House Logos

Marie Curie’s works were revolutionary—the discovery of radioactivity forever changed our perception of life. In rogue hands it had borne us nuclear weapons; in clinicians’ hands it had borne us powerful diagnostic tools.

No less revolutionary was Marie Curie’s life.
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The patriot returned to Poland during the World War 1 and personally drove x-ray equipped ambulances to the front lines, ensured that her France-raised children knew their native language and had seen their native land, and dedicated naming one of her discovered elements, Polonium, after her native country.

Her hunger for excellence undergirded her pioneering spirit, where, disregarding social norms against female education, she worked her way to a place in Sorbonne, France, and ultimately became the first female Professor of General Physics in the Faculty of Sciences in Sorbonne. Her intrigue in radioactivity was not mere fascination but extended to a pursuit of greater understanding of the works of physicists Roentgen and Becquerel.

Hence, in piety, pursue. Piety, because she had a dogged appreciation for her homeland, and an unwavering focus on individual excellence societal contribution regardless of fame or tribulation. Pursue, because in all her life she knew she had a potential she had yet fulfilled.

And so we shall. As she remained true to those who mattered, and true to herself; as she challenged herself all her life—so we must, in piety, pursue.

Which creature more fitting to portray Marie Curie’s traits, than a wolf? They are pious towards their pack, and grace every challenge.

With that, our house has decided to honour Marie Curie with a wolf as our house mascot, and yellow, in remembrance of her great contribution to radioactivity, as our house colour.

Lastly, the otter is also associated with joy and playfulness, and are social creatures that live in large communities. Above all, we chose the otter as these values represent our vision for the house. As a house, we aspire to create an environment of support away from the academic rigours of school, where above all we are able to unwind and enjoy our lives as students.

We chose blue as our house colour because it is associated with intelligence and strength. Not an unbridled, wrathful display of power, but a calm assurance of inner fortitude. While on our journey to become doctors, the colour blue reminds us to cultivate a habit of contemplation as we seek to provide the best care to our future patients. With inner strength, we can then be resilient as a House, come what may.

We chose red as our colour for our house as it is associated closely with controlled power, determined ambition and Dignity, qualities that we would like associated with our house. Furthermore, red is famous for its pinot noir and chardonnay wine varieties, and they believe firmly in the concept of terroir, which, loosely translated refers to the combination of soil, climate, aspect to the sun and geography being fundamental, defining influences on a finished wine. In the same way, we acknowledge that there are many things needed to be good doctors, and are dedicated to diligently working on these components, eventually graduating as doctors you and I would like caring for us.

The phoenix was chosen as our house animal because it represents the element of fire, which ties in very closely with Dr Wu's belief in the use of cremation to stop the spread of the plague at all cost. His never-dampening resolve and strength of will as demonstrated in his fight against the plague lives on to this very day in all healthcare professionals, and is represented by the eternal flame of the phoenix. Lastly, the whole idea of rising from the ashes represents our belief that our house will always grow in adversity and stand up stronger wherever we may fall.

The main reason why we chose black for WLT is because black represents ash, which is where the Phoenix (our house animal) undergoes its rebirth when it is struck down. It also ties in with the modus operandi of Dr Wu Lien Teh, which was cremation of the bodies of people who have passed on from the plague.

The owl was chosen as our house animal because it represents wisdom, knowledge, and keen insight—qualities that Joseph Lister embodied in his pioneering work in antiseptic surgery. The owl's ability to see through darkness parallels Lister's ability to see beyond conventional medical practices and introduce revolutionary antiseptic methods. The owl also represents vigilance and precision, reflecting Lister’s meticulous approach to medical science. This spirit of wisdom and innovation is what we strive to embody in Joseph Lister House.