Members of the King’s College London community were recently recognised by The Queen in her 2020 Birthday Honours. The list, postponed from its customary publication in June, was delayed to recognise efforts relating to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Professor Ed Byrne, Professor Anne Marie Rafferty, Felicia Kwaku, Professor Tim Spector, and Dr James Rubin were among this year’s recipients.
The President and Principal of King’s College London, Professor Ed Byrne was awarded the title of Knight Bachelor for his contributions to Higher Education. Professor Byrne has an esteemed background in neuroscience and research. The notes published by the Cabinet Office detail his many achievements, including how he “is dramatically improving the student learning experience” and “placing London as a world leader in advanced neuroscience research”.
Professor of Nursing Policy, Anne Marie Rafferty CBE, was awarded the title Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of her acclaimed career in Nursing. The sitting Deputy Director of the NIHR Health & Social Care Workforce Research Unit, Professor Rafferty is also the current President of the Royal College of Nursing. The Cabinet Office details the way she, as its former Dean, “consolidated [the Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery] as not only the oldest but one of the leading schools of nursing worldwide.â€
Felicia Kwaku was awarded the title Officer of the Order of the British Empire for her services to Nursing. The current Associate Director of Nursing at the King’s College NHS Foundation Trust, her career in Nursing spans over two decades. She is particularly recognised for her efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic, during which she supported and held webinars for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic nurses working in the NHS.
For his contributions towards Public Health and the Covid-19 response, Professor of Genetic Epidemiology, Tim Spector was awarded the title of Officer of the Order of the British Empire. Professor Spector leads research for the COVID Symptom Study app, which classified six variants of Covid-19 in June. The app is developed by health science company ZOE and serves as a source of information for over four million users, regarding the spread of the pandemic.
Dr James Rubin was awarded the title Officer of the Order of the British Empire to recognise his services to Public Health and the Covid-19 response. Dr Rubin is the Assistant Director of NIHR Health and Protection Research Unit (HPRU) for Emergency Preparedness and Response, the partnership formed between King’s College London, Public Health England and the University of East Anglia. The research conducted by the HPRU is used to respond towards and reduce the harms caused by emergencies.
In recognition of his services in the British Army and towards the Covid-19 response, Lieutenant Colonel Simon Horne of the Royal Army Medical Corps was awarded the title Officer of the Order of the British Empire. He is a doctoral student at the Comprehensive Cancer Centre, as well as a member of King’s College London’s Defence Healthcare Engagement with Conflict & Health Research Group.
Congratulations to King’s College London’s newly appointed members of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire and the Knights Bachelor. The full 2020 Birthday Honours list can be found here.
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