After a summer filled with celebration, we’re excited to welcome a new group of graduates into our 300,000-strong global alumni community. We wish each and every one of you all the best in your future endeavours.

But your journey with Southampton doesn’t end here; this is just the beginning of a lifelong connection and we look forward to staying in touch.

Meet the honorary graduates

We also extend our warmest congratulations to this year’s honorary graduates. Each year, the University awards a select number of honorary degrees to individuals whose outstanding intellectual, creative, or academic contributions are recognised on a national or global scale.

This summer, we’re especially proud that four of the ten recipients are University alumni – a testament to the remarkable impact of our graduate community.

Receiving awards this year are (pictured above, top left to bottom right):

Alumna Professor Dame Margaret Brimble, Distinguished Professor and Director of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. Dame Margaret has published over 700 papers and is inventor of over 50 patents. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society, Dame Companion New Zealand Order of Merit and inducted into the ACS Medicinal Chemistry Hall of Fame. Her research focuses on the synthesis of novel bioactive natural products, and peptides, antibody-drug conjugates, peptide vaccines and new biomaterials. Her lab carried out the medicinal chemistry for the FDA approved-drug Trofinetide/ DaybueTM (NNZ2566) to treat Rett Syndrome.

Stewart Edmondson, CEO and Executive Director of the UK Electronics Skills Foundation (UKESF) since 2015. The UKESF is a charity founded in 2010 and is the only science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) organisation in the UK dedicated exclusively to electronics and semiconductors. Prior to this, Stewart was a member of the RAF, initially specialising in radars and completing an operational tour in the Outer Hebrides, as well as commanding an independent signals unit in Germany. As a wing commander, he was the Principal of No1 Radio School, responsible for the education and training of all RAF ICT specialists.

Julian Joseph OBE, a pianist, composer, broadcaster, educator and author. Acclaimed as one of the finest jazz musicians to emerge this side of the Atlantic, he has devoted his long career to championing music across the British Isles and into the far corners of the globe. His charitable work and generous skills as an educator have made a major contribution to Britain’s cultural landscape and heritage. Through his patronage of a variety of educational programmes, Julian has become a formative presence in the dissemination of jazz music and its heritage to young people of all ages.

Alumnus Professor Sir Peng Tee Khaw is Professor at the University College London (UCL) Institute of Ophthalmology and Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London. His special interest is the surgical treatment of glaucoma and tissue regeneration. Sir Peng’s group has developed and refined novel surgical techniques (Moorfields Safer Surgery System) and treatments to prevent scarring, increasing surgical efficacy and safety worldwide. The team proposed the 10-10-10 goal for surgery (10mmHg pressure, lasting 10 years, taking 10 minutes) and is developing microdevices and anti-scarring systems. Their co-discovered novel stem cell (Moorfields-IO Müller stem cell) is currently being developed for optic nerve regeneration.

Isaac Kiva is the Secretary for Renewable Energy at the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum in the Republic of Kenya, responsible for policy formulation and development of renewable energy. Isaac has been central to Kenya’s efforts in developing renewable energy and energy access, which has seen Kenya attain an impressive 93 per cent renewable energy mix in its national grid, and 75 per cent access to electricity. He has published widely in the field of energy and has worked closely with the University’s Energy and Climate Change Division.

Alumnus Vice Admiral Sir Jeremy Kyd KBE served for 37-years in the Royal Navy, with commands at various ranks including the Type 23 frigate HMS Monmouth, the strike carrier HMS Ark Royal, HMS Illustrious in the commando carrier role, and the UK’s high readiness Maritime Task Group, which included a deployment to the Gulf. When not at sea, his shore appointments have centred on the Ministry of Defence in London, in various policy and procurement roles. He has also instructed Navigation at the Maritime Warfare School, HMS Collingwood and had the privilege of being the Captain of Britannia Royal Naval College. Jeremy is now His Majesty The King’s personal representative, as the Lieutenant-Governor, for the Bailiwick of Jersey.

John Lauwerys was the Secretary and Registrar of the University of Southampton from 1992–2007 and previously held the same titled post at Royal Holloway, University of London. As Secretary and Registrar at Southampton, he was responsible for the whole of the University’s Professional Services including finance and strategic planning. During his term of office, the University expanded very significantly with student numbers growing from 8,000 to over 23,000. It also incorporated Winchester School of Art and La Sainte Union College and acquired new campuses – Avenue and National Oceanography Centre Southampton.

Alumna Professor Sharon Peacock CBE is the eighth Master of Churchill College and Professor of Microbiology and Public Health in the Department of Medicine, both at the University of Cambridge. She undertook an undergraduate degree in medicine as a mature student at the University of Southampton and credits this opportunity as changing her career prospects and life trajectory. Sharon became the Founding Director of COG-UK (COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium), formed in April 2020 to generate SARS-CoV-2 genomes to inform the COVID-19 pandemic response, and her contributions to microbiology have been recognised by numerous awards.

Dame Esther Rantzen has received the Dimbleby Award from BAFTA, received an OBE for services to broadcasting, a CBE for services to children, and in 2015 a DBE for services to children and older people through ChildLine and The Silver Line. Esther has made pioneering programmes on subjects such as childbirth, stillbirth, mental health and child abuse. In 1986 she invented the concept of ChildLine and chaired the charity for 19 years, now acting as its President. In 2012 she invented The Silver Line, a helpline for older people of which she is President, and which has merged with Age UK.

Professor Sir Christopher Snowden is an engineer and academic, with wide experience of the international microwave and semiconductor industry, as well as international higher education. He was President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Southampton (2015–19) and previously the University of Surrey (2005–15). Prior to his appointment at Surrey, Sir Christopher was Joint Chief Executive Officer of Filtronic plc. He was Knighted in the 2012 New Year’s Honours for services to engineering and higher education.

Outstanding Alumni Awards

“As you walk across the stage and out into the world, remember this for when you feel lost or limited: do not accept leftovers when you’re asked to place your order. Not in life, not in love, not in your purpose.”

These were the inspiring words of Mfon Ekpo, winner of the Outstanding Contribution Alumni Award, as she addressed the Class of 2025.

Read more about her story and the other four inspiring recipients of our Outstanding Alumni Awards here.