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UCL alumni, staff and supporters recognised in King’s New Year Honours list

31 January 2025

Congratulations to members of the UCL community who were celebrated earlier this month in the 2025 New Year Honours.

Profile photos of Dr Rachel King and Michael Delaney.

In this year’s New Year Honours, a diverse group of UCL alumni, staff and supporters have been recognised for their outstanding contributions to society. Among the recipients are leading figures in education, healthcare and the arts, whose work has had a significant impact across various fields. 

Alumni  

Professor Julia Buckingham (UCL Pharmacology MPhil 1974) was awarded a DBE for her services to higher education. As the former Vice-Chancellor and President of Brunel University, she established the STEM Centre on Brunel’s campus, which benefits thousands of schoolchildren. She now chairs the Board of Trustees at the Institute of Cancer Research and is a member of the council of the University of Surrey where she also chairs the research development concordat strategy group.  

Hina Bokhari (UCL Professional Studies PG Dip 2003) was awarded an OBE for her services to young people and the charity sector. She is the co-founder of the Naz Legacy Foundation, which supports young people from ethnic communities across the UK. Hina currently serves as the Liberal Democrats spokesperson for transport, the economy and fire safety. She was elected Chair of the Fire Committee by the London Assembly in 2024. 

James Biddulph (UCL Music Education MA 2005; UCL Education EdD 2006) received an MBE for his services to education. He is a former primary school teacher and former Head Teacher of the University of Cambridge Primary School. 

Dr Mine Conkbayir (UCL Early Years Education MA 2010) received an MBE for her services to early years education and research. She is an award-winning author, lecturer and trainer in early childhood education. 

Michael Delaney (UCL Geography BSc 1980) was awarded an MBE for his services to British culture in Brazil. He is the British Honorary Consul in Florianopolis, Brazil and former Director of Cultura Inglesa, a language educational company in Brazil. 

Nathaniel Dye (UCL Music PGCE 2008) received an MBE for his services to Cancer Awareness. He is a music teacher and health campaigner. 

Leslie Scott (UCL Economics and Geography BSc1969) was awarded an MBE for political and public services. He is a long-serving Sunderland councillor and former mayor of Sunderland. 

Dr Timothy Shortis (UCL Education PhD 2016) was awarded an MBE for his services to education. He is the Co-Director of Poetry By Heart and specialises in developing digital resources for teaching English. 

Marion Hemsworth (UCL Mathematics BSc 1971) was awarded a BEM for her services to wellbeing and the community of West Sussex.  

Dr Rachel King (UCL Archaeology MA 2003; UCL Archaeology PhD 2008) was awarded a CMG for services to British foreign policy. 

Friends and supporters

Honours were also bestowed on members of the UCL community who have generously supported the university’s work. 

Lady Estelle Wolfson was awarded an OBE for her contributions to medicine and the arts. As Chair of the Lord Leonard and Lady Estelle Wolfson Foundations for Preventative Medicine, she has been a leading health philanthropist in the UK for decades. Lady Estelle holds fellowships from several prestigious institutions, including UCL, and has served on numerous boards and committees in support of healthcare and the arts. 

Tarsem Dhaliwal was awarded an OBE for his services to the Welsh economy, retail and charity. Joining Iceland Foods as a trainee accountant in 1985, he has been the Group CEO at Iceland since 2018. Throughout his career, Tarsem has also been a dedicated trustee of the Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation, a valued UCL partner, supporting our work to advance dementia research. 

Staff

Professor Ijeoma Uchegbu (UCL School of Pharmacy) was awarded a DBE for her contributions to the chemical sciences and her advocacy for diversity and inclusion. With a distinguished career in the molecular design of novel pharmaceuticals, Professor Uchegbu is also known for her efforts in science public engagement and promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion. She previously served as UCL’s Pro-Vice Provost for Africa and the Middle East and as the UCL Provost’s Envoy for Race Equality. Currently, she is the Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of Nanomerics Ltd and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. 

Professor Alison Fuller (IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education & Society) was awarded a DBE for her services to higher education. A leading scholar in vocational education, Professor Fuller has regularly consulted on policy in this field. She is the founding Chair of UCL’s Collaborative Social Science Domain and previously served as Pro-Director of Research and Development at UCL IOE. She now holds the title of Emeritus Professor of Vocational Education at UCL and is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. 

Professor Louise Archer (IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education & Society) received an OBE for her services to education. An advocate for equality and justice in education, Professor Archer has led numerous large-scale national and international research projects, including the 14-year ESRC-funded ASPIRES study, which explores the factors shaping young people's trajectories from ages 10 to 22. She currently serves as the Karl Mannheim Professor of Sociology of Education at UCL IOE and co-chairs the Centre for Sociology of Education and Equity. 

Dr Mathew Kearney was awarded an OBE for his services to health and the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. He is a Senior Innovation Advisor at UCLPartners and a General Practitioner. 

Dr Wei Yang (Bartlett, UCL Faculty of the Built Environment) was awarded an OBE for her contributions to the town planning industry. She currently serves as an Honorary Professor at UCL’s Bartlett Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis. 

These awards highlight the dedication and impact of the UCL’s community whose contributions across sectors continue to inspire positive change.  

Angharad Milenkovic, UCL’s Vice-President (Advancement), said: “UCL is delighted that our exceptionally talented alumni, supporters and staff have been recognised in the 2025 New Year Honours List for their contributions across various fields including health, education and the arts.  

“Congratulations to all the recipients – we are proud to see your hard work acknowledged on a national level.”

Image

Courtesy of Dr Rachel King and Michael Delaney.