Glittering prizes

Mo Mowlam, secretary of state for Northern Ireland, is to receive an honorary degree of letters from Coventry University.

Baroness Chalker, former minister for overseas development, has been awarded an honorary doctorate of laws from the University of East London. This month, the university also honoured: Sir Idris Pearce, deputy chairman English Partnerships (LLD); Stuart Hall, sociologist, broadcaster and Open University professor (DArts); Rachel Whiteread, Turner prize-winning sculptor whose father was head of the university's school of art and design (DArts); Michael Oliver, chairman of the trustees of the new Docklands museum (LLD); Sir Crispin Tickell, environmental campaigner and former warden of Green College, Oxford (DSc); Basil Bernstein, educational sociologist born in Cable Street (DLitt); Lord Cocks, former chief whip and vice-chairman of the BBC board of governors (LLD); Richard Wyatt, former deputy chairman of London Docklands Development Corporation (DBA); Arthur Moreton, founder of Docklands Business Club (hon fellow); Anne Conoley, opera singer and former UEL lecturer (MMus); Richard Hoggart, former warden of Goldsmiths College (DEd); Bernard Corry, professor of economics at Queen Mary and Westfield (DSc (Econ)).

Richard Townsend, who starts a research appointment at University College, London next month, is to receive the Royal Astronomical Society prize for an outstanding doctoral thesis for his study of stellar vibrations.