Open-access advocate leads honours list

Timothy Gowers, Royal Society research professor in the department of pure mathematics and mathematical statistics at the University of Cambridge, is knighted for services to maths.

Professor Gowers is well known for his public stance on refusing to submit articles to journals published by Elsevier – helping to inspire a boycott by thousands of academics worldwide over the publisher’s perceived opposition to open access.

Also among those knighted are Richard J. Evans, Regius professor of history at Cambridge and president of Wolfson College; Robert Lechler, vice-principal for health at King’s College London; and Jim McDonald, principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Strathclyde.

Another to be knighted is Michael Sterling, former chair of the Russell Group and a previous vice-chancellor of the University of Birmingham. He is currently chairman of the Science and Technology Facilities Council.

Julia King, vice-chancellor of Aston University, is made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to higher education and technology.

In 2010, she served on the panel of Lord Browne’s Independent Review of Higher Education Funding and Student Finance, which paved the way for the government to raise tuition fees.

She said it was “a great privilege” to be honoured, “not just for me personally but also for Aston, and for the recognition it bestows on things I am passionate about: engineering, technology and higher education”.

Tina Lavender, professor of midwifery at the University of Manchester’s School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, is also made a DBE for services to midwifery.

Among those to be given CBEs are:

- Lorna Casselton, emeritus professor of fungal genetics at the University of Oxford, for services to fungal genetics and to international science;

- Jonathan Ellis, Clerk Maxwell professor of theoretical physics at King’s College London and scientist at Cern, for services to science and technology;

- Christopher Gaskell, principal of the Royal Agricultural College, for services to veterinary medicine and agriculture;

- Monica Grady, professor of planetary and space science at The Open University, for services to space science;

- Ian Hargreaves, professor of digital economy at Cardiff University, for services to the creative economy and higher education;

- Mary Jacobus, professor of English and former director, Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Cambridge, for services to literary scholarship;

- Irene Leigh, former vice-principal for research and head of the College of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, University of Dundee, for services to medicine;

- Kathleen McCourt, dean, School of Health, Community and Education Studies, Northumbria University, for services to nursing;

- David Newbery, emeritus professor of applied economics, University of Cambridge, for services to economics;

- Harriet Ward, research professor and director, Centre for Child and Family Research, Loughborough University, for services to children and families;

- Paul Wellings, former vice-chancellor of Lancaster University and former chair of the 1994 Group, for services to higher education;

- Julie Williams, professor of psychological medicine at Cardiff University, for services to Alzheimer’s disease research;

- Alison Wolf, Sir Roy Griffiths professor of public sector management at King’s College London, for services to education.

Among those given OBEs are:

- Gillian Ball, finance director at the University of Birmingham, for services to higher education;

- Deborah Cohen, senior medical research fellow at Cardiff University, for services to occupational health;

- Conor Duggan, emeritus professor of forensic mental health, University of Nottingham, for services to mental health;

- Keith Hamill, pro-chancellor and former president of council, University of Nottingham, for services to business and higher education;

- Ashraf Jawaid, deputy vice-chancellor (external relations), University of Bedfordshire, for services to higher education;

- Gordon Murray, former chairman of management (entrepreneurship), University of Exeter Business School, for services to business;

- Judith Newman, professor of American studies, University of Nottingham, for services to scholarship;

- Alison Phipps, professor of languages and intercultural studies, University of Glasgow, for services to education and intercultural and inter-religious relations;

- Peter Sharp, professor of medical physics, University of Aberdeen, for services to healthcare science;

- Bhaskar Sengupta, reader in civil engineering at Queen’s University Belfast, for services to higher education and international environmental research;

- Peter Taylor-Gooby, professor of social policy, University of Kent, for services to social science;

- Jeffrey Weeks, research professor, London South Bank University, for services to social science.

Among those given MBEs are:

- Nigel Allison, distinguished professor of image engineering, University of Lincoln, for services to engineering;

- Ann Buchanan, professor of social work, University of Oxford, for services to social science;

- Gillian Hinson, head of the academic affairs unit, Institute of Education, for services to higher education and teacher education;

- John Hollingworth, exhibitions manager, School of Oriental and African Studies, for services to higher education and culture;

- Gunther Kress, professor of semiotics and education, Institute of Education, for services to scholarship.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com