Honours from the University of Teesside

A national TV sports presenter, an award-winning author and the inventor of genetic fingerprinting. These diverse individuals are just three of the seven who will be awarded Honorary degrees from the University of Teesside on Friday 23 November. The degrees will be awarded by the University’s Chancellor, Lord Sawyer of Darlington, at the 11.00am ceremony at Middlesbrough Town Hall. The ceremony will conclude the University’s annual academic award celebrations, with ten ceremonies taking place at the Town Hall from 20-23 November.

The Honorary Graduates are:

Jeff Stelling, Doctor of Professional Studies, pictured. Jeff Stelling is best known as the anchor for Sky Sports’ Gillette Soccer Saturday. He is originally from Hartlepool and in the programme directs a regular panel of experts which includes ex-professionals such as Matt Le Tissier, Charlie Nicholas and Phil Thompson.

Jeff also presents a range of other live football including matches from the UEFA Champions League and Republic of Ireland internationals and has been a well known face to Sky Sports viewers for over a decade. Aside from football he has presented a range of other sporting programmes. His media career began as a reporter at his local paper, The Hartlepool Mail.

Mrs Anne Fine OBE, Doctor of Letters Anne Fine is a distinguished children’s author. County Durham-based Anne received the Whitbread Award in 1993 and 1997. She was the Children’s Laureate between 2001 and 2003 and been the holder of the Carnegie Medal and the Publishing News Children’s Author of the Year. Her books have been translated into 26 languages and her 1987 novel Madame Doubtfire was adapted for the big-screen as Mrs Doubtfire starring Robin Williams. Her novel Goggle-Eyes was also adapted for BBC children’s television.

Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys, Doctor of Science Alec Jeffreys is the inventor of genetic fingerprinting, which changed the face of forensic science and criminal justice throughout the world.

In 1984, Professor Sir Jeffreys invented the techniques that took human identification from the laboratory to the courtroom. With his co-workers, he demonstrated that forensic samples, dried stains several years old, contained sufficient DNA to produce conclusive results. Jeffreys proved that even small fragments of DNA molecules were virtually unique to individuals. He called the process he invented DNA fingerprinting. Sir Alec Jeffreys is currently the Wolfson Research Professor of the Royal Society at the University of Leicester.

Professor Martin Narey, Doctor of Laws Middlesbrough-born and based Martin Narey is Chief Executive of the charity Barnados, having previously served as Chief Executive of the Prison Service, later the National Offender Management Service. He recently delivered a lecture at the University, as part of a series organised by Safe in Tees Valley. Martin Narey has made a first-class contribution to education and to social inclusion.

Dato' Seri Prof Dr Ibrahim bin Abu Shah, Doctor of Laws Professor Abu Shah is the Vice-Chancellor of the University’s partner university in Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), the largest public university in the country, spread across 14 campuses. The University’s BSc (Hons) Applied Rehabilitation is taught in Malaysia, using a blackboard electronic-learning system and by Teesside lecturers flying out to UiTM to deliver study blocks. Professor Abu Shah is a sociologist by background, one of the most distinguished educators in Malaysia and a great supporter of the link between the two universities.

Mr Alan Noble, Doctor of Professional Studies Alan Noble is a very successful local businessman, founding the company that is now Northgate Plc in 1981. The company runs 100,000 vehicles and employs 3,000 people across Europe. Alan also makes a major contribution to his local community, including his role as a Director of Tees Valley Regeneration.

Mr John Foster OBE DL, Doctor of Laws John Foster retires this year as University Visitor. He has an outstanding record of public service as Chief Executive of Middlesbrough Council, as Chair of South Tees Hospitals Acute NHS Trust and as a long-standing University Governor.

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