Queen’s Birthday Honours 2018: knighthood for Les Ebdon

Les Ebdon, England’s former director of fair access to higher education, has been knighted in the 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

The former vice-chancellor of the University of Bedfordshire, who led the Office for Fair Access from 2012 until earlier this year, was among more than 100 eminent academics and higher education professionals on the list.

Chris Husbands, vice-chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University and the chair of the teaching excellence framework, was also knighted.

Mary Beard, professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge, has been appointed a dame, as has Angela McLean, professor of mathematical biology at the University of Oxford.

Two serving sector leaders were appointed CBE – Julia Buckingham, vice-chancellor of Brunel University London, and Stuart Reid, principal of the Royal Veterinary College – alongside Chris Brink, former vice-chancellor of Newcastle University. John Last, vice-chancellor, Norwich University of the Arts, was appointed OBE.

There were MBEs for Anne-Marie Canning, director of social mobility and student success at King’s College London, and Ruth Caleb, chair of the Mental Wellbeing in Higher Education Working Group.

Meanwhile, Paul Wallace, head gardener at Queen’s University Belfast, was awarded the British Empire Medal.

Queen’s Birthday Honours 2018

Among those appointed Companion of Honour:

• Richard Henderson, molecular biologist and biophysicist, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, for services to electron microscopy of biological molecules

Among those given knighthoods:

• Steven Cowley, president, Corpus Christi, Oxford, for services to science and the development of nuclear fusion
• Christopher Dobson, professor of chemical and structural biology and master, St John’s, Cambridge, for services to science and higher education
• Les Ebdon, former director of fair access to higher education, for services to higher education and social mobility
• Christopher Ham, former chief executive, The Kings Fund, for services to health policy and management
• James Hough, associate director, Institute for Gravitational Research, University of Glasgow, for services to the detection of gravitational waves
• Chris Husbands, vice-chancellor, Sheffield Hallam University, for services to higher education
• Paul Preston, professor of contemporary Spanish studies, London School of Economics, for services to UK and Spain relations
• Simon Schama, historian and broadcaster, for services to history

Among those appointed Knight Commander:

• Ralph Waller, former principal, Harris Manchester College, Oxford, and pro vice-chancellor, University of Oxford, for services to education

Among those appointed dames:

• Mary Beard, professor of Classics, University of Cambridge, for services to the study of classical civilisation
• Jane Dacre, president, the Royal College of Physicians, for services to medicine and medical education
• Susan Hill, chief scientific officer, NHS England, for services to the 100,000 Genome Project and to NHS genomic medicine
• Angela McLean, professor of mathematical biology, University of Oxford, for services to mathematical biology and scientific advice for government

Among those appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath:

• John Loughhead, chief scientific adviser, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for services to research and development in the energy sector

Among those appointed CBE:

• Bashir Al-Hashimi, professor of computer engineering, University of Southampton, for services to computer engineering and industry
• Jaswinder Bamrah, consultant psychiatrist, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Trust and honorary reader, University of Manchester, for services to mental health, diversity and the NHS
• Caroline Brazier, chief librarian, British Library, for services to librarianship and higher education
• Chris Brink, former vice-chancellor, Newcastle University, for services to higher education
• Julia Buckingham, vice-chancellor and president, Brunel University London, for services to biology and education
• Rosemary Davis, professor emeritus, UCL Institute of Education, for services to education
• Alison Elliot, lately associate director, Centre for Theology and Public Issues, University of Edinburgh, for public service
• Hilary Emery, honorary Norham fellow, University of Oxford, and lately chief executive, National Children’s Bureau, for services to children and young people
• Alun Evans, chief executive and secretary, the British Academy, for services to scholarship
• George Griffin, emeritus professor of infectious diseases and medicine, St George’s, University of London, for services to public health and health research
• Sarah Harper, director, Oxford Institute of Population Ageing, University of Oxford, for services to science of demography
• Jonathan Haskel, professor of economics, Imperial College London, for services to economics
• Nichola Hayton, lecturer, Heidelberg University and president, German-British Society Heidelberg, for services to UK-Germany relations
• Ann Heathwaite, professor of land and water science, Lancaster University, for services to scientific research and scientific advice to government
• Carole Hillenbrand, emeritus professor of Islamic history, University of Edinburgh, and professor, University of St Andrews, for services to the understanding of Islamic history
• Matthew Hotopf, vice-dean of research, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, for services to psychiatric research
• Billie Hunter, professor of midwifery, Cardiff University, for services to midwifery and midwifery education in the UK and Europe
• Graham Hutchings, Regius professor of chemistry, Cardiff University, and director, Cardiff Catalysis Institute, for services to chemistry and innovation
• Jane Langdale, professorial research fellow, department of plant sciences, Queen’s College, Oxford, for services to plant science
• Paul Little, professor of primary care, University of Southampton, for services to general practice research
• Bob Moon, emeritus professor, Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies, The Open University, for services to education in developing countries
• James Murdoch, professor of public law, University of Glasgow, for services to education and human rights
• Ethel Quayle, reader in clinical psychology, COPINE research project, University of Edinburgh, for services to the online welfare of children and young people
• Stuart Reid, principal, Royal Veterinary College, for services to the veterinary profession and higher education
• Robert Steele, senior research professor in prevention, early detection and treatment of colorectal cancer, University of Dundee, for services to public health
• Jennifer Temkin, professor of law, City, University of London, for services to criminal justice
• Katherine Willis, director of science, Royal Botanic Garden, Kew, and professor of biodiversity, University of Oxford, for services to biodiversity and conservation

Among those appointed OBE:

• David Alexander, director, Space Institute, Rice University, for services to UK/US links in the space industry and higher education
• Julian Bion, professor of intensive care medicine, University of Birmingham, for services to intensive care medicine
• Denise Bower, professor of engineering project management, University of Leeds, for services to the engineering and construction industries
• Robert Craik, provost emeritus, Heriot-Watt University Malaysia, for services to higher education
• Alison Davenport, professor in corrosion science, University of Birmingham, for services to electrochemistry and corrosion science
• Sian Ellard, consultant clinical scientist, Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust and professor of genomic medicine, University of Exeter, for services to patient care
• Pamela Enderby, emeritus professor of community rehabilitation, University of Sheffield, for services to speech and language therapy
• Peter Giblin, emeritus professor of mathematics, University of Liverpool, for services to mathematics
• Kenneth Grattan, George Daniels professor of scientific instrumentation and dean of the graduate school, City University of London, for services to science
• Deborah Greaves, head of the School of Engineering, University of Plymouth, for services to marine renewable energy, equalities and higher education
• Phillip John, senior dean, Heriot-Watt University and executive chair, Scholar Forum, for services to education in Scotland
• David Jones, dean of faculty trainees, National Institute for Health Research, and professor of liver immunology, Newcastle University, for services to liver disease and training
• Anne-Maree Keenan, assistant director, NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, for services to podiatry
• Robert Klaber, consultant in general paediatrics, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, for services to paediatric care
• John Last, vice-chancellor, Norwich University of the Arts, for services to higher education
• James Law, professor of speech and language science, Newcastle University, for services to speech and language therapy
• Foo Liew, Gardiner professor of immunology, University of Glasgow, for services to science and medicine, particularly in Scotland and Hong Kong
• Laura Serrant, professor of nursing, Sheffield Hallam University, for services to health policy
• Tong Sun, professor of sensor engineering, City, University of London, for services to engineering
• Carol Tannahill, director, Glasgow Centre for Population Health and chief social policy adviser, Scottish government, for services to public health
• Samantha Twistleton, director, Sheffield Institute of Education, Sheffield Hallam University, for services to higher education
• Laurence Williams, lately chair, Committee on Radioactive Waste Management, for services to nuclear safety and radioactive waste management
• Charles Wolfe, professor of public health, King’s College London, for services to stroke and public health medicine

Among those appointed MBE:

• Ruth Caleb, chair, Mental Wellbeing in Higher Education Working Group and lately head of counselling, Brunel University London, for services to higher education
• Anne-Marie Canning, director of social mobility and student success, King’s College London, for services to higher education
• Andy Chadwick, individual merit research scientist, British Geological Survey, for services to the science of carbon capture and sequestration
• Chris Collier, former head of strategic partnerships, National Centre for Atmospheric Science, for services to atmospheric science
• Simon Edwards, senior lecturer in youth studies, University of Portsmouth, for services to youth work and the education of young people
• Vincent Gaffney, professor of landscape archaeology, University of Bradford, for services to scientific research
• Haley Gomez, head of outreach and engagement, School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University, for services to astrophysics, astronomy and outreach activities
• Tracey Grant, senior warden, University of Warwick, for services to higher education
• Jonathan Greenwood, director of commercial services, University of York, for services to higher education
• Veronica Jobbins, head of learning and participation (dance), Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, for services to young people
• Sally Kendall, professor of community nursing and public health, University of Kent, for services to nursing and research
• Helen Laverty, professional lead for learning disability nursing, University of Nottingham, for services to nursing especially people and families with learning disabilities
• Melinda Mills, Nuffield professor of sociology, University of Oxford, for services to the social sciences
• Mahesh Seewoodhary, senior lecturer in adult nursing, University of West London, for services to ophthalmology nurse training and sickle cell awareness
• Opinderjit Takhar, director, Centre for Sikh and Punjabi Studies, University of Wolverhampton, for services to higher education and the community in Wolverhampton

Among those appointed Medallist of the Order of the British Empire:

• Tricia Lock, senior clerical officer, School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics, Queen’s University Belfast, for services to the community in Northern Ireland.
• Paul Wallace, head gardener, Queen’s University Belfast, for services to higher education and to the community in Belfast.

chris.havergal@timeshighereducation.com