Honorary Fellows 2013
Dr Scilla Dyke MBE
For outstanding contribution to dance and community engagement in the creative and cultural industries
Since completing her undergraduate studies at LJMU’s IM Marsh Campus in the 1970s, Dr Dyke has forged an outstanding career in dance. An independent dance artist and practitioner, she has worked with organisations such as Dance UK, The Foundation for Community Dance, The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education and Arts Council England. She has campaigned internationally on dancers’ health and well-being and has participated in government research groups.
One of the UK’s first Dance Artists in Residence (Animateur), she is Founder Director of DanceEast. Awarded an MBE for Services to Dance, she is also an Honorary Life Member of the Foundation for Community Dance and a Fellow of the Royal Society. She is currently a Senior Lecturer in Professional Studies at the Royal Academy of Dance, advising students in 79 countries and focusing on leadership of career development transition and management.
Read the oration for Dr Scilla Dyke.
Dr David Flavell
In recognition of outstanding contribution to cancer research
Dr David Flavell is an acclaimed research scientist specialising in the development of antibody-based treatments for leukaemia and lymphoma and co-founder of the children’s leukaemia research charity, Leukaemia Busters. Born in Southport, he was educated at Christ the King School and studied Applied Biology at Liverpool Polytechnic before completing his PhD at the University of Sheffield in 1978. His career in cancer research spans more than 35 years.
During this time he has made significant research contributions, most notably in the development of antibody-based drugs known as immunotoxins, which are designed to attack tumour cells and ignore healthy cells. As Scientifi Director of Leukaemia Busters, Dr Flavell continues to collaborate with scientists internationally to devise improved treatments for patients with forms of leukaemia and lymphoma that are currently incurable.
Read the oration for Dr David Flavell.
Shelagh Fogarty
In recognition of outstanding contribution to journalism
Shelagh is a radio and television presenter and journalist. Born in Liverpool, she has worked across the BBC and has won multiple Sony Radio Awards. She has also been praised for making politics and hard-hitting news stories accessible to a mass audience.
Her career highlights include the American presidential elections, covering the devastation of the Boxing Day tsunami from Thailand, the live service marking the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough Tragedy, Paralympic coverage during the 2012 Games and the recent papal appointment.
Read the oration for Shelagh Fogarty.
The Hon Mr Justice Globe
In recognition of outstanding contribution to the legal profession
Appointed to the High Court in 2011, Sir Henry is Presiding Judge of the North Eastern Circuit. For eight years he was Recorder of Liverpool, the highest legal role in Merseyside. Born in Liverpool, he was educated at Liverpool College and Birmingham University. He spent 30 years as a junior barrister and Queens Counsel in the city and was joint head of chambers from 2000 until his appointment in 2003.
As Recorder of Liverpool he worked with Merseyside’s chief crown prosecutor to devise an early guilty plea scheme, subsequently adopted nationally, which has dramatically reduced waiting times, paperwork and costs while also bringing quicker justice for victims. In addition, he was the first Judicial Studies Board course director for judicial seminars in relation to trying cases of murder, manslaughter and serious fraud. He was knighted in 2011.
Read the oration for The Hon Mr Justice Globe.
Lord Michael Heseltine
In recognition of outstanding contribution to the regeneration of Liverpool
Lord Heseltine is a former Deputy Prime Minister and founder of the Haymarket publishing group. He has played an important role in the regeneration of Liverpool over the past three decades and was largely responsible for bringing about the transformation of the Albert Dock and the International Garden Festival.
At his LJMU Roscoe Lecture in 2008, Lord Heseltine provided insights on the political decisions behind Liverpool’s regeneration, calling the city a “national model of urban renaissance”. He was made a Freeman of Liverpool in 2012.
Read the oration for Lord Heseltine.
The Rt Revd James Jones
For services to the people of Liverpool
James Jones served as the Bishop of Liverpool from 1998 to 2013 and was heavily involved in the regeneration of the city. He is a passionate advocate for effective community engagement in urban regeneration and environmental change and has helped show how churches and faith communities play a vital role in the renewal of civic life.
Working in partnership with other faiths he set up Faiths4Change, engaging local people in the transformation of their local environment. He also chaired DEFRA’s Independent Panel on Forestry and is most recently known for his work on the Hillsborough Independent Panel. The Panel’s Report led to the Attorney General ordering new inquests for the 96 victims of the Hillsborough tragedy, currently in progress, and new investigations by the IPCC and DPP. He is also a member of the House of Lords and a writer and broadcaster.
Read the oration for The Rt Revd James Jones.
Professor Francisco Sánchez Martínez
For outstanding contribution in the field of astrophysics
Professor Sánchez is the Founder and Director of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) and Spain’s leading and most senior astronomer, with an impressive career in astronomy and astrophysics spanning 50 years. His work on the Canary Islands observatories ‘Observatorio del Teide’ and ‘Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos’ (ORM) led to them becoming Spain’s most important source of astronomical research and development.
He spearheaded the development of the world’s largest optical infrared telescope, ‘Gran Telescopio Canarias’ (GTC), at the ORM on the island of La Palma. Since its inception, Professor Sánchez has been a great supporter of LJMU’s Liverpool Telescope, also located on La Palma, and has maintained a close working relationship with the University’s acclaimed Astrophysics Research Institute.
Her Honour Elizabeth Steel
For services to the legal profession and higher education in Liverpool
Judge Steel was appointed the first female President of the Liverpool Law Society in 1989 and a Circuit Judge in 1991, the same year she became Deputy Lieutenant of Merseyside. She was Chair of the Hillsborough Solicitors Group from 1989 to 1991 and has wide-ranging local and national interests relating to race relations, health, the arts and broadcasting.
She first joined the Board of Governors at LJMU in 2001, becoming Deputy Chairman in 2007. She retired from the Board in 2012.
Read the oration for Her Honour Elizabeth Steel.
Sir Malcolm Thornton
Ambassador Fellowship in recognition of outstanding governance of LJMU
A former Mersey Pilot, Sir Malcolm’s political career began in 1965, when he was elected to Wallasey County Borough Council. In 1973 he was elected to Wirral Metropolitan Council, where he served as Leader between 1974 and 1977. In 1979 he was elected Conservative MP for Liverpool Garston (1979- 1983) and then for Crosby (1983-1997). During his parliamentary career his work focused on education, the environment and industry. He chaired the House of Commons Select Committee for Education between 1988 and 1997.
He joined LJMU’s Board of Governors in 2001 and became Chairman and Pro-Chancellor in 2007, a position he held until 2013. During his tenure as Chairman he helped oversee a £160 million campus investment programme, the effective financial management of the University and LJMU’s ground-breaking World of Work employability programme.
Read the oration for Sir Malcolm Thornton.
