Newcastle University

As joyful families celebrated congregation in the sunshine, outstanding achievements by people in their field were recognised with honorary degrees.

Earlier this month Professor Dorothy Bishop was awarded a Doctorate of Science not only for her significant research achievements, but also for her efforts to address the gender imbalance in the senior levels of the scientific hierarchy, and her online 'blog' which focuses on the representation of science by the media. In addition to these activities Dorothy has also begun writing crime novels in her spare time! 

Professor Bishop is professor of developmental neuropsychology at Oxford University, though she spent four years of her career at Newcastle as an MRC Senior Research Fellow. Her research focuses on children who have difficulty learning to talk - termed 'specific language impairment' - despite normal development in other areas.

The Citation for the degree of Doctor of Civil Law awarded to Professor Dame Sally Davies recalls her involvement with the anti-apartheid movement and the early indications of the frequency with which she would be quoted in the media. Her success is credited to her exceptional hard work, a resolute commitment to the public sector, and the ability to learn rapidly "on the job".

Throughout her career Professor Davies has been committed to the personal development of others, extending from her own research team to national training and development programmes nurtured through the NIHR, and to being a tireless advocate for women in science and medicine. 

An honorary Doctorate of Civil Law was awarded to Professor Martha Nussbaum in recognition of her distinguished contribution to the study of constitutional law and philosophy. Currently the Erst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago, Professor Nussbaum's work on capabilities has often focused on the unequal freedoms and opportunities of women, and she has developed a distinctive type of feminism, drawing inspiration from the liberal tradition, but emphasizing that liberalism, at its best, entails radical rethinking of gender relations and relations within the family.

Also honoured was Sir Mark Walport (pictured) with a Doctorate of Civil Law for his efforts to encourage more medical doctors to pursue a career in academic research, culminating in the 'Walport Report' published in 2005. Sir Mark himself trained as a medical doctor and had a prolific research career studying the immunology and genetics of rheumatoid diseases before taking on a more strategic role in the Wellcome Trust. He was appointed Director of that organisation from 2003 - 2013 and is now the Chief Scientific adviser to the UK government.

Many University Institutes have received support from the Wellcome Trust, including the Institute of Neuroscience's current extension and its 4 year PhD programme which supports students from the physical sciences, mathematics, engineering and computing to bring their expertise to the Neuroscience arena.    

Our final honorary graduate in July 2013 is Professor Keith Wrightson, arguably the world's leading early modern British historian, specialising in social, economic and cultural history.  He was educated in Newcastle upon Tyne as a boy and has a great affection for the city. He holds a Visiting Professorship at this University among others.

During his career, Professor Wrightson has transformed the study of early modern social and economic history with major publictions that are compulsory reading for any student of the subject. His love of jazz is also well-documented and it is perhaps through this medium that he has become attuned to the nuances and sensibilities of our early modern ancestors - a quality which he has sought to pass on to his students.