Honorary Degrees 2024

Manon Steffan Ros is a prominent Welsh novelist, playwright, scriptwriter, and musician who holds a significant role in the Welsh Language literary sphere. Last year, Manon was awarded the Yoto Carnegie Medal for her work 'The Blue Book of Nebo.'  This is a translation by Ms Ros of her own novel, Llyfr Glas Nebo, which won the Prose Medal at the 2018 National Eisteddfod and three Wales Book of the Year Awards.

Linda Gittins MBE, an alumna of Bangor University, co-founded Cwmni Theatr Maldwyn in 1981 and is renowned for producing Welsh-language’s best and most iconic theatre shows. Collaborating with Penri Roberts and the late Derec Williams she has written and produced numerous productions.  In so doing, she has supported and shaped the careers of many young talents and her songs are well-known. Her contribution to Welsh music is priceless.

Noel Thomas, a former sub-postmaster from Anglesey, gained recognition for his significant role in addressing the widespread miscarriage of justice known as the Horizon scandal in the UK. Engaging in a prolonged legal battle, he campaigned alongside others to clear the names of Post Office managers who faced criminal convictions due to faulty accounting software. His commitment to seeking justice for those affected by the scandal exemplifies his resilience and determination to expose the truth.

Despite being an unlikely campaigning hero, Sir Alan Bates a former sub-postmaster from Llandudno has dedicated two decades to advocating for justice and clearing the names of Post Office managers involved in what is considered to be the most extensive miscarriage of justice in UK history. Alan founded the Justice for Sub-postmasters Alliance (JSFA) in 2009, playing a leading role in the legal battle to seek justice for those whose lives were adversely affected and to ensure compensation for those wrongly accused. With five others from JFSA, he took the Post Office to court on behalf of 555 claimants.

Carl was Chief Constable of North Wales Police and national policing lead for Wales during Covid. His support for our partnership in setting up the professional policing practice degrees has been invaluable. He held the portfolio for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for the National Police Chiefs Council and his commitment to those principles echoes and resonates with those of the University.

Alumna Dr Susan Chomba, one of the first-ever graduating European Masters in Sustainable Tropical Forestry graduates is now a distinguished global ambassador for the Race to Zero and Race to Resilience under the UN High-Level Champions for Climate Action. She was named one of the Global Landscapes Forum’s '16 Women Restoring the Earth' in 2021 and featured on the BBC list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world in 2023.

Former Paralympic swimmer and medallist Mark Williams transformed an idea for colorful prosthetic leg covers into an innovative business. Together with his wife Rachael, he founded LIMB-art, a company that instils pride in users’ prosthetics. Many customers have reported a positive change in their attitude and confidence when wearing their prosthetic limbs. LIMB-art has received several accolades, including the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise.

Raised on a family farm near Colwyn Bay, Professor Wynne Jones, graduated in Agriculture from Bangor University in 1970. As the Principal and Chief Executive of Harper Adams University College Professor Jones led its transition to university status with Research Awarding Powers. Awarded an OBE in 2009 for his services to Agricultural Higher Education, Professor Jones also received also received numerous accolades for his contributions to the environment and agriculture including the LANTRA CYMRU's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019. His impactful leadership also earned him the role of Chair of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society, marking a significant milestone in the history of the Royal Welsh Show.

After earning his PhD in Marine Zoology from Bangor University, Professor John Philip Sumpter went on to become a distinguished ecotoxicologist and a global leader in his field. His impactful journey began in the late 1970s when he investigated the phenomenon of 'intersex' fish in the River Lea, linking it to chemical pollution from industrial, plastic, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic sources. This led to extensive research on mixed chemical pollution, covering a wide range of substances in rivers, raisig public awareness of environmental contamination.

Professor David N Thomas played a pivotal role at the University as a member of staff between July 1996 and November 2020, serving as both Head of the School of Ocean Sciences and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research). He then transitioned to his current role as Professor of Arctic Ecosystems Research at the University of Helsinki, maintaining research connections as a Bangor Honorary Professor while he co-supervised a project on plastics in aquatic systems.

Professor Thomas earned his PhD at the University of Liverpool in the 1980s, focusing on seaweed physiology. His extensive career includes work in Germany on cold tolerance of algae as well as various oceanographic projects across the Antarctic, Arctic, North Sea and Red Sea. At Bangor University’s School of Ocean Sciences, he led research groups in sea ice biogeochemistry, land-ocean interactions and biofuel production from algal bioreactors. He was also the Director of the pioneering Sêr Cymru National Network for Low Carbon, Energy and Environment from 2013 until 2019. Since moving to the University of Helsinki Professor Thomas continues his groundbreaking work on the Arctic landfreshwater-coastal continuum.

Professor Thomas has received notable recognition for his contributions to Antarctic and Arctic research, including having the Thomas Glacier in the Antarctic Peninsula named after him in 2020. In 2022, he was awarded the prestigious British Polar Medal by HM Queen Elizabeth II.

Nigel Brown served as the Curator of Bangor University’s Treborth Botanic Garden from 1976 to 2015 expanding the Garden’s role in both teaching and research as well as promoting public engagement with the biological sciences and horticulture. Treborth became an inspiring shop-window not just for plants but for celebrating and understanding the natural world as a whole. He was awarded a Teaching Fellowship for his dedication to teaching botany and ecology to students and for inspiring generations. Although retired, Nigel remains a passionate communicator for the natural environment, championing the biodiversity of Eryri and Anglesey through public engagement including numerous talks and field excursions. He continues to play a key role in co-ordinating botanical field work on Anglesey and writing a new Flora for Ynys Môn.