stef Loader, Rio Tinto exploration executive, gave a fascinating insight into geological ‘discovery’. John Bramley was the first recipient of the Peter Harding Memorial Prize for demonstrating a sustained commitment and outstanding contribution to The Royal School of Mines and Imperial College communities. The RSM rugby team won back the Bottle and hockey won the Sharpley Cup in February. Congratulations are due to the cohort of RSM students who took part in playing and supporting the weekend’s sports.

Looking forward, we have replaced the Final Year dinner with a barbecue for our graduating students to be held on June 26. We hope many RSM alums will attend. We hope to have sourced beer from the Ramsgate Brewery, whose proprietor is Eddie Gadd, an RSM alum and contemporary of mine. Whet your lips, you real ale fans! We will also continue our search for an alum with a vineyard or who’s now a wine merchant. Any leads?

Finally, your president ran his fourth London Marathon in 3 hours 54 minutes in April raising funds for Headway – the brain injury association which has supported two RSM alums in recent years, Charles Hutson (Min Eng 78) and Pamela Murphy. Pamela also ran this year. She has now raised a tremendous total of over £5k, and I have raised over £3.5k. There’s still time to support Headway by donating at either http://www.justgiving.com/pamelamurphy1 or http://www.justgiving.com/kurt2008. Thank you.