A doctor who has been at the forefront of developing world-class treatment for injured military servicemen and women is among those receiving honorary degrees from the University of Birmingham this week.
A doctor who has been at the forefront of developing world-class treatment for injured military servicemen and women is among those receiving honorary degrees from the University of Birmingham this week.
Professor Sir Keith Porter, Clinical Service Lead for Trauma Services at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, is one of five honorary graduands and more than 3,200 students who will collect their degrees at a series of 14 ceremonies being held between December 11th and 14th at the University’s iconic Great Hall.
The honorary graduands are:
Professor Sir Keith Porter – Doctor of Medicine
Professor Keith Porter is Clinical Service Lead for Trauma Services at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, one of the leading trauma centres in the UK. He qualified from St Thomas’ Hospital in London in 1974 before being jointly appointed at Birmingham Accident Hospital and Selly Oak Hospital in April 1986. He was awarded a professorship by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, the University of Birmingham and the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine in 2005.
He remains the UK’s only Professor of Clinical Traumatology and has been at the forefront of developing world-class treatment for injured military servicemen and women over the past 10 years. He is chair of the annual International Trauma Conference and was knighted in the 2010 New Year’s Honours List for services to the Armed Forces.
Professor Sir Julian Le Grand – Doctor of the University
Julian Le Grand is Professor at the LSE’s Marshall Institute for Philanthropy and Social Entrepreneurship. He has published over twenty books and more than one hundred articles and book chapters on economics, philosophy and public policy. He has acted as an advisor to several government departments and international agencies, including a secondment from 2003 to 2005 to No 10 Downing St as a Senior Policy Adviser to the Prime Minister.
He was awarded a knighthood in the 2015 New Year's Honour's list for services to social sciences and public service.
Ms Caragh Merrick – Doctor of the University
Caragh Merrick is Treasurer and Member of Council of the University of Birmingham. She was an audit partner in PricewaterhouseCoopers from 1990 to 2002, during which time she also fulfilled a number of practice leadership roles including senior audit partner for the Midlands region and member of the UK audit board.
On retiring from PwC, she worked with Chairmen and Chief Executives, principally in the public sector, to develop effective corporate governance. Caragh is an experienced non-executive director and her current board roles include Treasurer of the Royal College of Art and Trustee and Finance Committee Chairman at UCAS.
Professor Sir Michael Owen – Doctor of Medicine
Mike Owen is a graduate of the University of Birmingham. He is Director of the Medical Research Council’s Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, and Head of the Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences in Cardiff University. He has researched the genetics and genomics of a variety of psychiatric disorders and has made notable contributions to the study of schizophrenia and Alzheimer disease. He worked as a consultant psychiatrist until 2016.
Professor Shahbaz Khan – Doctor of Science
Professor Khan is currently Director of UNESCO Regional Science Bureau for Asia and the Pacific and UNESCO Representative for Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste. Since graduating from the University of Birmingham, he has made outstanding achievements in the areas of water and environmental management in Australia and the United Nations including CSIRO Medal for Research Achievement 2007 and Great Wall Friendship Award 2017. He is currently Honorary Professor at several universities.
For more information please contact Emma McKinney, Communications Manager (Health Sciences), University of Birmingham, tel: +44 (0) 121 414 6681, or contact the press office out of hours on +44 (0) 7789 921 165.
