40th anniversary celebrations: Head of Department, Zen Makuch, and Celia Carling report back on an 'unparalleled, sensational and memorable' party
"Over 750 alumni, staff and friends attended the CEP's 40th Anniversary party in September; we only wish that more of you could have made it."
The evening began sedately enough as Zen welcomed our guests and provided an update on departmental matters before handing over to colleagues Nick Voulvoulis and Bill Sheate for an introduction to life on our premier interdisciplinary environmental course, the MSc in Environmental Technology.
This was followed by an inspiring presentation from journalist, author and ‘environmental conscience of England’, George Monbiot and an address from Green Party (UK) Deputy Leader and alumna, Amelia Womack (MSc Environmental Technology 2013), who praised the wonderful work our Department and alumni are doing to address environmental issues.
Thanks to our curious guests, we managed to cover such wide-ranging topics as re-wilding, sheep, climate change, the Paris Convention, resource and personal consumption dynamics, leadership, politics and EU relations – and all before dinner.
Our Events team then provided an amazing sustainability-inspired dinner - a first for the College.
Sustenance and sustainability
Over dinner, guests had the opportunity to catch up with classmates, colleagues, and the great and the good, before partying into the late hours with music from our College Union team of DJs.
The wine flowed and so did the stories as people shared the rich personal and professional journeys that began here in the department and the spouses, partners, children, homes, careers and related adventures that followed on from that first step into our offices.
Recognition and reward
One of Zen's personal highlights was the chance to bestow Lifetime Achievement Awards upon these simply magnificent Imperial colleagues:
- Sir Gordon Conway – for Services to Agricultural Science and Africa
- Professor Nigel Bell – for Services to Environmental Education
- Professor Helen ApSimon – for Services to Air Quality Management
- Sir John Beddington – for Services to Science and Society, and,
- Professor Jane Plant (posthumously) – for Services to Atmospheric Chemistry and Humanity
A further award was made to our 4,000th Master’s student, Samantha Walters whose thesis research with Alexandra Collins has made an outstanding impression on Conservation Planning Managers at Southampton Council.
While we’re on the subject or recognition, we would like to thank the following companies for generously supporting our anniversary celebrations: Accenture, AECOM, BSI, E4Tech, Mott MacDonald, Pink Lady Apples and Poyry.
A proud track record
For forty years, the CEP has focused on ground-breaking, internationally-recognised research that addresses key environmental, energy and global challenges through the interdisciplinary study of environmental sciences, technology and innovation.
We have grown our research and education programmes by more than 80% in the past five years, translating our activities into positive, real-world business and policy impacts.
Over 4,000 students have now completed the MSc in Environmental Technology. Graduates include National, European and International leaders in the field, who are working globally in areas such as environmental governance, management, consultancy, justice, sustainability, conservation and international development.
Here’s to the next 40 years
Looking ahead, our focus continues to be on ‘perfect storm’ environment and development issues, including climate change, low carbon energy, pollution, conservation of natural resources (such as water, fisheries, forests, agricultural land, air and water) and food security.
As we move forward, we’re determined to take our alumni with us as interested parties, champions, advocates, supporters and as role models for the next generation of CEP students.
If you would like to become more actively involved, for example by supporting students through a bursary, please contact Patrick Stewart, Head of Development for the Faculty of Natural Sciences on 020 7594 2667 or via patrick.stewart@imperial.ac.uk. Take a look at our website to find out more about how to stay connected or get involved.
It was wonderful to re-connect with so many of you at the party and we hope you’ll stay closely involved.
- Zen Makuch, Director and Head of the Department, Centre for Environmental Policy and Celia Carling, Chairperson of the CEP’s Departmental Alumni Affairs Committee