UCL staff and alumni recognised in Queen’s Jubilee Birthday Honours

A host of current UCL staff and alumni were commended for their services to science, research, higher education, and the arts.

Professor Michael Arthur, former UCL President & Provost (2013 to 2021) has been awarded a Knights Bachelor for services to Higher Education. Prior to his role at UCL, Sir Michael was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds and was previously Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences in Southampton. As a hepatologist he had research interests in liver cell biology.

Commenting on his award, Sir Michael said: “I am deeply honoured and personally delighted to receive this national honour in recognition of my contribution to UK Higher Education.

“I have had the pleasure of working with great colleagues at the University of Southampton, the University of Leeds and more recently at University College London. This award reflects brightly on these great universities, and I am grateful to everyone for their excellence and their support and help over many years.

“Together we have achieved a great deal and it has been a huge privilege to be entrusted with leadership of these outstanding institutions.”

Professor Christine Gilbert CBE, a Visiting Professor at the IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education & Society, was awarded a Dames Commander, for services to young people and charity.

Professor Stephen Powis, Honorary Professor of Renal Medicine (UCL Division of Medicine), has been awarded a Knights Bachelor for services to the NHS, particularly during COVID-19. In 2018 Professor Powis became National Medical Director of NHS England, having previously been the Moorhead Chair of Renal Medicine at UCL from 1997 to 2017.

He said: “I am truly honoured and delighted to be recognised with this award. It reflects the passion, focus and sheer determination of NHS staff during the pandemic, as we tackled the biggest health threat of a generation.   

“That dedication continues as teams across the NHS address the backlogs that have built up, in the most ambitious catch-up plan in NHS history.   

“It is an enormous privilege to work alongside so many staff and volunteers who have repeatedly gone over and above to make sure others are cared for and protected.” 

Professor Rachel Batterham (UCL Division of Medicine) was awarded an OBE for services to people affected by obesity. A Professor of obesity, diabetes and endocrinology at UCL, she also established and leads the UCLH Bariatric Centre for Weight Management and Metabolic Surgery.

“I am incredibly humbled, privileged and honoured to receive this award,” she said.

“Developing and implementing new treatments for obesity is a team effort and I would like to pay tribute to all the brilliant scientists and clinicians, and most of all the inspirational people living with obesity that I’ve worked with over the years.

“There is still much to be done and I remain totally committed to changing the stigmatising narrative that surrounds obesity to one that reflects current scientific and medical knowledge and ensuring equitable access to evidence-based treatments for obesity.”

Professor Alejandro Madrigal (UCL Cancer Institute) was awarded an OBE for services to haematology, stem cell transplantation and cancer research. He is Professor of Haematology at UCL and an Honorary Consultant at the Royal Free London Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.  

Commenting he said: “I am hugely honoured to have received this award, particulary in the year of Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee 2022.

“I feel it is a real testament to how fortunate and privileged I have been to work with so many supportive and exceptional colleagues, to whom I am forever grateful, for their dedication in improving the outcome of the lives of patients with blood cancer in need of a stem cell transplant.

“I would like to give special mention to Shirley Nolan, who in 1974 established the world’s first Unrelated Bone Marrow Register in her son’s name, Anthony.  I feel she would be very proud of the increase in donor registers around the world, since today there are more than 40 million donors worldwide.”

Professor Margaret Johnson (UCL Division of Infection & Immunity) was awarded an OBE for services to the NHS and people with HIV. She is Professor of Medicine at UCL and a consultant at the Royal Free, London.

“I am delighted to receive this recognition and extend my thanks to the many fantastic colleagues and patients I have worked with, who also deserve immense credit,” she said.

“During my career I feel very fortunate to have led clinical trials at UCL and the Royal Free, at a time when new drugs for HIV were being developed. This has enabled patients to access innovative treatments many years before they were licensed, dramatically improving outcomes.”

Other awards to UCL alumni, former staff, honorary degree holders and other members of our community, presented in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours list include:

Sir Quentin Blake CBE, (UCL IOE, Faculty of Education & Society, PGCE 1957) Illustrator and Writer, was made Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour for services to illustration.

Lady Susan Sainsbury CBE, was made a Dames Commander for services to the Arts, particularly during Covid-19. Lady and Lord Sainsbury, both philanthropists, support UCL research through the Gatsby Charitable Foundation.

Dr Shamil Chandaria (UCL MA Philosophy 2003), senior research fellow, was awarded an Order of the British Empire For services to Science and Technology, to Finance and to Philanthropy.

Professor Saul Faust (UCL MBBS 1993), paediatrician, was awarded an Order of the British Empire for services to the Covid-19 Response.

Professor David Kluth (UCL MBBS 1989), Chair of Medical Education, was awarded an Order of the British Empire for services to Medical Education during the Covid-19 response.

Professor Sarah Purdy (UCL BSc Science Communication & Policy 1983), General Practitioner, was awarded an Order of the British Empire for services to General Practice.

Professor Sarah Smith (UCL PhD Economics 2007), Professor of Economics, was awarded an Order of the British Empire for services to Economics and to Education.

Pranav Bhanot (UCL LLM Law 2012), Councillor, was awarded an Order of the British Empire for services to the Community in Chigwell, Essex.

Dr Chila Burman (UCL 1982), Artist, was awarded an Order of the British Empire for services to Visual Art, particularly during Covid-19.

Gosbert Chagula (UCL LLM Law 2009), Co-founder Start-up Discovery School, was awarded an Order of the British Empire for services to Business.

Jane Hamlyn (UCL), Potter, was awarded an Order of the British Empire for services to Pottery and Ceramics.

Dr Clea Harmer (UCL MBBS 1988), Chief Executive, was awarded an Order of the British Empire for services to Baby Loss Awareness and to Supporting Bereaved Parents.

Lorna Jackson (UCL Nat Prof Qual for Headship 2004), Headteacher, was awarded an Order of the British Empire for services to Education.

Sue Marooney (UCL Nat Prof Qual for Headship 2004), Chief Executive Officer, was awarded an Order of the British Empire for services to Education.

Marcia Richards (UCL NPQH IoE), Case Lead & Analyst, was awarded an Order of the British Empire for services to Education.

Dr Erin Thompson (UCL DCIinPsy Clinical Psychology 2014), Founder and Director, The Loss Foundation, was awarded an Order of the British Empire for services to Bereaved Families.

Dr Nikita Ved (UCL Ophthalmology PhD 2016), Postdoctoral Research Fellow, was awarded an Order of the British Empire for services to the Covid-19 Response.

Rukhsana Yaqoob (UCL IoE), Education Consultant, was awarded an Order of the British Empire for services to Education.

Christopher Clarke (UCL MPhil Town Planning 1971), Company Secretary and Treasurer, was awarded an Order of the British Empire for services to the community in Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne.

Links

• Queen’s Jubilee Birthday Honours list 2022
• Professor Sir Michael Arthur's academic profile
• Professor Dame Christine Gilbert's academic profile
• Professor Sir Stephen Powis' academic profile
• Professor Rachel Batterham's academic profile
• Professor Alejandro Madrigal's academic profile
• Professor Margaret Johnson's academic profile

Image

• Top row, Professor Sir Michael Arthur, Professor Dame Christine Gilbert CBE, Professor Sir Stephen Powis. Bottom left to right, Professor Margaret Johnson, Professor Alejandro Madrigal and Professor Rachel Batterham. 

Media contact 

Henry Killworth

Tel: +44 (0) 7881 833274

E: h.killworth [at] ucl.ac.uk