Alumni back to college during Meeting Minds

Our alumni thronged back into Oxford for the Meeting Minds weekend, held from 18 to 20 September. The programme is part of the university’s annual alumni weekend and, for the past few years, Green Templeton College has taken the opportunity to host exclusive events for our own community. 

On Friday 18 September we hosted the Alumni and friends BBQ, a lively evening event with food, music and conversation in the Lankester Quad and Stables. It was lovely seeing alumni joining in the late summer celebration, reuniting with old friends, making new connections, and sharing their career journeys since graduating. We were also delighted that some conversations led to exploring opening new local groups and hosting local events. It was truly the best way to kick off the weekend-long activities. 

Meeting Minds is also an opportunity to put the college on the university-wide stage. On Saturday 19 September, Research Fellow Dr Lennard Lee presented the prestigious Osler Lecture, bringing his specialist knowledge on ‘Accelerating Oxford into the AI Age – cancer vaccines, robotics and the rise of intelligent medicine’. A full lecture theatre with alumni representing different colleges and disciplines, welcomed Dr Lee’s insight and hope about the possible positive applications of AI in medicine with much discussion and curiosity. 

Later that evening, Principal Sir Michael Dixon hosted Dr Lee as guest of honour at our Annual Alumni Dinner, where he provided a synopsis of his lecture. Professor Calman Maclennan (Clinical Medicine, 1989, and DPhil Clinical Neurology, 1992) noted in a LinkedIn post about this ‘excellent alumni evening’:  

‘At a time when we have become all too aware of the risks uncontrolled AI poses, Dr Lennard Lee’s speech came as a breath of fresh air. In the laboratory context, AI-driven automation and robotics are allowing the rapid scaling of discovery and testing of new cancer vaccines. With vaccine development traditionally an expensive and lengthy process, these new developments give reason for optimism, particularly if they can then be applied more broadly across vaccinology.’ 

We are always inspired by the inter-disciplinary expertise, innovation, and great learning brought by our alumni and wider college community. We hope that through attending and participating in these events and activities, our alumni continue feeling connected to our college and encouraged to continue making a difference here. 

Director of Development Ceri Butcher said: ‘Our alumni and friends remain at the heart of the wider life of the college. Your continued involvement, friendship and support help Green Templeton flourish as a welcoming place of learning, connection and belonging, and ensure that our community continues to thrive.’ 

We have varied opportunities for alumni wanting to take an active role within the college community. If you would like to find out more and discuss, please email Alumni and Supporter Engagement Officer Sophie Schirmacher.