Five King’s College London (KCL) professors – current and emeritus – have been awarded OBEs, CBEs or MBEs in this year’s series of new year honours.
Professors Ann McNeil (services to tobacco addiction), Paul Mizen (economic research and public policy), Jennifer Rubin (science and research), Kei Cho (science and health) and Emeritus Professor Tara Renton (dentistry) were all named in this year’s round of honours.
In addition, honorary reader Lorenzo Garagnani was awarded an MBE and visiting professor Sir Christopher Vajda KC was knighted.
The honours system recognises individuals for achievements in public life or for sustained service to the UK.
The Gongs
Professor of Tobacco Addiction Anne McNeil was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to Research into Addiction and Mental Health.
One of the most highly-cited academics in her field, Professor McNeil has been involved in research into the prevention of tobacco addiction, as well as the reduction of smoking-related inequalities. She has worked at King’s for over a decade.
Professor Paul Mizen, who doubles as a Professor of Economics and the College’s Vice Dean (Research) has been made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his research into economics and public policy.
His work focuses mainly on the use of economic statistics in informing economic and public policy, and in this capacity he has advised multiple central banks and institutions, as well as HM Treasury and 10 Downing Street.
Chair of the Advisory Board of the School for Government at King’s, Professor Jennifer Rubin, received a CBE for services to science and research. Until this December she served the Home Office as both its Director General of Science, Technology, Analysis and Research, as well as its Chief Scientific Adviser, having joined in 2021.
Professor Rubin said she is “deeply honoured to receive this recognition. My heartfelt thanks go to the exceptional colleagues whom I have worked with throughout my career – at King’s, RAND, ESRC, the Home Office, and across government.”
Professor Kei Cho, who teaches neuroscience, has been awarded an MBE for services to UK/South Korea relations in the areas of science and health. His research centres on synapses – the junctions between nerve cells across which nerve impulses are transmitted.
In particular, he focuses on natural synapse weakening (whereby these junctions between neurones in the brain are degraded) and ways in which to curtail it. The degradation of synapses is a key focus for studies into the possible causes of neurodegenerative diseases, like dementia.
Emeritus Professor Tara Renton completed her PhD at King’s in 2003 and has remained at King’s since then, specialising in oral surgery. Leading a orofacial pain (pain in the mouth and jaws) clinic for 20 years, she was also Head of Oral Surgery at King’s from 2006 until last year. In this capacity she was a member of an advised many professional bodies across the nation; she has now been made an OBE.
Further Recognition for KCL’s Academic Community
Lorenzo Garagnani is a consultant orthopaedic hand and wrist surgeon at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, as well as an honorary reader in the Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine.
He is responsible for the rotation of King’s medical students in orthopaedics and hand surgery and has been responsible for many key changes in how NHS trusts deal with orthopaedic outpatients, after surgery. He has received an MBE for services to medicine.
The now ‘Sir’ Christopher Vadja KC, a former judge of the European Court of Justice and Visiting Professor of Law, has been knighted for services to international law. A member of the advisory board of the Centre of European Law at the Dickson Poon School of Law, he has appeared in some 100 cases.
Across other London universities, at least six professors were named in the honours list at UCL, two at Imperial College London, one at LSE and one at Royal Holloway, University of London.
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