THE UNIVERSITY of York has announced it will award eight honorary doctorates at the University’s graduation ceremonies on 24th and 25th January.
Sigrid Rausing, Rae McGrath, Koji Omi, Philip Moore, Claire Tomalin, Dr Richard Barber, Professor Sir Christopher Llewellyn Smith and Alice Maynard will receive the awards.
Rausing is the founder and chair of the Sigrid Rausing Trust, a foundation that supports human rights globally. The trust has given away over £208.3 million to causes around the world since 1995. Rausing studied at the University of York from 1983-1986.
A leading member of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, McGrath gave the acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 when the organisation won the award. He convinced Princess Diana to support the campaign in 1997 and has worked in conflict zones around the world to aid the cause. He is now an Associate in the Post War Reconstruction & Development Unit at York.
Omi is a long-serving Japanese politician and campaigner. Omi is considered a pioneer in science and technology in his home country. He is credited with helping make Japan a science and technology-orientated nation. Omi now runs the Science and Technology in Society forum that aims to build a global network among scientists, policy makers and business people.
Moore is a composer and organist that retired from his position as Organist and Master of the Music at York Minster in 2008. He has previously held positions at Eton College and Canterbury Cathedral, composing pieces for organ, choirs and the orchestra.
Claiming her ninth honorary doctorate, Tomallin has an astonishing literary CV. She has researched and written the biographies of Samuel Pepys, Thomas Hardy, Jane Austen and Mary Wollstonecraft, winning the Whitbread prize twice.
Dr Barber is a medieval historian and an Honorary Visiting Professor at York, having previously won awards for his work on literature and history. He is also a specialist in the legend of King Arthur.
Sir Smith is the former Director General of the CERN project in Geneva, having enjoyed a glittering physics career. Knighted in 2001, Sir Christopher Llewellyn Smith has recently focused on the development of the United Kingdom’s fusion programme.
Maynard is a campaigner and businesswoman, holding the position of Chair at Scope and managing director of Future Inclusion Ltd. She has spent a career fighting for disabled civil rights in an array of roles. Maynard has a BA in Language from York.
The ceremonies will be held on 24th and 25th January.