Honorary Graduands - Summer 2004
The Irish Premier, a New York State Supreme Court Judge, and a leading Scottish actor are among those to be honoured by the University of Aberdeen at its Summer Graduation Ceremonies. In all, the University will award honorary doctorates to 11 leading figures in the arts, science, medicine, government, politics and industry in this year's graduation ceremonies at Marischal College over the period Monday July 5 - Friday July 9, 2004.
Recipients will include:
Monday 5th July at 3.00pm
Robert W Black, Auditor General for Scotland (Degree of LLD): Banff-born Robert William Black has had a lifelong career as a public servant at local and national levels. A former Chief Executive of Stirling District Council and of Tayside Regional Council, he was appointed Controller of Audit with the Accounts Commission in 1995. He subsequently became Auditor General for Scotland with responsibility for the auditing of the Scottish Parliament and Executive's expenditure.
Monday 5th July at 6.30pm
Honorable A Gail Prudenti , Justice of the New York State Supreme Court (Degree of LLD): Judge Gail Prudenti, a law graduate of the University of Aberdeen, was elected to the Supreme Court of New York in 2001, and was subsequently appointed to its Appellate Division. A long-term Administrative Judge of Suffolk County Courts (New York State), she has a reputation as a smart, charismatic leader who has proved to be an excellent manager.
Tuesday 6th July at 11.00am
Iain Glen, Actor (Degree of LLD): Charismatic Scottish actor Iain Glen, a former student of the University, has received critical acclaim for his work in the theatre, cinema, and television. Shakespeare apart, his stage career has included Davide Hare's "The Blue Room", in which his co-star was Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman. Film roles have been varied from "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead" (1990) and "Gorillas in the Mist" (1988) to the populist "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" in 2001. Most recently seen as the romantic lead in "Glasgow Kiss", his television work is typically characterised with gritty realism.
Tuesday 6th July at 3.00pm
Margaret Smith, Former Lord Provost of the City of Aberdeen (Degree of LLD): Margaret Smith was Lord Provost of Aberdeen from 1999 until 2003 and had previously been Leader of the administration of Aberdeen City Council. The Leicestershire-born former teacher became a Labour councillor in 1988. A dedicated champion of her adopted city she was known for her particular interest in community development, especially of young people.
Tuesday 6th July at 6.30pm
Sir Mark Moody-Stuart, Chairman of Anglo American plc: Sir Mark Moody-Stuart, a geologist by discipline, is a leading Captain of the UK energy industry. Currently Chairman of global mining and natural resources company Anglo American plc, he was, until 2001, Chairman of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of companies. He is also a Governor of Nuffield Hospitals and a Vice President of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. He was co-Chair of the G8 Task Force on Renewable Energy in 2000 and 2001.
Wednesday 7th July at 11.00am
Malcolm Brinded, Chief Executive Officer, Gas & Power, Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies (Degree of LLD): Malcolm Brinded joined Shell Internationale Petroleum Maatschappij on graduating from Cambridge in 1974,. In 1998 he became Managing Director of Shell UK Exploration and Production in Aberdeen and in 1999 he also became the Shell UK Country Chairman. In 2001 he was appointed Director Planning, Environment and External Affairs with Shell International Ltd. in London, whilst continuing UK Country Chairman. In 2002 Mr Brinded was appointed to the Presidium of the Board of Directors of Shell Petroleum NV and became a Group Managing Director of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies. In 2003 the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies appointed Malcolm Brinded Chief Executive Officer of the Gas and Power.
Wednesday 7th July at 3.00pm
Alistair S F Mair MBE, Chancellor's Assessor, University of Aberdeen (Degree of LLD): University Court member Alistair Stirling Fraser Mair has served as Chancellor's Assessor and is a former Chairman of Caithness Glass. Educated at Robert Gordon's College and the University of Aberdeen, he held a commission in the RAF and subsequently worked with Rolls Royce prior to joining Caithness Glass. In 1971 he was appointed Managing Director of Caithness Glass, becoming Chairman in 1991. Mr Mair has been a Non-Executive director of Grampian Television and been a governor of Morrison's academy in Crieff, and Commissioner of the Queen Victoria School in Dunblane. He was Chairman of CBI Scotland from 1989 to 1991, a member CBI council - and was Deputy President, British Glass Manufacturers Confederation.
Thursday 8th July at 11.00am
Professor William S Stevely, Principal & Vice Chancellor, The Robert Gordon University (Degree of LLD): Professor Stevely has been Principal and Vice Chancellor of The Robert Gordon University since 1997. He was educated at Glasgow University and lectured there in biochemistry for 20 years before joining Paisley University in 1988 as Professor and Head of the Biology Department. He was subsequently appointed Vice-Principal in 1992. He has been a member of the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council, (1992 - 1997), and was also appointed Chairman of the Universities & Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) Board in 2001.
Thursday 8th July at 3.00pm
Professor J M T Thompson FRS, Director of the Centre for Nonlinear Dynamics, University College London (Degree of DSc): Professor Michael Thompson is Founder and Director of Centre for Nonlinear Dynamics at University College London (UCL). His book on Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos played a fundamental role in stimulating the application of nonlinear dynamics throughout engineering. Nonlinear dynamics is one of the most exciting and fastest growing branches of the mathematical sciences. It is increasingly impacting on a variety of subjects ranging from the study of weather behaviour, through the investigation of electrical and mechanical oscillations in engineering systems, to the analysis of biological and economic phenomena - firing the public's imagination under the popular name of "chaos".
Friday 9th July at 11.00am
Bertie Ahern, Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland (Degree of LLD): Bertie Ahern negotiated and signed the Good Friday Agreement in April 1998 - an historic settlement between all the great traditions on the island of Ireland - and he has worked tirelessly to secure its full implementation. Mr Ahern entered the Dáil Éireann in the Fianna Fáil landslide victory of 1977. He held various opposition front bench appointments in the mid-1980s before entering cabinet as Minister for Labour on the return of Fianna Fáil to government in 1987. A member of Dublin City Council from 1979-1991, he was elected Lord Mayor in 1986. He was promoted Minister for Finance under Albert Reynolds in November 1991 and succeeded Mr Reynolds as leader of Fianna Fáil in 1994. Mr Ahern became Taoiseach in 1997.
Friday 9th July at 3.00pm
Professor Sir George Radda CBE FRS, Former Chief Executive of the Medical Research Council (Degree of DSc): Sir George Radda is Emeritus Professor of Molecular Cardiology at the University Laboratory of Physiology Cardiac Science Centre, University of Oxford. Previously he was Chief Executive of the Medical Research Council (MRC) from 1996 until his retirement in September 2003. Sir George was Head of the Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, from 1991 to 1996. In 2001 he became the first Chairman of the newly formed National Cancer Research Institute.