The award-winning actor Samuel West, a prominent spokesperson for the arts and a champion of their importance in education, is among 16 distinguished individuals to be elected to the fellowship or honorary fellowship of King’s College London this year.

Samuel West received his honorary fellowship of King’s on 23 July at the Barbican Centre, London, at one of King’s 12 graduation ceremonies this month.

More than 4,200 King’s graduates have attended the university’s ceremonies, held at Southwark Cathedral on 5 July and 6 July, and at the Barbican Centre on 23 July, 24 July, 25 July, 26 July and 27 July. Graduates were presented to Lord Geidt, Chairman of the College Council, and other members of the College Council, and to the President & Principal of King’s, Professor Edward Byrne AC, and to King’s Provosts and Vice-Presidents.

The fellowship of King’s dates back to 1847 and marks contributions by exceptional individuals to King’s and/or to wider society. The fellowship is awarded to current or former staff or students or members of King’s Council, in recognition of their exceptional achievement and/or service to King’s. The honorary fellowship is awarded to individuals from outside King’s in recognition of their contribution to wider society. 

The following 11 people have been awarded a Fellowship of King’s College London (FKC):

Dame Geraldine Andrews, the Hon Mrs Justice Andrews, is the first woman graduate of King’s to be appointed a High Court Judge. She has been an active supporter of King’s law students for many years, and was a founding governor of the King’s College London Bar Society.

Professor Roderick Beaton is a pre-eminent scholar of modern Greek history, culture and literature, and Director of the Centre for Hellenic Studies, who has held the Koraes Chair of Modern Greek & Byzantine History, Language & Literature at King’s with great distinction for 30 years.

Professor Dinesh Bhugra CBE is one of the best-known psychiatrists in the world and has raised the profile of psychiatry and psychiatrists across medicine both nationally and internationally. He is Emeritus Professor of Mental Health & Cultural Diversity at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s.

Professor Prokar Dasgupta is Professor of Robotic Surgery & Urological Innovation at the MRC Centre for Transplantation at King’s and the Urology Centre at Guy’s Hospital. He is the UK’s leading pioneer of modern robotic urological surgery, recognised internationally for the Guy’s robotic cystoprostatectomy technique for bladder cancer.

The Reverend Tim Ditchfield has made a very great contribution to the life of King’s since the mid 1990s, working at the forefront of the expansion of the Chaplaincy to provide pastoral resources and welcoming spaces to all members of the university, irrespective of belief or background.

Professor Paul Ellis has been an outstanding member of the King’s College London and King’s Health Partners community. As Professor of Cancer Medicine at King’s and Consultant Medical Oncologist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, he has led the field of research into novel therapies in breast cancer management.

Matt Ferguson has worked with academics and colleagues tirelessly over the past decade to raise more money for King’s than almost any other individual fundraiser in the UK. His work is widely regarded as distinguishing King’s as a centre of excellence in big gift philanthropy.

The Very Reverend Canon Professor Martyn Percy is the 45th Dean of Christ Church, Oxford. A theologian and a sociologist, he completed his doctorate at King’s in 1993 and has been a Visiting Professor of Theological Education here since 2004.

Professor Ajay Shah is the James Black Professor of Medicine and BHF Professor of Cardiology at King’s and is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading cardiovascular scientists and research leaders.

Professor Chris Shaw is Professor of Neurology & Neurogenetics, and Head of the Department of Basic & Clinical Neuroscience at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience of King’s, and Director of the Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute.

Professor Dame Til Wykes DBE is Professor of Clinical Psychology & Rehabilitation and Vice-Dean for Psychology & Systems Sciences at the King’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience. She is a practising clinical psychologist and an international leader in understanding and advancing the rehabilitation and recovery of people with severe mental illness.

The following five people have been awarded an Honorary Fellowship of King’s College London (HFKC): 

Professor Carl M Bender is a world-renowned mathematical physicist, and holds the Wilfred R and Ann Lee Konneker Distinguished Professorship of Physics at Washington University in St Louis, Missouri. He has had a close association with the Theoretical Particle Physics & Cosmology Group and the Photonic & Nanotechnology Group of the Department of Physics at King’s over a number of years.

Yvonne Coghill CBE is Director of Workforce Race Equality Standard Implementation for NHS England. She has made a lasting impact in the acute, mental health and primary care sectors, and in service delivery and improvement; organisational change, and leadership development.

Councillor Jacqui Dyer MBE is a London Borough of Lambeth Councillor. Her advocacy for mental health and the concerns of the local Black and Minority Ethnic community reflect key aspects of King’s Strategic Vision 2029 and King’s Health Partners agenda, and make her an ideal ambassador for King’s.

Hussain Manawer is a powerful campaigner for mental health, a poet whose work reaches world presidents, princesses, professors and prisoners. He uses his gifts and his own experience of mental illness to disseminate mental health education and combat stigma.

Samuel West is a multi-award winning actor, acknowledged as one of the foremost talents of his generation. He is also a published writer and has directed both opera and theatre. He is a prominent spokesperson for the arts, championing their importance in education.

 

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