Elections by Congregation: Council (MPLS & MedSci constituency) - TT 2024
This constituency is comprised of four members of Congregation elected by Congregation from members of the faculties in the Divisions of Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences and of Medical Sciences
Result of Contested Election
On Thursday, 6 June 2024, the following member of Congregation was duly elected to Council to hold office until the start of MT 2028:
Professor Fran Platt, BSc Imp PhD Bath, Fellow of Merton, Faculty of Physiological Sciences
[The votes recorded were: for Professor Platt, 765; and for Professor Sondhi, 724]
This election was contested and the successful candidate determined by electronic ballot (details sent to eligible voters 22 May 2024 using the email address provided in the register of Congregation). All members of Congregation were eligible to vote in this election. Voting closed at 4:00pm, 6 June. Details of nominations and candidate statements are published below: click on the candidate’s name to see the details.
Vacancy
One member of Congregation elected by Congregation from members of the faculties in the Divisions of Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences and of Medical Sciences, to serve until the start of MT 2028 [vice Professor Richard Hobbs, Harris Manchester, Primary Care Health Sciences]
Nominations
Nominations for elections to this constituency are published weekly in the Gazette and on this website as they are received and processed. The details of any nominations received can be seen by clicking on the candidate's surname in any adjacent tabs.
Professor Fran Platt, BSc (Hons) Imperial PhD Bath, Fellow of Merton, Faculty of Physiological Sciences
Nominated by:
Helen Mountfield, Principal of Mansfield
Professor Helen McShane, Faculty of Clinical Medicine
Professor Matthew Rushworth, Wolfson, Faculty of Psychological Studies
Professor Tim Coulson, Jesus, Faculty of Biology
Professor Shivaji L Sondhi, BSc Hindu College Delhi, MA SUNY, PhD University of California, Faculty of Physics (Theoretical Physics)
Nominated by:
Mr Miles Young, Warden of New College
Professor Ian Shipsey, St Catherine’s, Faculty of Physics
Professor Fabian Essler
Professor Sir Peter Horby, Faculty of Clinical Medicine
Professor Masud Husain, New College, Faculty of Psychological Studies
Professor Constanze Guthenke, Corpus Christi, Faculty of Classics
Professor Alain Goriely, St Catherine’s, Faculty of Mathematics
Professor David Logan, University, Faculty of Chemistry
Professor Michael Wooldridge, Hertford, Faculty of Computer Science
Professor Julia Yeomans, Faculty of Physics
Contested elections
In the event of a contested election, candidate statements will be published in the Gazette and on this website. The details of any candidate's statements received can be seen by clicking on the candidate's surname in any adjacent tabs.
Professor Fran Platt, BSc (Hons) Imp, PhD Bath, Fellow of Merton, Faculty of Physiological Sciences
Candidate Statement:
I have worked at the University since 1989 and have seen considerable positive change over the
years. The major asset the University has is its exceptional students and staff. Enhancing diversity
and championing inclusivity is a priority for us all. As co-director of the Chemistry in Cells doctoral
training centre we have successfully pioneered approaches resulting in greater diversity and
equality. Oxford is a unique location, consequently recruitment and retention of staff is key, and I
am keen to explore how this challenge, highlighted by the VC in her conversations with university
staff, can be best addressed. We have a dedicated and very talented group of research staff who
are funded on external grants, and I am committed to raising their profile on the committees I serve
on, including PRAC and the MSD Board.
Mentorship is vital for all careers and is something I would like to help improve as I have seen the
benefits first-hand, mentoring career development fellows within my own department and through
the Sustain programme at the Academy of Medical Sciences. I also teach and enjoy working with
colleagues to enhance the student experience making our courses relevant and accessible.
I would be honoured to serve on Council helping the University with the challenges we face in a
rapidly changing world, but also to capitalise fully upon the opportunities generated through our
research. I am a biomedical scientist by background and Head of the Department of Pharmacology,
within the Medical Sciences Division.
[246 words]
Professor Shivaji L Sondhi, BSc Hindu College Delhi, MA SUNY, PhD UCLA, Faculty of Physics (Theoretical Physics)
Candidate Statement:
I hold the Wykeham Chair in Physics and am a Fellow of New College. I was educated in India and the United States and spent 26 years on Princeton's faculty before moving to Oxford 3 years ago.
I am a theoretical condensed matter physicist and my work has ranged over abstract questions, solid state systems and most recently the many body physics made possible by quantum computing platforms. I get maximum mileage out of my work on magnetic monopoles which appeared on Big Bang Theory and on time crystals which appeared on Star Trek.
Turning to Oxford, the economic challenges faced by the UK for a while are not likely to go away soon. This is going to place great stress on Oxford's capacity to attract and retain talented faculty, staff and students from the broadest range of backgrounds, and to keep them enthused about the larger research and tutorial enterprise. People who make Oxford such an outstanding place for teaching, learning and research already face unprecedented pressures. The cost of living crisis calls for significant action from the University. I believe this will require choices about the University's priorities and, if elected, I intend to advocate for prioritising people.
[200 words]
General Information about this constituency
This constituency is comprised of four members of Congregation elected by Congregation from members of the faculties in the Divisions of Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences and of Medical Sciences.
Elections to this constituency restrict candidates to members of the faculties in the Divisions of Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences and of Medical Sciences. This means that all members of Congregation are eligible to nominate a candidate or to vote, but prospective candidates who want to stand for election must be a member of one the faculties in the Divisions of Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences and of Medical Sciences. (A list of these can be found in Statute VII).
The full term of office is four years (or less, when a by-election is held to fill the residue of the term of office for an elected member who is standing down early).
The terms of reference and membership of Council are set out in Statute IV.
Nominations from a diverse range of Congregation
members are encouraged, particularly those from
underrepresented groups.
Council is chaired by the Vice-Chancellor and meets on Mondays of Weeks 1, 4 and 9 of each term (Week 8 in Michaelmas term) and in July and September. Meetings begin at 2pm and usually last for 2–3 hours. Members of Council are the University’s charity trustees and have a responsibility for ensuring that Council conducts itself in accordance with accepted standards of behaviour in public life, embracing selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership. They must also play an appropriate part in ensuring that the business of Council is carried out effectively, efficiently and in a manner appropriate for the proper conduct of public business. Key skills include the ability to see issues from all angles, to discuss and question without being adversarial, to accept collective responsibility for decisions and to exercise common sense across a broad range of matters.
Elected members of Council will ordinarily be expected to serve on a small number of other committees (typically between one and three, usually including at least one of the main committees of Council i.e. Education Committee, General Purposes Committee, People Committee, Planning and Resource Allocation Committee, Research & Innovation Committee).
For further information, please contact the Head of Governance.
General Notes
The elections on 6 June 2024 will be conducted electronically.
Nominations
Hard copies of nomination forms will not be processed. Nominations must be made on an official nomination form. Completed nomination forms must be sent as an email attachment to the Elections Office by 4pm on Thursday, 9 May. Please ensure that the nominators listed in section D are also copied into the email when the nomination form is submitted, as this will act as verification of the nomination in lieu of supplying original signatures.
General requirements and eligibility
All candidates are asked to note the general requirements which apply to all committee members, as set out in Council Regulations 14 of 2002 (General Regulations of Council for Committees). Current members seeking re-election are also asked to check for specific restrictions on consecutive service. For further information, please see the eligibility and amendments to nominations sections within the Information about University elections pages of the Elections website.
Candidate’s statement
Candidates are invited to include with their nomination forms a written statement of no more than 250 words, setting out their reasons for standing and qualifications for the office being sought.
Contested elections
In the event of a contested election, the successful candidates will be determined by an electronic ballot. An email with further instructions will be sent to eligible voters on Wednesday, 22 May, using the email addresses provided in the electronic register of Congregation (NB with few exceptions, notably clinical staff, this will be the work address ending ‘ox.ac.uk’). Candidates’ statements will be published online and in the Gazette dated Thursday, 23 May. Voters may wish to read these statements before completing their electronic vote. The voting period will close at 4pm on Thursday, 6 June 2024.
Uncontested elections
If the number of nominations received by the closing date is no more than sufficient to fill the vacancies, the candidates nominated shall be deemed to be duly elected as of the close of the nomination period on Thursday, 9 May. When required, places will be allocated according to academic standing, as defined in Council Regulations 22 of 2002, Part 2: Academic Precedence and Standing. If the number of nominations received by the closing date is less than sufficient to fill the vacancies, those candidates nominated will be deemed elected unopposed, and the remaining vacancies will lapse, in which case, in accordance with the regulations, the places must remain vacant until appointments are made jointly by the Vice-Chancellor and Proctors.
Period of office
All vacancies are with immediate effect unless otherwise stated. In accordance with Congregation Regulations 2 of 2002, in any election where vacancies are to be filled for periods of different length, the elected candidates shall hold office so that the tenure of those who receive more votes shall be longer than that of those who receive fewer votes; but if the election is uncontested or if two candidates receive the same number of votes, the candidate senior in academic standing shall hold office for the longer period.
For further information, please contact the Elections Officer.
Contact the Elections Officer
For further information, please email the Elections Office.
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