News

Professor's OBE in Queen's birthday honours list

(19 June 2006)

The founding academic director of Durham University’s medicine programme, Professor John Hamilton, is among the new holders of the OBE announced in the 2006 Birthday Honours List.

Prof Hamilton, who retired last year, receives the award for services to medical education. He came from Australia to help establish the course in which medical students spend their first two years at the University’s Queen’s Campus at Stockton, before going on to Newcastle University to complete their degrees. Others with Durham University links who figure in the List include: Writer and broadcaster Denise Robertson, an Honorary Fellow of St Mary’s College, is awarded an MBE. An OBE goes to Susan Underwood, chief executive of the North East Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, who served as a member of Durham University’s governing Council for six years to 2005. Durham Geography graduate David Sproxton, and Peter Lord, his co-founder of Aardman Animations, creator of Wallace and Gromit, the Creature Comforts series and other TV and cinema productions, both receive a CBE. Dr Brian Crosby, a graduate of St John’s College, has been given an MBE for services to Durham Cathedral – as a teacher at the Chorister School (the Prime Minister is among his former pupils), honorary treasurer of the Friends of the Cathedral, a steward and in a range of roles over nearly half a century.