New Years Honours | The Aperiodical

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Particularly mathematical New Years Honours 2023

By Peter Rowlett. Posted December 31, 2022

It’s that time of year when we take a look at the UK Government’s New Years Honours list for any particularly mathematical entries. Here is the selection for this year – if you spot any more, let us know in the comments and we’ll add to the list.

Paul Glaister, Professor of Mathematics and Mathematics Education, University of Reading. Appointed CBE for services to education.
Dan Abramson, headteacher of King’s College London Maths School. Appointed OBE for services to education.
Kanti V. Mardia, Senior Research Professor, Leeds University. Appointed OBE for services to Statistical Science.
Jeffrey Quaye, National Director of Education and Standards at Aspirations Academies Trust, PhD in Mathematics Education and Chartered Mathematics Teacher. Appointed OBE for services to education.
Charlotte Francis, maths teacher and entrepreneur. Appointed Medallist of the Order of the British Empire for services to education.

Get the full list from gov.uk.

Updated 2/1 to add Dr. Jeffrey Quaye, HT The Mathematical Association on Twitter.

Particularly mathematical New Years Honours 2022

By Peter Rowlett. Posted January 1, 2022

It’s that time of year when we take a look at the UK Government’s New Years Honours list for any particularly mathematical entries. Here is the selection for this year – any more, let us know in the comments and we’ll add to the list.

David Winton Harding, founder of the Winton Group, knighted for services to philanthropy – which includes funding the Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication, home of Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter.
Owen Abbott, Head, Census and Population Statistics Methodology, Office for National Statistics. Appointed OBE for services to Census and Population Statistics.
Veronica Bowman, Statistics and Data Science Fellow, dstl. Appointed OBE for services to defence and the Covid-19 response.
Henrietta Brown, Business Operations Lead, Office for National Statistics. Appointed OBE for services to the Census of England and Wales.
Nira Chamberlain, President, Institute of Mathematics and its Applications. Appointed OBE for services to mathematical sciences.
Alexander Lambert, Deputy Director, Covid Infection Survey Operations, Office for National Statistics. Appointed OBE for services to statistics and public health.
William Marks, Senior Policy Liaison, Analysis and Civil Contingencies Secretariat Dashboard, Cabinet Office and Office of National Statistics. Appointed OBE for public service.
Lynne McClure, Director, Cambridge Mathematics. Appointed OBE for services to education.
Kevin Sweeney, Lately Head, Central Survey Unit, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Appointed OBE for public service, particularly during Covid-19.
Arron Maspero, Programme Delivery Manager, Census Field Devices, Office for National Statistics. Appointed MBE for services to Census 2021 Field Operations.

Get the full list here.

Particularly mathematical New Years Honours 2021

By Peter Rowlett. Posted January 4, 2021

Phillippa Spencer, Senior Principal Statistician, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. Appointed OBE for services to Defence, particularly during the Covid-19 Response. A Dstl press release says this is “in recognition of her support to the UK’s decision makers by her application of maths to deliver consistent, assured data to prevent the loss of life through exposure to COVID-19, Novichok and Ebola”.
Jonathan Carter, Chief Engineer Stealth at Atlas Elektronik UK, appointed MBE for services to Naval Operational Effectiveness, is quoted in the Dorset Echo saying

People don’t always understand the amount of science, maths and physics that goes into the Royal Navy. I see this recognition as not just for me, but also for the group of people working across those disciplines who have been working for a long, long time on these systems. Our young scientists, physicists and mathematicians should take heart that persistent, enduring efforts do occasionally get recognised, and persist with what they’re doing.

David Walrond, former Principal of Truro and Penwith College, appointed OBE for services to Further Education in Cornwall, is cited by the Cornish Times as leading the establishment of the Cornwall Teaching School and Maths Hub.

Get the full list here.

Particularly mathematical New Years Honours 2019

By Peter Rowlett. Posted December 30, 2018

Tim Harford, journalist and presenter of BBC Radio programme More or Less, appointed OBE for services to Improving Economic Understanding.
Deirdre Houston, Deputy Principal, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, appointed OBE for services to Integrated Education in Randalstown.
Valsa Koshy, Emeritus Professor, Brunel University and mathematics education researcher, appointed MBE for services to Education.

Get the full list here.

Particularly mathematical New Years Honours 2018

By Peter Rowlett. Posted December 31, 2017

When the UK Government announces a new list of honours, we (let’s be honest – sometimes) write up a list of those particularly mathematical entries. Here is the selection for the 2018 New Years Honours list.

Howard Groves, Member, Senior Mathematical Challenge Problems Group and Member, UK Mathematics Trust Challenges Sub Trust. MBE, for services to Education.
Christl Donnelly FRS, Professor of Statistical Epidemiology, Imperial College London. CBE, for services to Epidemiology and the Control of Infectious Diseases.
Ben Goldacre, Senior Clinical Research Fellow, Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, University of Oxford and author of Bad Science. MBE, for services to Evidence in Policy.
Andrew Morris, Professor of Medicine, Director of the Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, and Vice-Principal Data Science, University of Edinburgh. CBE, for services to Science in Scotland.
Stephen Sparks, lately Professorial Research Fellow, University of Bristol and former chair of ACME. Knighthood, for services to Volcanology and Geology. (Via The Mathematical Association.)
Bernard Silverman, lately Chief Scientific Adviser, Home Office and former President of the Royal Statistical Society (RSS). Knighthood, for public service and services to Science. (Via Hetan Shah.)
John Curtice, Professor of Politics, University of Strathclyde and Senior Research Fellow, NatCen Social Research, and Honorary Fellow, RSS. Knighthood, for services to the Social Sciences and Politics. (Via Hetan Shah.)
Diane Coyle, Professor of Economics, University of Manchester. CBE, for services to Economics and the Public Understanding of Economics. (Via Hetan Shah.)

Get the full list here. If you spot any others we should mention, please let us know in the comments.

Particularly mathematical New Year Honours 2017

By Peter Rowlett. Posted January 9, 2017

Usually at this time of year, I have a look through the New Year Honours list for particularly mathematical appointments. Here are the names I’ve found that are particularly mathematical.

Tricia Dodd, Chief Methodology Officer, UK Statistics Authority, appointed MBE “for services to Statistics and Research”.
Dave Watson, director of IBM Research in the UK, who apparently has a focus on big data, appointed CBE “for services to Science and Engineering Research”.
Maggie Philbin, appointed OBE “for services to Promoting careers in STEM and Creative Industries”.
Anne-Marie Imafidon, co-founder and CEO of Stemettes, appointed MBE “for services to Young Women within STEM Sectors”.

I think every time I have done this (for New Year and Birthday Honours since 2013), there has been at least one person on the list, and usually several, specifically included for services to mathematics or mathematics education. This time, this is not the case, though there is one mention of statistics.

Are there any others I’ve missed? Please add any of interest in the comments below. A full list may be obtained from the UK Government website.

Particularly mathematical New Years Honours 2016

By Peter Rowlett. Posted December 31, 2015

Once again, it’s time for our traditional trawl through the New Years Honours list for mentions of “mathematics”, hoping that better-informed readers will fill in the people this crude method has missed. I’ve found the following names:

Steve Humble (Dr Maths) awarded MBE for services to Education (via Garrod Musto on Twitter);
Lynn Churchman of National Numeracy awarded OBE for services to Maths and Numeracy education (via Rob Eastaway on Twitter);
Sue Black (Bletchley Park campaigner, among much else) awarded OBE for services to technology (via Colin Wright on Twitter);
Margherita Biller (Head of Mathematics, York College), awarded MBE for services to Mathematics in Further Education;
Emily Shuckburgh, mathematician and climate scientist at the British Antarctic Survey, awarded OBE for services to Science and Public Communication of Science (added in an update 01/01/16, thanks to Colin Cotter on Twitter);
Ruth Kaufman, president of the Operational Research Society, awarded OBE for services to Operational Research (added in an update 01/01/16, thanks to Catherine Hobbs in the comments);
Clare Sutcliffe, founder of Code Club, awarded MBE for services to technology education (added in an update 01/01/16, thanks to John Read in the comments);
Alison Allden, formerly chief executive, Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited, awarded OBE for services to higher education (added in an update 05/01/16, thanks to Susan Oakes in the comments);
Professor Dame Ann Dowling, who studied mathematics as an undergraduate and is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at University of Cambridge, is admitted to the Order of Merit for mechanical engineering (added in an update 07/01/16, thanks to Rebecca Waters in the comments).

Are there any others I’ve missed? Please add any of interest in the comments below. A full list may be obtained from the Cabinet Office website.