New Year’s Honours for Imperial College staff and alumni

Imperial staff and alumni have been recognised in the Queen's New Year Honours

Thursday 7 January 2011
by Simon Watts

Staff from Imperial College London, both past and present, have been recognised in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours for 2011.

Linda Jones

Linda Jones, Faculty Projects Manager (Natural Sciences) and Operations Manager (Department of Physics), has been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to Science. Speaking about the moment she received the news of her MBE in November, Linda said:

“I arrived home one evening to find an envelope with ‘On Her Majesty’s Service’ written in bold letters. Instantly thinking ‘Inland Revenue’ I put it to one side eventually opening it at the weekend. After getting over the initial shock and excitement on reading the contents I then had the problem of keeping quiet for seven weeks! Nevertheless, I had to tell my children – my son living in New York wasn’t a problem and my daughter – living a couple of miles away and a bit closer to home – kept the secret for all of ten minutes. I offer my sincere thanks to those who initiated and supported my nomination, and I am absolutely truly delighted to add this award to my Associateship of Imperial College. These are very exciting times, as I will also become a grandmother next month.”

Linda Jones receiving her Associateship from colleague Professor Sir Peter Knight.

With more than 40 years’ service to the College, Linda joined Imperial in 1968 working in the Department of Physics as a Junior Clerk supporting the undergraduate teaching office. Today, her work involves providing staff and students with administrative support. “Although it might sound boring, it definitely isn’t!” Linda says. “Meeting with people daily and coping with (sometimes) convoluted processes is a happy challenge. It is a privilege and a joy to work at Imperial.”

Lindsay Green

Lindsay Green has been awarded an MBE for services to Science. He is the Administrative Director at the Medical Research Council’s Clinical Sciences Centre, which is part of the Faculty of Medicine. Commenting on the honour, Lindsay said: “I am not sure I deserve it above many other people. I got the letter in mid November, I recall after a visit to the dentist! It was hard to keep it quiet and the only people I told in advance were my wife (who was delighted, although her immediate reaction was to burst into tears) and my mum.”

Lindsay Green, Administrative Director at the Clinical Sciences Centre.

Lindsay has been at the CSC as Administrative Director since 1999: “ I am lucky enough to have done a number of jobs working for the MRC but this current job is both the most interesting and the most challenging: no two days are ever the same. Embedding the CSC within Imperial’s Faculty of Medicine was pioneering when the CSC was originally established and it means I have a lot of interactions at many levels with colleagues in Imperial. I have very much enjoyed this aspect of my job, not least because, while there have been legitimate differences of view from time to time, I have always found within Imperial a willingness to engage constructively to find solutions which work in the best interests of both organisations.”

David Gentry

David Gentry, the former Safety Manager in the Faculty of Natural Sciences was also recognised with an MBE for services to Science. David left the College recently after more than 40 years’ employment, having first joined in 1966 as an electronics apprentice, before becoming a research technician, and then moving into health and safety work.

Several Imperial Alumni were also recognised with Honours:

Knighthoods

• Sir Ron Kerr, St Mary’s School for Medicine, for services to Healthcare

OBE

• Victor Leverett, BSc Physics 1966, for services to the Defence Industry
• Andrew Goldberg, St Mary’s 1994, for services to Medicine

CBE

• Professor Hugh Godfray, PHd Biology 1982, for services to Science
• Peter Head, Arup, BSc Civil Engineering 1969, for services to Civil Engineering and to the environment
• Professor Stephen Holgate, Medicine 1971, for services to Clinical Science
• Jenny Body, Aeronautics 1975, for services to the Aerospace Industry and to Engineering

MBE

• Dr Elizabeth Hall, St Mary’s 1961, for services to Healthcare and to the community in Colchester, Essex.
• David Mitchell-Baker, Engineering 1959, for services to the community in Mid-Surrey.
• Ms Dorothy Fairburn, Wye Natural Sciences 1973, for services to Rural Affairs in the Yorkshire and Humber Region.
• Dr Derek M.G. Murphy, Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School 1955, for services to people with Multiple Sclerosis.