Honorary graduates and special awards
Published 1 February 2013
Event 7–8 February 2013
More than 1,700 students will be receiving their awards this year at our award ceremonies at Brighton Dome on Thursday 7 and Friday 8 February. There will also be awards for two honorary graduates and two special awards.
Patricia Barnett
The director of Tourism Concern Tricia Barnett will be made an honorary doctor of letters for her tireless campaigning work fighting against exploitation in global tourism. The award recognises her lifetime contribution to tourism and her work in developing solutions that promote forms of tourism that provide meaningful benefits to people in destination communities.
Tricia's work on some of the most controversial areas of tourism studies has been at the core of significant research by members of the university's School of Sport and Service Management and the Centre for Tourism Policy Studies. She was fundamental to the creation of the Tourism Concern library which has become the single most exhaustive collection on tourism, sustainability, tourism and human rights issues.
Les Dawson
The former CEO of Southern Water and President of the Pipelines Industry Guild, Les Dawson OBE, will receive an honorary doctorate in recognition of his contribution to engineering education and development.
Les was an executive director of the FTSE 100 company United Utilities and head of operations at Transco, but it was during his time at Southern Water, from 2005 to 2010, that he established a strong working relationship with the university. This included the establishment of the nationally-acclaimed Southern Water's Masters Programme. Les also introduced a young offenders programme to Southern Water and reintroduced their apprenticeship programme.
Following a distinguished career in which he rose from an apprentice at Pye Television to the post of president of the Institute of Gas Engineers and Managers, Les was awarded the OBE in 2009 for services to the energy and water industries and for his extensive work for the Wateraid charity.
Special awards will also be presented to:
Kevin Fossey
A senior lecturer in the School of Education, Kevin Fossey, will be given the inaugural Excellence in Community Engagement Award in recognition of his lifelong commitment to education and his excellence in engaging educational communities both locally in partnership schools and internationally in Nepal.
Kevin, a former primary school head teacher, set up the Dharma School in Brighton which is thought to be the only Buddhist primary school in Europe before joining the University of Brighton. An inspirational lecturer, he raised the necessary funds to establish the Malagiri School in a rural community in Nepal in 2011 – a project which was subsequently adopted by the university.
Visits to the school by staff and students have provided opportunities to teach new skills to parents and friends and to offer educational experiences and resources for the pupils. The construction of buildings, payments for resources (including teaching and support staff) and daily food and subsistence for all pupils would be impossible without the funds raised by Kevin.
Chris Riddell
Graphic design alumnus, illustrator and writer of children's books and political cartoonist Chris Riddell will be named the university's Alumnus of the Year. The award-winning illustrator and writer was one of the first alumni to join the university's Alumni Advice Network and has given his time and talents repeatedly to support the work of the university. In 2011, the university approached Chris to advise on the creation of an engaging widening participation character for local primary schools. Chris designed the new character – Professor C Gull – which has become a figurehead for the university's programme to encourage children from non-traditional backgrounds to consider higher education.
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Contact: Marketing and Communications, University of Brighton, 01273 643022
