The former Federal Chancellor of Germany, Dr Angela Merkel, has been nominated for a Doctorate in Law, in recognition of her leadership and contribution to international relations. The first woman to hold the Chancellorship of a reunited Germany, Dr Merkel is renowned for her influence both in shaping European institutions and promoting unity and co-operation.
Also nominated to be a Doctor of Law is the lawyer and judge, Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill. Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales, and the first woman to be Head of the Judiciary and President of the Courts in England and Wales, Sue Carr is an alumna and Honorary Fellow of Trinity College and also the Visitor of Darwin College.
The barrister, academic and writer, Professor Philippe Sands, is also proposed for a Doctorate in Law. He has extensive experience in international, environmental, criminal and maritime law as an advocate in the International Courts. An alumnus of Corpus Christi College and former Fellow of St Catharine’s College and Visiting Fellow at Jesus College, he is Professor of Law and Director of the Centre on International Courts and Tribunals at University College London.
A clinical medic and molecular biologist, Professor Yuk-ming Dennis Lo, has been nominated for a Doctorate in Medical Science. An alumnus and Honorary Fellow of Emmanuel College, Professor Lo is currently Vice-Chancellor and President of The Chinese University of Hong Kong. His research is widely recognised for its contributions to the development of non-invasive prenatal testing.
Dr Fabiola Gianotti, uniquely distinguished by two full terms as Director-General of CERN, has been proposed for a Doctorate in Science. Praised for her vision and rigour in the field of particle physics, Dr Gianotti is also known for her inspiring leadership of the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider during the 2012 landmark discovery of the Higgs boson.
Nominated for a Doctorate in Letters, Sir Richard Eyre, is a former Artistic Director of the National Theatre. An alumnus and Honorary Fellow of Peterhouse Sir Richard has won a host of awards in both Britain and the United States for directing critically acclaimed plays, films, opera and television.
The artist, Dame Rachel Whiteread, was the first woman to win the Turner Prize in 1993. Proposed for a Doctorate in Letters, her thought provoking and highly praised work exploring such concepts as negative space and the imprint of daily life on objects has led to major public works, such as a resin-cast for the empty plinth in London’s Trafalgar Square and the Holocaust Memorial in Vienna. Dame Rachel is an Honorary Fellow of Magdalene College.
The composer and conductor, Sir George Benjamin, is nominated for a Doctorate in Music. An alumnus and Honorary Fellow of King’s College and Henry Purcell Professor of Composition at King’s College London, he has won numerous awards and is a celebrated figure in the world of contemporary music having had his compositions performed by orchestras worldwide.
Following the nominations by the University Council and after final approval by the Regent House (the University's governing body) all eight individuals will be admitted to their degrees at a special Congregation on Wednesday, 24 June. The University’s Chancellor, Lord Smith of Finsbury, will preside at a ceremony attended by staff, students and alumni, as well as specially invited guests.
Eight distinguished individuals have been nominated for honorary degrees at the University of Cambridge. This year’s nominations recognise outstanding achievements in the fields of law, politics, science, the arts and music.
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