A routine archaeological training excavation led to an extraordinary discovery, with one of our students, Grace Grandfield, among those at the centre of it.

Archaeology student Grace was going into the final week of her four-week placement at Wandlebury Country Park near Cambridge when she and fellow students uncovered a burial pit containing the remains of around ten young men, dating to about the 9th century AD.

Alongside four complete skeletons, the team found body parts grouped together — including clusters of skulls and a stack of leg bones — pointing to extreme violence and possibly execution. Some remains show clear signs of decapitation, while others appear to have been bound before burial.

Speaking on Radio 4's PM programme aired on Wednesday, 4 February 2026, Grace described how powerful the experience was.

"In the first three weeks, we didn't find much. The dig leaders thought to make it more exciting we would recover a part of a skeleton which had been found the year before. And everything just came from there,” said Grace.

“It was an Anglo Saxon Viking burial pit, which there had just been kind of a lot of bodies dumped in there, in not the most gracious manner. It's so different from what you learn in class, and I don't think anything we learned about the realities of human remains, or archaeology could have prepared you for actually being the person who's putting together the pieces of this really gruesome puzzle. 

“I was working with our osteologist, and she mentioned the fact that they were between kind of 17 and 20, and that's just, that was the same age as me. And that made it feel a lot more real that - even though it was a thousand years ago - these are people with whom I've got things in common with. 

Archaeologists believe the burial may be linked to conflicts between Saxons and Vikings, at a time when Cambridgeshire lay on a contested frontier between rival kingdoms. One individual, exceptionally tall for the period, also shows evidence of trepanation — an ancient surgical procedure — suggesting attempts to treat serious medical conditions.

The find is now the most significant discovery made during years of student training digs at Wandlebury, highlighting the real-world impact of undergraduate fieldwork. Further scientific analysis, including ancient DNA, is underway to learn more about who these individuals were and how they met their deaths.

Grace’s experience also features in the BBC’s Digging for Britain aired on Wednesday 4 February 2026. 

Read the full University of Cambridge story here: https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/wandlebury-training-dig-burial

Joan Hillier has gifted a collection of cartoons by her late husband, Dr Tony Hillier, Selwyn Fellow in Physiology, to the college.

Dr Tony Hillier (1942-2014) was a fellow from 1971 to 1998, thereafter an emeritus fellow. After undergraduate studies at Trinity College, he came to Selwyn for his PhD. Following a brief period at Trinity as a research fellow, he returned here for the rest of his academic career. During his time at Cambridge he was a cartoonist. After his retirement he became known as a metal sculptor, with pieces still standing in Histon.

Joan's gift of these early cartoons is a generous way to preserve Tony's creative work. While the artwork was on show at the College, we invited Joan in to say thank you for her generous donation.

 Picture of staff and fellows by Gloria Morey-Picking

We are very deeply saddened to share the news of the death of Emma Sumner, a fifth-year doctoral student in the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy. 

She died in hospital of natural causes on Tuesday 27 January. Her family were with her.

Emma was a talented and valued member of Selwyn College, and her loss is deeply felt across our community. We held an informal service in Chapel attended by her friends, fellows and staff to remember Emma and light candles in her memory.

We have established a book of condolence for anyone who would like to add their thoughts and memories of Emma, which we will give to her family. 

If you would like to contribute, please email communications@sel.cam.ac.uk and we will ensure your message is included.
 

A new book examining quantum technologies as they move from research into commercial reality has been co-authored by Selwyn Fellow, Professor Chander Velu.

Quantum technologies harness the physics of sub-atomic particles to achieve what would otherwise be impossible. Microprocessors in our computers and MRI scanners already rely on quantum physics. However, newer quantum technologies by manipulating unexploited quantum phenomenon are creating capabilities in a wide range of applications like computing and communications.

The Business of Quantum Technologies: From Theory to Innovation Strategy examines applications in healthcare, financial security, climate monitoring, and transport among others. Chander, Professor of Innovation and Economics at the Institute for Manufacturing, wrote the book with Keith Norman and Christopher Noble from Oxford, Yuzhen Zhu from University of East Anglia, and Fathiro Putra from Bandung Institute of Technology.

The open-access book explains how organisations might adopt quantum computing, communications, sensing, imaging and timing technologies. 

• Quantum computing enables faster computation to address challenges such as climate resilience, financial stability, new drug and materials discovery. 
• Quantum communications provide the basis for more secure communications and protection of sensitive data. 
• Quantum sensing allows for better detection of faults in hard-to-reach infrastructure below ground level such as gas pipelines or improved navigation of autonomous vehicles. 
• Quantum imaging provides the basis for more precise health care applications such as brain imaging. 
• Finally, quantum clocks would enable more accurate timing for optimising and providing resilience to critical national infrastructure such as transport, financial services and energy systems. 

The book aims to provide an intuitive explanation of the technology with an emphasis on the conceptual frameworks to better understand the economic and managerial implications. In doing so, the book explores how strategy and business model innovation needs to be formulated to enable the adoption and integration of quantum technologies in organisations, and highlights the related policy issues.

As Chander notes: “The time is ripe for scholars, managers, and policy-makers to work together to enable quantum technologies to address grand societal challenges, while contributing to productivity and economic growth in a responsible and sustainable manner.”

This comes as the UK government has invested over £1 billon in the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme (NQTP) and has emphasised quantum technologies as a key driver for economic growth as part of its modern industrial strategy. Global investment reached $33 billion in 2025 and could potentially generate close to $100 billion in revenue by 2035.

The book is available here: The Business of Quantum Technologies

Novelist and poet David Dabydeen (1974) has been nominated for the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature. The nomination was submitted by a group of European and Chinese scholars. 

Born in Guyana, David’s work has focused on history, memory, and the legacies of slavery and colonialism. His publications include poetry, fiction, and critical writing, and his first poetry collection, Slave Song, received the Commonwealth Poetry Prize. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

He told us: "I owe a massive debt to Selwyn College , which, fifty years ago, gave me space to write.  I am very glad to have dedicated my last novel to Sir David Harrison, who was Admissions Tutor in 1974."

David, an honorary fellow of Selwyn College, has held senior academic posts at the University of Warwick and has also served as Guyana’s Ambassador to UNESCO and to China. His nomination recognises a body of work that has made a sustained contribution to world literature. 

Our head porter, Helen Stephens, retires at the end of December after 16 years and four months at Selwyn.

Helen — Cambridge's first female head porter — has transformed the college's approach to portering over the years, building a welfare-focused team that supports students and guests through everyday college life. During her tenure she worked with three masters, three bursars and seven deans.

Speaking at a gathering of staff and fellows on 17 December, Helen neatly described how important Selwyn is to her. She said: "To work somewhere that challenges, enlightens, emboldens and befriends is a privilege."

Her connections to the college are tangible: two kittens rescued here nearly 12 years ago, a tree planted behind the Old Library to commemorate her nephew's christening, and a portrait in the Cripps Building stairwell.

She paid tribute to the porter team: "You are the heart of this community. I am enormously proud of you, eternally thankful for your resilience, impressed by your gutsy, passionate, earnest commitment to Selwyn."

Helen will be succeeded by deputy head porter Lee Scott, who joined Selwyn in 2023. Lee is the third consecutive deputy under Helen to be promoted to a head porter role. The previous two - Bob Watson and Kevin Sargent — went on to lead the porter teams at Newnham and Downing.

Above: Bob Watson, Helen Stephens and Kevin Sargent; and Lee Scott in the right hand picture. 

Pictures by Adrian Powter, Howard Beaumont and Thisath Ranawaka

We're looking forward to welcoming prospective students to Selwyn throughout December for undergraduate admissions interviews. Click on the image above to take you to more information.

Selwyn's Oleg Kitov, Associate Professor of Economics and Robert Martin Fellow, has received a bronze medal in a prestigious world-class competition for teaching innovation. 

The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Reimagine Education Awards are organised by the provider of higher education analytics responsible for the QS World University Rankings. The awards identify innovative teaching practices that enhance student learning and employability.

Selected from over 1,600 entries  from 94 countries and vetted by a panel of 1,300 experts, the award recognises Oleg's project, "Learning by Doing in Economics" for its "exceptional innovation, impact and scalability".

The project is a pedagogical framework developed and implemented by Oleg during his decade at Selwyn. By integrating cognitive science principles — specifically regular retrieval practice, structured peer-and-self-assessment, and collaborative two-stage exams — the methodology creates a continuous and supportive feedback loop. The results have been transformative with Selwyn economics students consistently ranking at the top of the university table for the percentage of first-class degrees achieved.

A special thank you to our fellow benefactor, Robert Martin, for endowing the Fellowship that allows this teaching practice at Selwyn College.

Among the stunning images of fieldwork in Greenland on Dr Carrie Soderman’s phone is something unexpected for an earth scientist. There are pictures of her in dazzling costumes and fake tan in her alter-ego as a world class Latin American formation dancer.

Postdoctoral research associate in Earth Sciences and Selwyn Fellow, Carrie will be jetting off to represent the United Kingdom in the 2025 WDSF World Formation Latin Adult Championships on 13 December in Austria. This is a team sport, with Carrie in one of eight couples in the A team from XS Latin, a dance club specialising in Latin formation dancing.

“It is hard work. It is mentally stimulating in a different way to my research work. It is synchronised Latin American dancing, and the routine tells a story.” Carrie explains.  

They move in patterns to dance the Cha cha cha, Samba, Rumba, Paso doble, and Jive in one six-minute routine.

Carrie and her twin sister were ballroom dancing from a very early age but they both stopped as their studies took priority. 

Carrie explained how she joined Cambridge based XS Latin, named because many of its founder members in 1997 were former (‘ex-‘) students of the University. 

“I got re-hooked into dancing during my PhD. It was an easy choice to join a group of like-minded people wanting to compete together.

“I don’t do it for the fake tan, layers of make-up and even shoe-polish in my hair,” said Carrie. “But all that does put me in a performance frame of mind.”

The attention to detail to make sure everyone looks synchronised extends beyond the costumes. Even details like matching colour hair can improve results, Carrie said. This year their routine is inspired by the musical Hamilton.

“I love being part of XS, it is challenging as each of the dance styles has specific skills, but it is very rewarding seeing how we develop as a team.”

Above: Carrie pictured on a rock in Greenland and in her alter-ego with her dance partner JJ

XS Latin has three teams, A, B and C, and has won the British National championships 11 times. Carrie is in the A team, dancing with JJ who is a lawyer based in London. The club will be holding castings for new members early next year, and everyone is welcome to audition, from complete beginners up to experienced dancers.

Updated: XS Latin Cambridge A Team came ninth in the competition, and the B Team were in 11th place.

The 2025 WDSF World Latin Formation Championships is the premier annual international competition in Latin dance sport for formation teams, according to its website. A & B teams are going from XS Latin, and will compete against teams from Germany, Austria, Poland, Ukraine, Mongolia, and more. XS came ninth last year.

Carrie said the team would love to match or improve its result from last year : “We want to do better and better each year. This routine is one of the most technically challenging we have put together, and we are excited for its WDSF Worlds debut.”

Carrie held a Henslow Research Fellowship at Selwyn from 2022-2025, and is the postgraduate representative on the UK's Mineral Studies Group committee. She completed her PhD in Earth Sciences in 2022, following a BA (Natural Sciences) and MSci (Earth Sciences).

Picture credits: Owen Weller, Charles Wei and Carrie Soderman