We recently celebrated the launch of our new book ’UCL at 200’, a special bicentennial, commemorative volume, exploring the past, present and future of research, innovation and impact at UCL.
In its first 200 years, UCL has grown from a single building in Bloomsbury into a global institution, home to world-leading research and innovation and a vibrant, diverse community of students, staff and alumni.
UCL at 200 is both a celebration of, and reflection on, the university’s past and present. This special commemorative volume, edited by Professor Virginia Mantouvalou (UCL Faculty of Laws), brings together more than 100 authors from across our community to recognise our achievements and challenges and honour the enduring spirit that has defined UCL’s journey.
Through personal recollections, scholarly reflections and striking archival and contemporary visual material, we gain a small insight into the evolution of an institution that has always valued free thinking, dared to challenge the status quo, and gone beyond traditional research boundaries to drive breakthroughs that benefit the world.
UCL at 200: Book celebration event
Book editor Professor Virginia Mantouvalou said:
" "Sometimes people think that what we do at university is a mystery. I think this book is really special because it provides an accessible window into our research. It shows people what academic research is about - the impact it has on society and how it changes people’s minds and lives. It also highlights what can happen when academics, partners, and communities come together to ensure research reaches those who need it most".
Professor Jon Bridle, Director of the Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, and Professor Kate Jones, Chair of Ecology and Biodiversity (both UCL Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment) contributed to the volume.
They wanted to highlight how UCL has always been the forefront of biodiversity and conservation - the first university in England to teach evolutionary biology to undergraduates and the first to have dedicated field studies in England, where students could go and study nature and explore organisms in their natural setting. They said:
"If there’s one thing that we would like people to take away from the book, it is that nature, our economy, our health and wellbeing, and social justice - these are not separate entities. They are intertwined. For people and planet to have a future, we need to protect our natural capital and use it wisely".
Another contributor, Professor Catherine Holloway (Department of Computer Science) is working to develop better, more inclusive technologies for people with impaired speech, particularly those from parts of the world whose language is not well represented in speech-to-text technologies. Catherine is also the Academic Director and co-founder of the Global Disability Innovation (GDI) Hub, which turns ten years old this year. She said:
" "We wanted to demonstrate that if we include everyone’s voice in research, then the world is a fairer, more interesting place".
She added:
" "Reading this book is like stepping back and forward through time. It demonstrates the rich tapestry that we are all trying to create here. We build small things to try and build a fairer world, and we web them together in the hope of offering something to society that is better".
Get your copy
UCL at 200: Two Centuries of Insight and Impact is now available to buy in-store. It costs £20 and there is a £5 discount for staff and students when you purchase a print edition from the Students’ Union shop.
The book is also available for free open access download via UCL Press.
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