The youngest member of the Gonville & Caius College postgraduate community is making an impression on their MCR contemporaries.

Dr Ashray Gunjur (Biological Science PhD) and his wife Emily recently welcomed a baby, and have moved a few seconds’ walk from a College flat to a College house in Caius’ postgraduate hub, where the family are well known. 

“The baby is the unofficial mascot of Harvey Road; everybody recognises the baby,” Ash says.

Ash was the Partners and Families Officer of the MCR in 2022, working with College staff and College officers to make Caius more welcoming to partners and families of students. He is now a beneficiary of that work.

“Knowing the support is available is invaluable,” says Ash, who is particularly grateful to Accommodation Manager Wendy Fox, Outside Property Manager Kieran Hinson and his wife Ruth, the Housekeeping Administrator, and the maintenance team.

Emily adds: “We’ve fallen on our feet!”

Ash and Emily moved from Melbourne, Australia for his PhD. Both are clinical medics. Ash is an oncologist, investigating the interplay between the gut microbiome and responses and/or toxicity to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies. Emily is a doctor at Addenbrooke’s. Ash’s position means he is also staff, as a clinical research fellow, and the couple are taking shared parental leave.

After brief visits to the UK by the couple’s parents and siblings to meet the baby, the couple are taking extended leave over the UK winter to travel to Australia.

Despite their relatives being 10,000 miles away, Ash and Emily have felt like part of an extended family at Caius. They attended a Diwali event at the Harvey Road MCR and moved to a house where they have greater privacy and fitful sleep is only their issue, not a shared one. Plus they have their own washing machine, rather than communal access.

For anyone there is arguably no perfect time to have a baby, but Ash and Emily feel fortunate with their experience.

She adds: “There are so many reasons why this should’ve been a bit of disaster: we were still coming out of Covid; I was doing a fellowship here; Ash was doing a pretty intense PhD; our family is the other side of the world; and, we didn’t really know anyone here. 

“But you make it work, and a large part, thanks to Caius, has been great. One thing that stood up about Caius when Ash was applying was how inclusive it came across in terms of people bringing partners. That’s definitely been my experience. Right from the word go I felt part of the community. 

“I have a partners’ card and access to the MCR. And when I was studying for my fellowship exams I used the Library. Now, if I’m in town, I pop into College to feed the baby and meet Ash for lunch.”

The couple have not ruled out remaining in the UK or travelling elsewhere following the completion of Ash’s PhD, with their decision depending on professional opportunities and family.

“The grandparents will be lobbying hard for a return to Australia,” Ash says.