President / Amanda Gardiner (She/Her)
Hello y’all! I’m Amanda, a 1st year PhD student in Genetics, specializing in the computational genomics of sharks and rays to inform conservation and management.
I represent you and every other MCR member at the College level, interface with the College to manage student services, communicate concerns that you might have, start new initiatives with the rest of the Committee to improve postgraduate life, and also support the rest of my amazing Committee to help put on great events for you to enjoy! Please reach out to me if you have any feedback, ideas, or concerns within the College that you want to discuss.
You can also get in touch with me if you want to hear a shark fact, discuss Star Wars, book recommendations, or a debate where the best coffee in Cambridge is (although there truly is no debate, we all know it’s Harvey’s).
Vice President / Bar Manager / Jackie Rao (She/Her)
vicepresident@christsmcr.co.uk, bar@christsmcr.co.uk
Hi, I'm Jackie (she/her), a second year PhD student in Biostatistics and the MCR Bar Manager (aka Maggie's, named after Lady Margaret Beaufort)! I am also the Vice President, so I am responsible for helping Amanda and all the other committee members out with their roles and making sure the MCR runs smoothly.
Maggie's Bar is at the heart of our MCR. On our weekly cocktail nights, we have drinks ranging from classic cocktails such as Negronis and Mojitos, Maggie's Bar specials such as ‘Maggie-ritas’ and ‘Passion of the Christ’s’, beautifully crafted mocktails with homemade syrups and all your classic beers and ciders. We are always open for new suggestions for drinks/themed nights/reasons to open the bar too - just message me!
The bar team are a great group of people to hang around with, and I have made truly great friendships mixing drinks behind the bar. if you've ever wanted to learn how to make a cocktail, or are just looking for a fun, rewarding break from your actual work, please come join us!
Treasurer / Cerys Walsh (She/Her)
Hello everyone! My name is Cerys, and I am the treasurer of the Christ’s MCR and a first-year PhD student in chemistry studying electrochemical CO2 capture. As treasurer, my responsibilities involve budgeting for social events and activities, financial management and spending oversight, and record keeping. If you would like to chat about how the MCR can support your postgraduate society or initiative at Christ’s, please get in touch! I'm here to help make our graduate community the best it can be.
Welfare Officer / Charlotte Wood (She/Her)
Hello, I’m Charlotte, a first-year PhD student in Archaeology and the MCR’s Welfare Officer. I organise a variety of events from arts and crafts evenings, nature walks, day trips, museum visits and more. I also host the MCR’s weekly welfare coffee. If you have any welfare related queries or issues, I would be happy to help, either via email or come find me in person at one of our events. I additionally provide the MCR’s welfare resources and can sign post you to appropriate services and support.
All enquires will be handled anonymously and non-judgmentally. If you have any ideas or requests for particular events, concerns, questions or aren’t sure where to turn, please do get in touch!
Madame Secretary / Millie Zhou (She/Her)
Hello there! I’m a first-year PhD student in biomedical data science and the MCR's secretary. As the MCR Secretary, I maintain a weekly bulletin and faciliate communication between MCR committee, postgraduate students, and college. I also help the MCR committee run more smoothly behind the scenes by taking minutes in meetings and other small administrative tasks. Please reach out if you have any questions!
Academic Officer / Ethnic Diversity Officer / Neo Allert (He/Him)
Hello everyone! My name is Neo and I am a German-Nigerian MPhil student doing African studies. I am currently doing work on the role of biography in African history and hope to continue my foray into African history in my PhD here at Cambridge. I will be your Academic Officer for the year and will be organising many different events that aim at bringing together the our very rich and diverse research community. I hope to create many opportunities for you to engage with the fascinating research being done by your fellow MCR members as well as our brilliant fellows. I will also be serving as Interim Ethnic Diversity officer functioning as point of contact and advocate for our community at Christ's. Feel free to reach out at any time!
International Officer / Betty Wang (She/Her)
international@christsmcr.co.uk
Hi, I am Yunxiao (Betty) Wang, the MCR international officer! It is much appreciated that we have postgraduates from all over the world, and I aim to foster an inclusive, open-minded college environment for international students. I will pass on epic events such as international mixer bar nights and karaoke, as well as initiate new events to celebrate festivals around the world. From pumpkin carving on Halloween to sharing a dish in the international potluck, I am excited to encourage everyone to embrace, share, and appreciate different cultures.
Entertainment (Ents) Officers / Nicolas Dupont Bernal (He/Him)
I am a historian and lawyer from Bogotá, Colombia. I enjoy reading, laughing, singing, dancing, and being around people. I have a particular interest in how literature can both capture us and allow us to fly. I often reflect on power and freedom, believing that stories play a significant role in shaping our world. This passion is why I love a good story and a meaningful conversation.
As your Ents officer I’m responsible for planning BOPs, Superhalls, Afternoon Tea in the Buttery, and all other sorts of events for the MCR.
Green Officer / Aramish Fatima (She/Her)
Hello everyone! I’m Aramish, a PhD student in Zoology here at Christ’s College, with a deep passion for sustainability. This year, I’m excited to dive into various green initiatives to help make our college community more eco-friendly and connected to nature.
I’m actively involved in running regular gardening volunteer sessions alongside our dedicated college gardeners. These sessions are a wonderful way to get involved, learn about sustainable gardening practices, and contribute to our vibrant garden spaces. I’m also proud to have helped establish our charming Tea Garden, where sustainability meets relaxation in a serene environment.
Looking ahead, we have some exciting events lined up, including a plant sale and swap. This will be a great opportunity to refresh your plant collection and adopt new green friends while supporting sustainable practices. Additionally, we’ll be exploring sustainable fashion practices next term, encouraging eco-friendly choices in our wardrobes and promoting a more sustainable lifestyle.
LGBTQ+ Officer / Alex Baker (He/Him)
Hi! I'm Alex and I'm the LGBTQ+ Officer for Christ's College MCR. I'm studying for a PhD in Biological Physics, based out in West Cambridge for my lab work. Outside work, I love cooking and baking, as well as musical theatre! If you ever want to get in touch to discuss anything, or just want to have a chat, I'd love to hear from you! Either come along to one of the events I run, or get in touch via my email above.
Disability Officers / Laura Chilver (She/Her)
Hello everyone! I am Laura, your MCR Disability Officer for this year. I am a first year PhD student (though I also completed my MPhil at Christ's) in the department of zoology looking at vertebrate evolution in eastern Africa. My job is to represent the postgraduate student body, especially for disabled students (including neurodivergent students, d/Deaf students and/or people with chronic health conditions and/or mental health conditions). In this role, I have regular meetings with college, discussing the experiences of disabled students as well as raising any feedback, concerns or issues that may arise. If there is anything that you would like to discuss (or rant about!) in relation to accommodation, accessibility, equipment or anything else, please get in touch! You are welcome to go to me individually (Laura - lc817@cam.ac.uk) or on the MCR Disability Officer email above. We would also like to share information in the MCR news bulletin so if you have anything disability-related, please do let me know. Take care, and know I'm here for you!
Halls & Swaps Officers / Aelfred Hillman (He/Him) and X. Chai (She/Her)
halls@christsmcr.co.uk, swaps@christsmcr.co.uk
Hello everyone! Our names are Aelfred and Chai, and we are PhD students in English and German Literature. As your Halls and Swaps Officers, we organise and coordinate Grad Halls every Tuesday, as well as swaps with other colleges. If you’re looking to get more involved with the MCR community, meet students from other colleges, or simply fancy dining in a different Cambridge hall, we’d love to have you join us for Grad Halls and the many fun swaps to come!
Women’s & Non-Binary Officer / Alice Hilder-Jarvis (She/Her)
Hello! I’m Alice, your women’s and non-binary officer. I’m a second-year PhD student in Philosophy, working on gender and identity. Outside of work, I love hiking, climbing, cold-water swimming and doing anything else that keeps me outdoors. I am a point of contact for all Christ’s postgraduate students who are women or who identify as non-binary or as a a gender minority. If there’s anything you’d like to chat about, don’t hesitate to get in touch.