2023 Winners of the Mountford Humanities and Arts Communication Prize

^{Photo caption: Shortlisted students with Dr Margaret Mountford [L-R: (top row) Hanwen Cao, Alasdair Harrison, Ben Maguire, Jacob Robinson, Elena Bashkova; (bottom row) Shala Alert, Hasan Lone, Dr Margaret Mountford, Anna Williams Moura Costa]}

Girton enjoyed a wonderful evening listening to eight enthusiastic students present their highly original entries for the 2023 Mountford Humanities and Arts Communication Prize on Monday 13 February. Dr Margaret Mountford (1970), a Girton alumna, Papyrology expert and TV personality, attended in person to adjudicate and present the awards, alongside the Mistress and other judges. This year’s theme was ‘Justice through the objects’, to coincide with Girton Conversations’ theme ‘A Just World’.

The idea was for students to choose an object from any museum and then reveal to the audience – in a lively and accessible way - what that object might have to say about questions of justice, all in no more than 8 minutes! It was a brilliant evening, with the students on sparkling form and the audience eagerly throwing out questions.

There are four prizes, encompassing the Judges’ choice of winner, the audience choice of winner, the best abstract, and there is even a special prize for the best presentation about an object from the College’s very own museum, The Lawrence Room, which is open to the public every Thursday between 2-4pm.

We are pleased to congratulate all the students shortlisted and to announce the award holders as follows:

• The Judges' Prize (Joint) - Jacob Robinson (£150.00) and Shala Alert (£150.00)
• Audience Prize (£50.00) - Hanwen Cao
• Abstract Prize (£50.00) - Hanwen Cao
• The Lawrence Room Prize (Joint) Jacob Robinson (£50.00) and Shala Alert (£50.00)

This was an impressive, educational and thoroughly enjoyable evening. You can read all the students abstracts in the booklet - View PDF.

^{Photo caption: Dr Liliana Janik with Hanwen Cao (Abstract Prize and Audience Prize winner)}