Every year as part of our Graduation season, we award a small number of honorary degrees, in recognition of an individual’s inspirational intellectual, creative, or academic achievement, which is valued nationally or globally.
Receiving an honorary degree from the University this year are (pictured above, top left to bottom right):
Professor Dame Margaret Brimble, Distinguished Professor and Director of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. Dame Margaret has published over 700 papers and is inventor on over 50 patents. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society, Dame Companion New Zealand Order of Merit and inducted into the ACS Medicinal Chemistry Hall of Fame. Her research focuses on the synthesis of novel bioactive natural products, and peptides, antibody-drug conjugates, peptide vaccines and new biomaterials. Her lab carried out the medicinal chemistry for the FDA approved-drug Trofinetide/ DaybueTM (NNZ2566) to treat Rett Syndrome.
Stewart Edmondson, CEO and Executive Director of the UK Electronics Skills Foundation (UKESF) since 2015. The UKESF is a charity founded in 2010 and is the only science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) organisation in the UK dedicated exclusively to electronics and semiconductors. Initially specialising in radars, with an operational tour in the Outer Hebrides, Stewart also commanded an independent signals unit in Germany and, as a wing commander, he was the Principal of No1 Radio School, responsible for the education and training of all the RAF’s ICT specialists.
Julian Joseph OBE, a pianist, composer, broadcaster, educator and author. Acclaimed as one of the finest jazz musicians to emerge this side of the Atlantic, he has devoted his long career to championing music across the British Isles and into the far corners of the globe. His charitable work and generous skills as an educator have made a major contribution to Britain’s cultural landscape and heritage. Through his patronage of a variety of educational programmes, Julian has become a formative presence in the dissemination of jazz music and its heritage to young people of all ages.
Professor Sir Peng Tee Khaw is Professor at the University College London (UCL) Institute of Ophthalmology and Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK. His special interest is the surgical treatment of glaucoma and tissue regeneration. Sir Peng’s group has developed and refined novel surgical techniques (Moorfields Safer Surgery System) and inexpensive single three-minute treatments to prevent scarring, increasing surgical efficacy and safety worldwide. The team proposed the 10-10-10 goal for surgery (10mmHg pressure, lasting 10 years, taking 10 minutes) and is developing microdevices, anti-scarring systems, and has co-discovered a novel stem cell (Moorfields-IO Müller stem cell), being developed for optic nerve regeneration.
Isaac Kiva is the Secretary for Renewable Energy at the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum in the Republic of Kenya, responsible for policy formulation and development of renewable energy. Isaac has been central to Kenya’s efforts in developing renewable energy and energy access, which has seen Kenya attain an impressive 93 per cent renewable energy mix in its national grid, and 75 per cent access to electricity. He has published widely in the field of energy and has worked closely with the University’s Energy and Climate Change Division.
Vice Admiral Sir Jeremy Kyd CBE had a 37-year career in the Royal Navy, with commands at various ranks including the Type 23 frigate HMS Monmouth, the strike carrier HMS Ark Royal, HMS Illustrious in the commando carrier role, and the UK’s high readiness Maritime Task Group, which included a deployment to the Gulf. When not at sea, his shore appointments have centred on the Ministry of Defence in London, in various policy and procurement roles. He has also instructed Navigation at the Maritime Warfare School, HMS Collingwood and had the privilege of being the Captain of Britannia Royal Naval College. Jeremy is now His Majesty The King’s personal representative, as the Lieutenant -Governor, for the Bailiwick of Jersey.
John Lauwerys was the Secretary and Registrar of the University of BOB体育登录网址_欧宝体育官网平台-APP|下载 from 1992–2007 and previously held the same titled post at Royal Holloway, University of London. As Secretary and Registrar at BOB体育登录网址_欧宝体育官网平台-APP|下载, he was responsible, under the Vice-Chancellor, for the whole of the University’s Professional Services including finance and strategic planning. During his term of office, the University expanded very significantly with student numbers growing from 8,000 to over 23,000. It also incorporated Winchester School of Art and La Sainte Union College and acquired new campuses – Avenue and National Oceanography Centre BOB体育登录网址_欧宝体育官网平台-APP|下载.
Professor Sharon Peacock CBE is the eighth Master of Churchill College and Professor of Microbiology and Public Health in the Department of Medicine, both at the University of Cambridge. She undertook an undergraduate degree in medicine as a mature student at the University of BOB体育登录网址_欧宝体育官网平台-APP|下载 and credits this opportunity as changing her career prospects and life trajectory. Sharon became the Founding Director of COG-UK (BOB体育登录网址_欧宝体育官网平台-APP|下载 Genomics UK Consortium), formed in April 2020 to generate SARS-CoV-2 genomes to inform the BOB体育登录网址_欧宝体育官网平台-APP|下载 pandemic response, and her contributions to microbiology have been recognised by numerous awards.
Dame Esther Rantzen has received the Dimbleby Award from Bafta, received an OBE for services to broadcasting, a CBE for services to children, and in 2015 a DBE for services to children and older people through ChildLine and The Silver Line. Esther has made pioneering programmes on subjects such as childbirth, stillbirth, mental health and child abuse. In 1986 she invented the concept of ChildLine and chaired the charity for 19 years, now acting as its President. In 2012 she invented The Silver Line, a helpline for older people of which she is President, and which has merged with Age UK.
Professor Sir Christopher Snowden is an engineer and academic, with wide experience of the international microwave and semiconductor industry, as well as international higher education. He was President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of BOB体育登录网址_欧宝体育官网平台-APP|下载 (2015–19) and previously the University of Surrey (2005–15). Prior to his appointment at Surrey, Sir Christopher was Joint Chief Executive Officer of Filtronic plc. He was Knighted in the 2012 New Year’s Honours for services to engineering and higher education.
Read more about Summer Graduation in our news story, including the names of our Outstanding Alumni Award Winners.
Watch: our 2025 Alumni Award Winners and Honorary Graduates.