• Honorary Awards 2008
• Honorary Awards 2006

Jo Brand
Neil Lewis
Professor Peter Elwood
Mike Young
Ken Follett
Mike Clark
Huw Edwards
Karl Jenkins

Jo Brand

Award: Honorary Doctorate

Jo Brand has had a diverse career having worked as a staff nurse and psychiatric nurse, prior to embarking upon a career as a comedian and successful writer. Jo brand has drawn upon her experiences as a nurse and incorporated her black humored approach into her routine. This has also enabled and increased awareness of the work undertaken in fields such as mental health nursing. Jo has used her experiences of working with individuals with conditions such as Alzheimer’s to promote awareness and also raise funds to support the work of the Alzheimer’s Society. She has also supported work in the areas of domestic violence and bullying.

• Qualifications
  • BSc Hons Brunel University
• Honors/Awards
  • Honorary Doctor of Social Sciences
• Current Posts Roles
  • Comedian, presenter, author
• Previous Posts/Roles
  • Mental Health Nurse

Neil Lewis

Award: Honorary Doctorate

Neil Lewis was a combined Sciences Graduate of the Polytechnic of Wales in 1980 in the fields of Chemical and Life Sciences. Following graduation Neil undertook a PhD in the field of Spectroscopy.

He commenced a Post-Doctoral appointment at the National Institute for Health (NIH), near Washington DC in 1984 and was subsequently appointed to a series of tenured posts culminating in that of Senior Biophysical Researcher in 1998. At NIH he developed exciting novel methods for imaging components of biological and pharmaceutical materials of medical and industrial importance.

He resigned his permanent US Government post in 1999 to become founder and president of Spectral Dimensions Inc which was later bought out by Malvern Instruments in 2006. Neil has lectured and published widely receiving an award for outstanding spectroscopic research in industry and he has been the author and co-author of some 61 publications and a further 6 US. Patents.

• Qualifications
  • BSc Hons 2(i)
  • PhD
  • CChem
  • MRSC

Degrees awarded by CNAA in 1980 and 1984

• Honors/Awards From USA Organisations
  • 1992 Society of Applied Spectroscopy MEGGERS AWARD
  • 1994 Society of Applied Spectroscopy MEGGERS AWARD
  • 1994 Microbeam Analysis Society HEINRICH AWARD
  • 1997 Washington Academy of Sciences (For outstanding contribution to the physical sciences)
  • 2004 Coblentz Society, WILLIAMS-WRIGHT AWARD (For significant contributions to the field whilst working in industry)
• Current Posts/Roles
  • Vice President Business and Product Development,

Analytical Imaging systems,
Malvern Instruments Inc

• Previous Posts/Roles
• At Spectral Dimensions, inc
  • 1999-2006 Founding President and Chief Technical Officer
• At National Institutes of Health
  • 1998-99 Senior Biophysical Researcher
  • 1996-98 Research Chemist
  • 1990-96 Visiting Scientist
  • 1986-90 Postdoctoral Visiting Associate
  • 1984-86 Postdoctoral Visiting Fellow
• At Polytechnic of Wales
  • 1981-84 SERC CASE Studentship with BP Chemicals Ltd as collaborating partner.

Professor Peter Elwood

Award: Honorary Doctorate

Professor Peter Elwood has published widely in his field as an epidemiologist and has conducted valuable research into trials of low-dose asprin in the reduction of deaths from heart attacks. In 1974 his team was the first of its kind and stimulated a world wide interest in the prevention of vascular disease by the drug.

Peter has published over 300 journals in referreed journals, the main areas of work are as follows:

1. Diet, lifestyle, biochemical and haematological factors in heart disease. Stroke and cognitive decline.
2. Platelets, asprin and cardiovascular disease.
3. The clinical evaluation of iron deficiency anaemia
4. Nutritional and other determinants of child growth
5. Blood lead and environmental lead
6. Chest disease and byssinosis in flax and in cotton workers.

• Qualifications
  • DSc, MD, FRCP, FFPHM, DUniv
• Honors/Awards
  • Honorary Professor: University of Wales College of Medicine
  • Visiting Professor, University of Bristol, Dept of Social Medicine
  • Visiting Professor, University of Ulster, Dept of Biomedical Sciences
• Current Posts Roles
  • As above
• Previous Posts/Roles
  • Director, MRC Epidemiology Unit, Cardiff, 1974 – 1995
  • Member MRC Epidemiology Unit, Cardiff, 1963 – 1994 (with Archie Cochrane)
  • Lecturer in Dept of Social Medicine, Queen’s University Belfast, 1959-1963
  • General Practitioner in Northern Ireland, 1957-1959
  • House Jobs, Liverpool Hospitals 1954 – 1957

Mike Young

Award: Chancellor’s Medal

Mike Young created the award winning character Super Ted in 1978. It became so popular around the world that Mike and his Wife, Liz set up a production company, Siriol animation which produces books, merchandise and the successful animated series on the Super Ted character. Disney eventually bought the rights to SuperTed and the family moved to Los Angeles where they set up a new company, Mile Young productions in partnership with William Schultz. The company has created and produced several children’s series including 5 that are currently hits on American TV.

The company has a 16,000 square foot state of the art study employing over 70 animation professionals. It is one of the largest independant animation studios in the world with annual revenues exceeding $23 million. The company has also launched a distribution company distributing its broadcasts around the world from its base in South Wales.

The company regularly receives nominations for awards for its productions and has won at least 7 daytime Emmy Awards for animation, sound editing, production design, colour design, a BAFTA Award for best international Children’s Program, a humanities award and a British Academy Award.

Ken Follett

Award: Honorary Doctorate

Ken Follett was born in Cardiff in June 1949 in Cardiff. He was educated at state schools and graduated from University College, London with an honours degree in philosophy. He was made a fellow of the College in 1995.

He became a reporter, first with his home-town newspaper the South Wales echo and later with the London Evening News. Whilst working for the London Evening news Ken wrote his first novel. Ken went on to work for a small London Publishing House eventually becoming Deputy Managing Director. He continued to write novels and around 90 million copies of his books have been sold worldwide to date.

He was Chair of the National Year of Reading 1998-99, a British Government initiative to raise literacy levels. He is president of the Dyslexia Institute, chair of the advisory committee of Reading Is Fundermental (RIF) UK, a council member of the National Literacy Trust, a member of the Welsh Academy, a board director of the National Academy of Writing, and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He is active in numerous Stevenage charities and is Chair of Governors of Roebuck Primary School.

Mike Clark

Award: Chancellor’s Medal

Mike Clarke has given 30 years service to the communities in South East Wales in a variety of capacities both professional and voluntary. He has served his professional life within the Careers Profession at the highest levels. He became Principal Careers Officer and head of South Glamorgan Careers Service in 1974 and managed the service for the next 21 years through a time of huge transition and change in the world of work and careers.

He was elected as President of the Institute of Career Guidance (ICG) in 1994 and served in total a three year term as junior vice president, vice president and president. His outstanding work in the careers field has always centered around issues of equality of opportunity for disadvantaged sectors of the population. He was the long serving chair of the ICG Equal Opportunities and work with young offenders Task Group (1993-2002) and was one of the driving forces behind the ICG’s fight for an entitlement to guidance and training for young offenders and clients on probation. Mike was heavily involved in the ICG’s collaborative, co-operative relationship with NARCO (National Association for the Care and Rehabilitation of Offenders) and he helped organise and chaired the first ever national conference on 'Guidance work with young offenders and those at risk’ in November 1994. His commitment to the careers profession has continued throughout his life and into his retirement and he is still an active ICG member and currently holds the post of elected Regional ICG Representative for Wales His professionalism and service to the careers field was recognised by the ICG with the award of fellowship in 2000.

Mike has been involved with the Wallich Clifford Charity for the homeless based in Cardiff and covering South Wales for the past 20 years. He is a trustee of the charity and has served as the unpaid chairman of the board of directors for many years helping at the organisational and strategic level.

• Qualifications
  • MSc Careers Guidance and Counseling University of Glamorgan 2001
  • BA Philosophy – Aberystwyth 1963
  • Dip. YESTB
• Honors/Awards
  • Fellow and pas President – Institute of Career Guidance
  • Wales Regional Representative and Member of Council, ICG
  • Fellow, Royal Society of Arts
• Current Posts Roles
  • Assessor- Careers Wales – Careers Wales Quality Award in Career Education and Guidance
  • Lecture (part time) – Education and Careers Field – University of Glamorgan
• Previous Posts/Roles
  • Principal Careers Officer, Career Paths (Cardiff and Vale)ltd 1995 – 1996
  • Principal Careers Officer, South Glamorgan Careers Service 1974 – 1995
  • Principal Careers Officer, City of Cardiff Careers Service 1971 – 1974

Huw Edwards

Award: Chancellor’s Medal

Since January 2003 Huw Edwards has been known to millions of viewers as presenter of the BBC’s Ten O’Clock news. Prior to this, from May 1999 he presented the BBC’s Six O’Clock News.

Formally chief political Correspondent for BBC News 24, Huw spent 12 years reporting politics at Westminster, he combined this with presenting a range of programmes on classical music on BBC Two, Radio 3, Radio 4 and S4C. More recently he has presented The Story of Wales, Songs of Praise and hosted coverage of the Queens Golden Jubilee Service and St Paul’s Cathedral.

Huw has presented a wide range of BBC programmes, including Newsnight, Panorama and Breakfast News. He has co-hosted two General Election results programmes on Radio 4 and was one of the lead presenters for the BBC’s Millennium coverage.

Huw joined the BBC in 1984 as a news trainee. In 1985 he joined the television newsroom at BBC Wales, and in 1986 became BBC Wales’ Parliamentary Correspondent. He was appointed TV News Political Correspondent in 1988, and went on to cover the downfall of Margret Thatcher in 1990. He anchored the Radio 4 Election Night coverage in 1992 with Brian Redhead, and with James Naughtie in 1997. He started presenting the One O’Clock News, the Six O’Clock News and BBC Breakfast News in 1994, and anchored the One O’Clock news innovative coverage of the 1997 Election.

Born in 1961, Huw was raised in Llangennech, near Llanelli and attended Llanelli Boys Grammer School. He graduated with a first class hounours degree in French form the University of Wales, Cardiff.

Karl Jenkins

Award: Chancellor’s Medal

Karl Jenkins was born in the small coastal village of Penclawedd on the Gower Peninsula near Swansea. His father, a school teacher was also an organist and choirmaster of the local Tabernacle Chapel and it was he who began teaching his son the piano when Karl was 6 years old. During these formative years, apart from being introduced to the classical world via recordings and the occasional concert, he was also, as part of chapel life, exposed to the unique sound of Welsh hymn singing, echo’s of which are to be heard in future compositions.

Karl Jenkins is probably best known for his Adiemus project. The first three albums – Songs of Sanctuary, Canta Mundi and Dances of Time have found enormous success worldwide, achieving silver, gold and Platinum awards.