Former DG for Knowledge and Innovation receives honorary award
Fri, 17 Jul 2015 08:00:00 BST
Leading engineer Sir John O’Reilly is a former Director General for Knowledge and Innovation and former Chief Executive of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
ONE of Britain’s leading engineers – knighted for his contribution to science – has received a special honour from the University of Huddersfield. Sir John O’Reilly is also passionate about the role that Higher Education can play in boosting the UK economy. This led him to serve for two years as Director General for Knowledge and Innovation at the Government’s Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
He has now been awarded an Honorary Doctorate of the University of Huddersfield, and it was conferred during one of the 31 ceremonies taking place during graduation week.
Sir John is a Chartered Engineer specialising in the field of information and communication technology. He is the author or co-author of some 350 research and technology publications, including three books on aspects of telecommunications. He has also held many key roles in Higher Education and has been Chief Executive of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
Sir John received his honorary degree from outgoing University of Huddersfield Chancellor Sir Patrick Stewart. This followed an oration delivered by Professor Ian Glover, of the University’s School of Computing and Engineering.
After outlining Sir John’s achievements, Professor Glover said: “It is a multi-faceted career, but one that has an unbreakable thread – the conviction that Higher Education, research and innovation are the things that will drive the competitiveness of the UK, leading to the technological advances and the training of skills that are vital to an advanced, competitive economy.”
After receiving his award, Sir John said that he has been impressed by what he had seen at the University of Huddersfield and that he hoped to continue the association.
He congratulated graduates from the School of Computing and Engineering at the ceremony. Their achievements would stand them in good stead for their careers and their skills meant they would make an important contribution to the UK, he said.
