Birthday Honours for alumni

Nine Imperial College alumni and staff were recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours 2008

Publically demonstrating an individual’s merit, service or bravery, Her Majesty The Queen bestows honours on deserving and high-achieving people from every section of the community. In the 2008 Birthday Honours list, nine Imperial College alumni and staff were recognised for their achievements.

Dr Paul Leinster (Chemistry 1974, PhD 1977), acting Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, who has amassed over 30 years of experience working in the health and safety environment field, received a CBE for public and voluntary service,

The honour of Knight Bachelor was bestowed upon Professor Sir Andrew McMichael (St Mary’s Hospital Medical School 1968), Professor of Molecular Medicine and Director, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine at the University of Oxford, for services to medical science.

Also honoured were Dr Michael Marks (St Mary’s Hospital Medical School 1969) who received an MBE for voluntary service to healthcare in the third world, Dr Gordon Masterton (MSc Civil Engineering 1982), Vice-President of the Environment Business Centre, who received an OBE for services to civil engineering in Scotland, and John Metcalfe (DIC Biology 1956) who received an MBE for voluntary service to Dorchester Abbey in Oxfordshire.

The late Professor Dennis Anderson (Mechanical Engineering 1960), also Emeritus Professor of Energy and Environmental Studies in the Centre for Environmental Policy (CEP) at Imperial College, was honoured with an OBE following his death in April this year. In his distinguished career he worked to identify and address the challenges of energy, environment and human development.

In addition, key three figures from the Faculties of Medicine and Natural Sciences were recognised in the 2008 Queen’s Birthday Honours:

Professor Sir Anthony Newman Taylor, who was knighted for public service, has been Head of the National Heart and Lung Institute at the College since April 2006.

Professor Sir Christopher Edwards was knighted in recognition of his services to higher education, medical science, and regeneration in the North East of England. Sir Christopher was the first Head of Imperial College School of Medicine, a position he held from 1995 to 2001. Made a Fellow of Imperial College in 2003, Sir Christopher is also affiliated to Imperial as a Senior Research Investigator in the Division of Medicine. Sir Christopher is currently the Chairman of Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust, one of Imperial's partner NHS Trusts.

Professor Paul Matthews, Chair in Clinical Neuroscience, was awarded an 'honorary' OBE, an honour which is granted to people from other countries who have made a significant contribution to relations between the United Kingdom and their own country. Professor Matthews is an expert in using magnetic resonance imaging to understand the way the brain functions. He is Head of the GlaxoSmithKline Clinical Imaging Centre, a unique venture undertaken by GSK, Imperial College London and the Medical Research Council, based on Imperial's Hammersmith campus.