A number of people associated with the University were recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
In addition to the announcement regarding Professor Jane Falkingham’s OBE, there were MBEs for nursing graduate Will Pooley (pictured) and PhD researcher Wendy Fidler, and an OBE for Professor Averil MacDonald (also pictured).
Will Pooley is made an MBE for his services in combating the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Within six weeks of travelling to Sierra Leone last summer, Will became the first Briton to be evacuated from the continent with the virus. Following his treatment at the Royal Free Hospital in London, Will then returned to Sierra Leone in October to continue his work.
Wendy Fidler will receive an MBE for her work to improve interfaith relations. Following a very successful career as a scientist and director of a cancer prevention project, Wendy has devoted countless hours improving relationships between people of different faiths and cultures.
Professor Averil MacDonald is awarded an OBE for services to women in science and public engagement in science. Averil has been closely associated with the University for many years, first as South East regional director of the HE STEM Programme and more recently as both the Diversity and Impact Lead for the Southampton-based South East Physics Network (SEPnet).
The Queens Volunteer Reserves Medal (QVRM) was awarded to Mr David Rew, Consultant Surgeon at the University Hospital of Southampton, and Honorary Senior Lecturer to the University of Southampton. The QVRM is awarded to a small number of Army Reservists “for exemplary and meritorious service”. David was commissioned into the Army in 1975 and after a stint with the Airborne Forces, has served with the Defence Medical Services (DMS) since 1987.
His work with the DMS has included operational tours in the Gulf in 1991, in Iraq in 2003 and in Afghanistan in 2008, where he led on the operational commissioning of the famous Camp Bastion Hospital. David has been extensively involved in training, exercises and the clinical innovation which has led to the transformation of the practice and understanding of complex trauma care over the past few decades, and which in turn has had a major influence upon the development of the NHS Trauma Service and Trauma Centres.
.