Diary – 23 June 2006

Every year, under the terms of a 17th-century benefaction, Jesus College, Cambridge must hold a feast (the Rustat Feast) and invite three College guests. An invitation comes out of the blue from the Vice-Master, Stephen Heath, and — since my husband is an old Jesuan and fancied a trip down memory lane — we accept. All the Fellows are free to invite one person along. Looking down the list of guest biographies before dinner, I am thrilled to think of the convocation of specialists that is about to materialise and more than a little daunted at the prospect of making conversation. Will I be tongue-tied before Ullrich Steiner, professor of physics and materials and head of the Thin Films and Interfaces research group at the Cavendish Laboratory? Will I find anything vaguely intelligible, let alone intelligent, to say to Dr Bolormaa Shagdar, whose expertise is policy reform in Mongolia Best Shaila?

In the event, helped along by a selection of fine wines and beautiful music from the College choir, the evening is both stimulating and convivial, but the best is yet to come.