Baroness Smith of Gilmorehill, 58, widow of the late Labour leader John Smith, will become president of Birkbeck College from December. She succeeds Lord Healey, who has been president of the college since 1993. Her first official duty will be to meet the Princess Royal, chancellor of the University of London, as part of Birkbeck's 175th anniversary celebrations.
The full list of board members and panel conveners for the new Arts and Humanities Research Board was published this week. Board members are: Malcolm Andrew, professor of English and pro vice-chancellor, Queen's University, Belfast, who will also be a panel convener; Stephen Bann, professor of communication and image studies, University of Kent, Canterbury; Margaret Brazier, director of legal studies, University of Manchester (panel convener); Matthew Evans, chairman, Faber & Faber Ltd; John Feather, dean of the school of library and information studies, Loughborough University (panel convener); Christopher Frayling, rector of the Royal College of Art; Diana Knight, professor of French, University of Nottingham; Janet Landsdale, professor of performing arts, University of Surrey (panel convener); Shula Marks, professor of history, School of African and Oriental Studies (panel convener); Keith Robbins, vice-chancellor, University of Wales, Lampeter; Duncan Robinson, director, Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge; Elaine Thomas, director of the school of cultural studies, Sheffield Hallam University (panel convener); Alistair Whittle, professor of history and archaeology, University of Wales, Cardiff (panel convener); Michael Worton, professor of French, University College, London and chairman of the Council of University Deans of Arts and Humanities (panel convener).
Other panel conveners are: Wendy Davies, professor of history, University College, London; Nicolas Garnham, professor of communications, design and media, University of Westminister; David Holdcroft, professorial research fellow in philosophy, University of Leeds; Nicola Lefanu, professor of music, University of York; Nigel Llewellyn, senior lecturer in history of art, University of Sussex; Melveena McKendrick, lecturer in Spanish, Girton College, Cambridge; Kate McLuskie, professor of English, University of Southampton; John Richardson, professor of classics, University of Edinburgh.
AHRB feature, page 4