Honorary Awards at the July 2017 Graduation Ceremonies
The University's Chancellor, HRH The Duke of York, at last year's ceremonies
Thu, 23 Mar 2017 15:37:00 GMT
Seven recipients will receive the award of Honorary Doctorate of the University
Two former students who are now peers in the House of Lords are among the distinguished people from politics, engineering, science and business who will receive honorary awards from the University of Huddersfield at an awards ceremony in July.
This year’s recipients will be (in alphabetical order)...
David Blunkett, Lord Blunkett of Brightside and Hillsborough
Professor Mario Neto Borges
Professor David Leaper
Roger Marsh
Sir John Parker
Professor Dame Carol Robinson
Susan Williams, Baroness Williams of Trafford
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The University will welcome back two alumni, now both peers, to receive honorary doctorates. Lord Blunkett was awarded a peerage in the dissolution Honours List in 2015 and Baroness Williams became a life peer in 2013.
The Rt Hon Lord David Blunkett of Brightside and Hillsborough (pictured right) was a Member of Parliament for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough between 1987 and 2015 and a senior member of the then Prime Minister Tony Blair’s Cabinet for eight years from 1997. David has been blind since birth and experienced hardship at the age of twelve when he lost his father in a works accident. Educated at evening class on day release, he entered the University of Sheffield as a mature student graduating in 1972, before completing his Certificate in Education in 1973 here in Huddersfield.
The Rt Hon Baroness Susan Williams of Trafford (pictured left), was appointed Minister of State at the Home Office in July 2016. After graduating from the University of Huddersfield with a degree in Applied Nutrition in 1991, Baroness Williams began her political career as Councillor at Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council in 1998 and became the Council Leader between 2004 and 2009. She also served as leader of the Conservative group between 2002 and 2009. Outside of politics, Susan was Chairman of Heritage Lottery Fund North West between 2011 and 2012 and was Director of the North West Rail Campaign from 2011 until 2014.
Three distinguished professors from the fields of chemistry, engineering and the health sciences will also receive honorary doctorates in the summer.
Professor Dame Carol Robinson (pictured right) holds the Chair of Doctor Lee’s Professor of Chemistry at the University of Oxford and became a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for contributions to science and industry in 2013. She was the first female Professor in Chemistry at both Oxford and Cambridge and is renowned for pioneering the use of mass spectrometry as an analytical tool and for her groundbreaking research into the 3D structure of proteins.
Professor David Leaper (pictured left) was appointed Professor of Clinical Sciences at the University of Huddersfield in 2013. He has published over 10 books, 50 chapters and 500 research and review papers. David qualified from Leeds Medical School and is a past president of the Surgical Infection Society of Europe and the European Wound Management Association.
Professor Mario Neto Borges (pictured right) is the President of Brazil’s National Council of Science and Technology and a retired Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of São João Del Rei. Mario moved to the UK with his family to complete a doctorate at the University of Huddersfield in 1990, where he developed a particular liking for Chess and took part in the Yorkshire Chess Championship, where he eliminated the Huddersfield champion of the time from the competition.
From business and industry, the University will welcome Roger Marsh and Sir John Parker.
Businessman and Chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Roger Marsh (pictured left) works to promote the Region’s interests on a national and international stage by helping enterprise and business to thrive and endeavours to unlock potential through partnership. He has also managed change at the highest level of Government having worked in Cabinet Office and in 2015, he was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s birthday honours list for Services to Business and the Economy.
Trained engineer and businessman Sir John Parker (pictured right) was born into a farming family in County Down, Northern Ireland. He is Chairman of Anglo American plc, Chairman of the Water and Energy Recovery Group Pennon plc and Chairman of the New UK Naval Shipbuilding Strategy for Ministry of Defence. He was also President of the Royal Academy of Engineering until 2014.
