Ann Duncan Memorial Fund
Dr Ann Duncan was an Oxford Graduate who taught at Exeter University until she came to Newnham in 1970 as Director of Studies in Modern Languages where she remained until her death in 1989, aged only 48. She was a modernist working in nineteenth and twentieth century French studies as well as on contemporary Latin-American literature. She earned her Cambridge doctorate from her publications, not by thesis.
She was a stimulating and demanding teacher, with a lively sense of humour; never satisfied with easy answers, pompous authoritarianism or received wisdom. Despite being paralysed from the waist down from the age of thirteen she travelled widely, never allowing her disability to limit either her freedom of movement or her independence.
The Ann Duncan Memorial Fund was set up immediately after her death with donations from her family, her students and friends. In making grants from the fund the awarders try to choose those projects which they feel would have interested Ann. Grants are awarded every two years,with the next grants awarded for foreign travel during summer 2025.
Application is restricted to students of the University studying a language to degree level under the auspices of the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics, particularly those with special interest in contemporary French or Latin-American studies.
Consideration will also be given to applicants who are studying aspects of French or Latin-American society for a postgraduate qualification.
Enhanced grants may be available for students with special difficulties of mobility.
The awards are not intended to fund the MML year abroad, nor are they intended for language courses. In recent years awards have gone mainly to those whose travel plans have a distinctive social or intellectual purpose.
Further details, including how to apply, will be published on this website in spring 2025.
Click here to find out about Recent Ann Duncan Award projects
Any queries should be directed to the Principal’s Secretary, Newnham College, Cambridge CB3 9DF, (cb560@cam.ac.uk).