The alumna of the year award, established in 2009, was set up to encourage students and alumni to value their contribution to society as highly as their career goals and other aspirations. Each year, the award-winner is invited to accept the accolade at the second-year undergraduates’ Half-Way Hall and give a keynote address.

Viki Male is this year’s winner, recognising her dedication to ensuring that pregnant people were able to access evidence-based information on the COVID vaccine, as well as campaigning and advocating on their behalf.

Viki joined Clare in 2004 as an undergraduate Natural Scientist, specialising in immunology and virology. She stayed in Cambridge for a PhD on immune cells in human pregnancy before moving to London for a job as a postdoctoral researcher at Imperial College. Viki then secured funding for her own lab which now focuses on understanding how the uterine immune system is involved in the physiological processes of pregnancy. 

During the pandemic, Viki was involved in collating and communicating information on the effect of SARS-CoV2 infection and COVID vaccination on fertility, pregnancy and breastfeeding, and in research on how COVID vaccination affects the menstrual cycle.

The Alumnus of the Year award has highlighted the work and achievements of some truly inspiring Clare members, including our current Master, Loretta Minghella.

Listen to all our previous winners here.