Honorary Degrees to be awarded this week

Leading figures from the worlds of science, academia, literature, law and broadcasting will be awarded honorary degrees by the University of St Andrews this week (19-22 June).

Famous names including the “father of modern linguistics” Noam Chomsky, Irish poet Paul Muldoon, science broadcaster Simon Singh, Man Booker Prize winner AS Byatt and Scottish writer AL Kennedy will be honoured by the University during its summer graduations.

Eight ceremonies over four days will see twelve distinguished individuals honoured.

They also include Paul and Catherine Buttenweiser University Professor (Harvard University) Stanley Hoffmann, Professor in Computational Sciences (ETH Zurich and Università della Svizzera Italiana) Michele Parrinello, environmental scientist Mr Jesse Ausubel, Professor of English (Princeton University) Elaine Showalter, Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa Edwin Cameron, Honorary Professor of Solid State Chemistry (Cambridge) Professor Sir John Meurig Thomas and Dame Marjorie Scardino, the Chief Executive of Pearson.

The full timetable of ceremonies is as follows:

This year the University will also celebrate the ongoing 600th anniversary celebrations with a host of special events open to the public. They are:

• Brian Bannatyne-Scott, fundraising concert – 18 June, St Salvator’s Chapel, 6 pm. Tickets: £15 Standard, £10 Concessions, £5 students of the University and persons aged 0-17.
• Professor Noam Chomsky, 600th Anniversary Lecture: ‘The Great Charter: Its fate, our fate’ – Tuesday 19 June, Buchanan Lecture Theatre, 5.30 pm, free entry.
• Jesse Ausubel 600th Anniversary Lecture: ‘Every Fish in the Sea: Findings of the First Census of Marine Life’ – Wednesday 20 June, Buchanan Lecture Theatre, 5.30 pm, free entry.
• Chapel Choir Concert – Thursday 21 June, St Salvator’s Chapel, 5.30 pm, free entry.
• 600th Anniversary Chapel Service – St Salvator’s Chapel, 11 am, free entry.

ENDS

Note to Editors

Embargoed laureation and graduation addresses from each ceremony are available from the Press Office. Contacts below.

If you would like to attend any of the ceremonies, please contact the Press Office in advance.

Note to Picture Editors

Photocalls will be held immediately after each ceremony in St Salvator’s Quadrangle, North Street, St Andrews. Ceremonies last approximately 1.5 hours.

Issued by the Press Office, University of St Andrews
Contact Gayle Cook, Senior Communications Manager on 01334 467227 / 462529, mobile 07900 050 103, or email [email protected]
Ref: (Grad photo calls 180612)
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