About The Committee
Each year, out of the MCR membership, we elect representatives to what we call the MCR committee. The role of the committee is two‐fold, it exists to:
- Serve as your representatives to college
- Organise the social‐side of the MCR
Members of the MCR Committee also sit on all the college level committee meetings, so as to best represent the graduate community at Clare College. Elections are held in Easter Term every year with the exception of the First Year Officers, who are elected towards the end of Michaelmas term.
Sammie Mason
President
Hey Everyone! I’m Sammie (she/her) and I’m your MCR President. I’m starting the second year of my PhD in Haematology. My main role as your President is to represent you! I oversee MCR committee activities and act as our liaison with the College. I’m also here to help you resolve any issues. Please always feel free to drop me an email or grab me for a chat, I’m very friendly I promise! The less admin-related side of my job is to maintain a presence in the MCR community, ensuring it remains active, vibrant and thriving. You’ll spot me at formals followed by the bar most Fridays, and I’m often popping into the MCR for a cuppa and a biscuit (I view the MCR as my second home by this point). I’m so excited for Freshers’ week this year and looking forward to meeting all of you! Please reach out if there’s anything this guide fails to answer and you have any questions. All the MCR love, see you in October!
Aliya Ali
Vice President
Welcome to Clare! My name is Aliya and I’m the MCR Vice-President and BME Welfare Officer. We can all agree that last year was a tough year and I hope that the next academic year will be better. I’m a first year PhD student working on 9th century Arabic texts at the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. I am really looking forward to meeting all incoming freshers and I hope to help organise some fun inclusive events for everyone to enjoy. I look forward to seeing you all!
Jas Bath
Secretary and Disabilities Officer
Hi Clare Humans! I am Jas (She/Her), and I am your MCR Secretary and Disabilities Officer. I am a second-year PhD student in American history. As your MCR Secretary, I work behind the scenes collating minutes from Committee meetings and sending emails for upcoming events and opportunities in the MCR. Therefore, if you have anything you would like to share with the rest of the MCR please do not hesitate to email me. I am also your MCR Disabilities officer, and I work with the rest of the MCR welfare team to ensure that those with disabilities, regardless of whether they are physical, mental or SpLDs, feel supported and represented by the MCR and Clare more broadly. As someone who has Dyslexia, and ADHD I know how hard postgraduate study can be, so please do not hesitate to get in touch with me about anything!
Pat Taylor
Treasurer
Hi everyone, I’m Pat (he/him), a third year PhD student working in computational metallurgy, and in the MCR committee I’m the treasurer. It’s pretty obvious what that position entails but I’ve been told to fill an entire paragraph so lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed auctor ipsum non purus ultricies porta. Mauris eu dapibus velit. Etiam ut quam sit amet ante malesuada facilisis. Ut quis augue erat. Cras et pharetra urna.
Sam Hodder
Social Secretary
Hi Everyone! My name is Sam (she/her) and welcome to Clare! I am one of your two MCR social secretaries. I am entering the second year of my PhD in Biochemistry. As your social secs, we will be organising freshers week and also weekly events throughout the year! After freshers our main job is organising the MCR formals which happen every Friday evening during term time. You will get lots more information on these but do come along as they are great fun and very popular amongst MCR members. If you have any social related questions or have any ideas on events you would like to see the MCR run, then please get in contact! I look forward to meeting you all in freshers’!
Ross McGinn
Social Secretary
Hello everyone, welcome to Clare! I’m Ross (he/him), a third year Biophysics PhD student and I’m going to be one half of your social team this year. As social secretaries, Sam and I are going to be putting on the very best freshers’ week we can come up with to welcome you into the Clare MCR community and make sure we start the year as we mean to go on. After freshers’ week we organise the MCR formal meals, which take place every Friday during term time and are a great chance to meet or catch up with other members of the MCR and unwind after a busy week. We’d love to hear any ideas you might have for formal themes or social nights we can arrange, so feel free to get in touch if you have any suggestions. Otherwise, I can’t wait to meet you all in freshers’!
Tom Else
Bar Manager
Hi all, I’m Tom (he/him), one of the bar managers on the MCR committee for the next year. Welcome to Clare! I’m a third year PhD student in the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute. The bar is an excellent way to meet people in the Clare community both during the day for a cup of tea and a biscuit, and in the evening for one (or two or three...) drinks. Jojo and I keep the bar stocked and will work behind the bar most weeks, so hopefully we can get to know lots of you over the course of the year. We’re always open to suggestions for new drinks to serve behind the bar and different events to host, so if you have any ideas let us know! We’ll work with the social secs to make sure you all have a great freshers’ week, and we can’t wait to meet you all and welcome you to the community.
JoJo Benn
Bar Manager
Hi everyone and welcome to Clare! I’m JoJo (he/him) (somehow derived from Jonathan) and I’m one of your two MCR bar managers this year. Out of bar hours I’m a third year PhD student down at the Dementia Research Institute at Addenbrookes. The MCR bar is right at the heart of graduate life at Clare, providing a space for everyone to relax and socialise in, especially after formals on a Friday. Myself and Tom ensure that the bar is always full to the brim with good quality and interesting alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, all at extremely reasonable prices! The bar is a great way to get to know other members of the MCR, and so we’re looking forward to meeting you there!
Alyssa Crabb
Welfare Officer
Hello! I’m Alyssa, a second year Biochemistry PhD student. I’m your female welfare officer for this year. I'm really looking forward to meeting you all and welcoming you to Clare. The welfare team is here to help you settle in and offer support. If you have any questions, please get in touch!
Sean Jordan
Welfare Officer
Hey folks! I'm Sean, I'm entering the second year of my PhD in Astrophysics, and I'll be your Male Welfare Officer this year. As part of the wider welfare team I'll be helping to keep the welfare supplies well stocked (you can find them in a box in the MCR bar), and offering support or welfare chats whenever needed, so get in touch anytime. I look forward to meeting you all!
Ellie Dunstone
LGBTQ+ Welfare Officer
Hi everyone! I’m Ellie (she/they) and I am the MCR LGBTQ+ rep! I am a fourth year PhD student working in computational cancer genomics at the Sanger Institute! My role is to work with the other MCR welfare reps and the JCR LGBT+ rep to make sure the college is an inclusive and fun place for our LGBTQ+ members. I’ll be organising socials throughout the year, including a freshers’ week social, bar events with other colleges, and hopefully a trip to Cambridge Pride! I am also available at any time for confidential advice and support on LGBTQ+ related or any other issues, or just a chat! Welcome to Clare :)
Connor Cheverall
Admiral of the Punts
Hi! I’m Connor and I’m the MCR Admiral of the Punts. I’m going into the second year of my PhD in astrophysics. I’m in charge of Clare’s punts, which can be booked by any MCR member for free using the online booker! Please do get in touch if you have any punting-related problems or queries.
David Ewing
Green Officer
Hello! My name’s David and I’m the Green Officer at Clare (on the side I do a PhD in French). Following convention, green is understood by the committee, and your humble delegate, in a broad sense. I am a go-to for matters relating to college greenery -- gardens, grass, etc. -- as well as environmental matters: waste reduction and recycling, carbon neutrality (decarbonizing the investment portfolio and reducing carbon consumption in college buildings), travel (pandemic permitting, look out for bike workshops, and contact me if you have any bike or pedestrian queries), sustainable living in Cambridge, and the MCR’s own micro-circular economy: the Greencycle space at Clare Court, where previously loved household items await patiently their new home. For more info on these or any other green things, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
Leland Stange
Library Officer
Hello everyone! I'm Leland and will be doing an MPhil in Classics. I love libraries and will be representing the MCR on the library committee meetings this year. Feel free to come to me with any questions about academic affairs and study spaces, and be on the lookout for small events regarding Clare's splendid rare book and manuscript collection. Also, do make use of the free book exchange opposite the bar in the MCR -- anyone can take and leave books as they please (I'll be sure to routinely sanitize covers). Safe travels, and looking forward to chats with you all soon!
PJ Sterenborg
Sports Officer
Hi everyone, welcome to Clare! I’m PJ and I’ll be your MCR Sports Officer this year, here to answer any of your sport-related questions. All MCR members have access to our lovely sports ground near Bentley Road and the Clare Colony Gym. In pre-Covid times we also had access to the squash courts of King’s College, so hopefully that will return soon as well. In my spare time I do a PhD in History. Looking forward to meeting you all!
Ekim Luo
Exchange Officer
Hi! I’m a PhD student in psychology and your new exchange officer. I think this means I’ll organize formal swaps and personally I’m looking forward to all this Harry Potter extravaganza (minus the transphobia hopefully). If there’s a college you really want to check out, let me know. Is this a paragraph yet? I feel like it is. Ok let’s call it a day.
Lilla Bond
Quartermaster
Lilla is queen of the biscuits. Be nice to her.
Glynn Maynard
Mature Students' Officer
Hello! I’m Glynn, the MCR Mature Students Officer. Do your knees hurt when you stand up too fast? Would you describe yourself as jaded from the reluctantly acquired wisdom of lived experience? Look no further to find a fellow compatriot in adulting, equally perturbed by the existence of TikTok but somehow rallying the psychological strength to soldier on. When I’m not acting in my new role as resident Gandalf of the MCR, I’m pursuing my PhD in Archaeology. My research focuses on the intersection of image-making, supernatural creatures, and the formation of cultural consensus in the Neo-Assyrian period of 1st millennium BCE Iraq. Feel free to ask me about anything in College life that tickles your fancy or gives you nightmares. If you have any concerns, let me know and I will bequeath you with the necessary secret ingredients to conquer your unknown(s).
Emma Gleave
Clareity President
I'm Emma, a retired solicitor. Having sold my legal firm I decided to pursue my academic interests. I am now a first year PhD student in the History Faculty studying Charleston South Carolina in the Antebellum period. As your Clareity President I will be organising a full day research symposium and a series of evening seminars where Clare graduates present their work and discuss topics in the humanities or natural sciences. I am also a keen rower and you will often find me at the Clare Boat house.
Constantin Waquet
Accommodation Officer
Bjarne Bergh
Computing Officer
Owen Taylor
First Year Officer
Hugo Stack
First Year Officer