* John Zarnecki, former reader in space sciences, has been appointed professor at the Open University. He is currently principal investigator for the surface science package on the Huygens probe due to touch down on Titan, a satellite of Saturn, in January 2005.
* Margaret Oldroyd, staff and quality-development manager at the department of library services at De Montfort University, has been elected chair of the chartership board of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals.
* Peter Edwards, professor of chemistry and materials at the University of Birmingham, has been awarded the Royal Society's 2003 Hughes Medal in recognition of his discoveries in the physical sciences, particularly electricity and magnetism.
* Dario Alessi, professor at the Medical Research Council protein phosphorylation unit based at the University of Dundee, has been awarded the Federation of Biochemical Societies' Anniversary Prize for outstanding achievement in the field of biochemistry.
* Steven Spier, professor in the department of architecture and building science at the University of Strathclyde, has been appointed to the Scottish Ballet's board of directors for a three-year period.
* Nik Chmiel, director of occupational psychology at Queen's University, Belfast, was elected president of the European Association of Work and Organisational Psychology for a four-year period at the association's 11th congress in Lisbon. He was also appointed to the editorial board of the European Journal of Work and Organisational Psychology.