World-renowned physics theorist Stephen Hawking was among guests for the Honorary awards given out at East London’s Queen Mary University—including one to his own daughter.
Novelist and science journalist Catherine ‘Lucy’ Hawking was made Honorary Graduate with a Doctor of Sciences degree.
She wrote her first novel with her famous dad in 2007 in the successful ‘George’ series, George’s Secret Key to the Universe, translated into 38 languages in 43 countries.
Lucy tours the world giving talks on science for younger audiences and has worked with Queen Mary’s Centre for Public Engagement on projects like the Science Stories book by pupils of Tower Hamlets schools and the ‘Mission X Train Like an Astronaut’.
BBC science reporter Maggie Philbin from Tomorrow’s World was made Honorary Fellow at the awards. She has recently worked on BBC1’s Bang Goes The Theory and has headed its ‘Digital Switchover’ project.
Maggie was on Old Street Tech City’s 2013 Insider List of 100 People making ‘digital London’ tick and was later asked by Ed Miliband to report on digital skills to help all political parties form their policies for last May’s General Election.
Assan Ali and Mohammed Islam were made Honorary Fellows for their work on the Mile End project, now in its 20th year, specialising in grassroots youth engagement through film and media. They have worked with the university on the ‘Cutting East’ youth film festival and been involved in the student union’s community sports programme as well as teaching on a business management course.
Gerry Reilly was awarded a Doctor of Sciences honorary degree for his role formalising a partnership between Queen Mary’s and global IT giant IBM.
Honorary fellowships were also given to GP Sir Sam Everington who runs St Andrew’s health centre in Bromley-by-Bow and chairs Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group, Sir John Chisolm who chairs Genomics England based at Queen Mary’s Charterhouse Square campus and Prof Dame Sally Davies who helped create Genomics England which focuses on research of rare diseases.
An Honorary Graduate was also awarded to Prof Joanne Tompkins of Queensland University.
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