4 June 2012
University to honour leading figures
The University of Dundee will honour leading figures from Scotland and the world at its summer Graduations later this month.
Eleven people will receive honorary degrees, among them an adventurer, one of the UK’s greatest concert pianists, a key figure in the establishment of modern-day South Africa, the former Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, and leading names from the world’s of medical and life sciences.
Professor Pete Downes, Principal of the University of Dundee, said, "Our Honorary Graduands reflect the vision and ambitions of the University itself, people who have transformed lives in the UK and around the world.
"All of our Honorary Graduands are among the highest achievers, clearest thinkers and most respected voices in their fields. They are an inspiration to all our students."
The University’s graduation ceremonies take place this year from Tuesday June 19th to Thursday June 21st in the Caird Hall in Dundee. The following guests will all receive an honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD):
- Mark Beaumont, `The Man Who Cycled The World’ as well as the Americas, and who rowed to the North Pole.
- Dundee-born Murray McLachlan, one of the UK’s leading concert pianists.
- Sir Mark Jones, former Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
- Professor Iain Mattaj, Director General of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg.
- Justice Albie Sachs, a judge in the South African Constitutional Court.
- Dr Malcolm Skingle, Director of Academic Liaison at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).
- Dr Bernard Pécoul, who has led the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) since its founding in 2003.
- Anne Marie Rafferty, Professor of Nursing Policy and Dean of the Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery at King’s College, London.
- Stephen O’Rahilly, Professor of Clinical Biochemistry and Medicine at the University of Cambridge.
- Professor Peter Boyle, the founding President of the International Prevention Research Institute in Lyon.
- Professor Peter Howie, who has played a major role in the development of medical research in Dundee.
Notes to editors
There will be photo opportunities with each of the Honorary Graduates before the ceremony in the Robing Room of Dundee City Chambers. These will be from 9.30 am for the morning ceremonies (which begin at 10 am) and 2 pm for the afternoon ceremonies (which begin at 2.30 pm).
The ceremonies where honorary degrees will be conferred are:
Tuesday June 19th - Morning - Sir Mark Jones
Wednesday June 20th - Morning - Mark Beaumont and Murray McLachlan.
Wednesday June 20th - Afternoon - Justice Albie Sachs.
Thursday June 21st - Morning - Professor Anne Marie Rafferty, Dr Bernard Pecoul, Professor Iain Mattaj and Dr Malcolm Skingle
Thursday June 21st - Afternoon - Professor Stephen O'Rahilly, Professor Peter Boyle and Professor Peter Howie.
HONORARY GRADUATRE BIOGRAPHIES
Sir Mark Jones was Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum from 2001 to 2011, during which time he played a central role in helping develop the V&A at Dundee project.
Prior to his time at the V&A, he was Director of the National Museums of Scotland and oversaw the creation of the award-winning new Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh in 1998. He is now Master of St Cross College, Oxford.
Mark Beaumont is a modern day adventurer, `The Man Who Cycled The World’ as well as the Americas, and who rowed to the North Pole. A former pupil of the High School of Dundee, he retains a close connection with the city.
His adventures around the world have helped raise tens of thousands of pounds for charity. He is also an ambassador for the Scottish Wildlife Trust and a founding trustee of the Active Earth Foundation.
Dundee-born Murray McLachlan is one of the UK’s leading concert pianists. Over his career he has received outstanding critical acclaim for his intelligent and sensitive interpretations and superb technical ability.
He has had a prolific recording career, including the complete sonatas of Beethoven and Prokofiev, and has played concerts around the world. He has also had an eminent career as a music teacher, with many of his pupils going on to enjoy successful performance careers in their own right.
Professor Iain Mattaj is Director General of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, one of the world’s premier institutions for basic research in molecular biology. Born and brought up in St Andrews, he retains connections with Scotland, not least with the University of Dundee where he has served on the Scientific Advisory Board for the College of Life Sciences.
A world-leading researcher, his many achievements were recognised with his being elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. He was also awarded the prestigious Science and Society Award of the Italian Chemical Society in 2010.
Justice Albie Sachs is a judge in the South African Constitutional Court, having been appointed in 1994 by Nelson Mandela. As a young lawyer in apartheid South Africa he defended people charged under racist statutes and repressive security laws. He lost an arm and his sight in one eye when his car was subject to an attack by South African security agents.
As the country emerged from apartheid he authored a new democratic constitution for South Africa and he has served as a member of the Constitutional Committee and the National Executive of the African National Congress.
Dr Malcolm Skingle is Director of Academic Liaison at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). He has been a passionate advocate over many years for pharmaceutical companies forming and maintaining strong collaborations with the academic sector. The fruits of this work are clearly illustrated in Dundee, where he has supported many of the projects which have helped establish the University’s reputation as an international centre of excellence in Life Sciences research.
He was made a CBE for his services to academic-industrial collaborations.
Dr Bernard Pécoul has led the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) since its founding in 2003. Under his guidance, DNDi – a not-for-profit research and development organization - and its partners have built the largest-ever R&D portfolio for major diseases such as leishmaniasis, sleeping sickness, and Chagas disease, as well as developing treatments for malaria. All are diseases which affect hundreds of thousands of people across the developing world every year.
Prior to his work with DNDi, Dr Pécoul was Director of the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines from 1998 to 2003. While working with MSF, Dr Pécoul carried out field missions in Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
Anne Marie Rafferty is Professor of Nursing Policy and Dean of the Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery at King’s College, London.
Born in Fife, she trained as a nurse in Edinburgh before embarking on a research career that has seen her author over sixty papers and numerous books, particularly in the fields of health policy and reform.
Stephen O’Rahilly is Professor of Clinical Biochemistry and Medicine at the University of Cambridge. He has been responsible over the last two decades for a number of major breakthroughs in translational clinical science, in particular work on understanding the genetic causes of obesity and their effects on the general population.
He has also made substantial contributions to clinical academic medicine outside of his own research. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society and of the Academy of Medical Sciences and has been influential in contributing to the development of programmes for training young academic clinicians.
Professor Peter Boyle is the founding President of the International Prevention Research Institute in Lyon, which focuses on chronic diseases, including cancer and diabetes in low and medium resource countries.
He specialises in research in the fields of tobacco in lung cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer and is a leading cancer prevention advocate.
Professor Peter Howie joined the University of Dundee in 1981 and ever since has played a major role in the development of medical research in the city. Serving the University as Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dean of the Medical School and Deputy Principal, he has seen and often been the catalyst for major developments in medical education.
He played a part in the establishment of the biomedical research centre and, as well as helping co-ordinate the first of the major public fundraising appeal for cancer research in Dundee, he even coined the famous slogan `Help Dennis beat the Menace’. Since retiring from the University in 2002 he has been a tireless worker for charity and continued to be a strong supporter and champion of many of the University’s activities.
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