An Oxford professor recognised with a Damehood in the King’s Birthday Honours said she was ‘shocked’ to receive the letter and that the ‘news has still not really sunk in.’
Professor E.J. Milner-Gulland, who is described as ‘one of the UK's pre-eminent scientists’ by Oxford University, was appointed a Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (DBE) for her 32-year career in biodiversity conservation.
This included inspiring and enabling others, many from developing countries.
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The Tasso Leventis Professor of Biodiversity said: “I was absolutely thrilled and shocked to receive the letter telling me that I’d been nominated for a Damehood, although the news has still not really sunk in even a couple of weeks later.
"It’s really a great honour, which means a lot to me and to my family.”
Professor Milner-Gulland's research group, the Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science, works across five continents to understand, predict, and influence human behaviour to reduce biodiversity loss.
It also upholds human rights and wellbeing, advises businesses on improving environmental and social sustainability.
The research group also controls illegal wildlife trade.
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Professor Milner-Gulland said past and present members of the group deserved ‘a lot of the credit’ for the honour.
“They work on a wide range of collaborative projects which aim to support and improve conservation policy and practice around the world, and are a constant source of inspiration to me,” she added.
A host of professors and academics from the university were recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours, which mark the extraordinary contributions and service of people across the UK.
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Sir John Bell, a leading scientist during the Covid pandemic who served as Boris Johnson’s testing tsar, was elevated to a Companion of Honour.
The university paid tribute to its Regius Professor of Medicine, who lives in Wallingford, saying: “The development of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine would not have been possible without his vision to build vaccines research in Oxford over the last 30 years.”
The founder of the Oxford Robotics Institute, BP Professor of Information Engineering Paul Newman, said it was a ‘great honour’ to be appointed a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for services to engineering and technology.
He added: “In the past 20 years, our world has changed almost beyond recognition thanks to innovations in information engineering.
“And there is much more to come.
“It remains a privilege to teach, learn and think alongside my outstanding colleagues at Oxford.”
Professor Alison Noble was also appointed a CBE, while Dr Parvinder Aley was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
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