Former astronaut and first Briton in space honoured by the University of Sheffield

Helen was the first Briton to go into space and the first woman to visit the Mir space station

A leading researcher, an Air Vice-Marshal in the Royal Air Force and one of the UK’s leading forensic scientists are among the other recipients to receive honorary degrees

During her visit, Dr Helen Sharman OBE will officially open the University of Sheffield’s state-of-the-art teaching and research facilities at the Diamond

University of Sheffield alumna and the first Briton to go into space, Dr Helen Sharman OBE, is among ten people to receive honorary degrees next week (17-21 July 2017), alongside thousands of new University of Sheffield graduates.

In May 1991, aged just 27, Dr Sharman was selected for the Anglo-Soviet Project Juno mission after responding to a radio advertisement asking for applications to be the first British astronaut.

After undertaking 18 months of training, she became the first Briton to go into space and the first woman to visit the Mir space station. During her mission she was involved in various experiments about the effects of weightlessness on physical, chemical and biological systems.

Since graduating in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Sheffield, Dr Sharman has become a leading ambassador for science and, in 1993, was appointed an OBE for her pioneering accomplishments.

She has also overseen a range of specialist facilities and laboratories used for teaching and research, and was appointed President of the Institute of Science and Technology (IST) in October 2015. Dr Sharman has been an active advocate for technicians in higher education and works closely with the University of Sheffield’s Technical Development and Modernisation programme.

She will receive her honorary degree in recognition of her outstanding achievements in a ceremony at 12pm on Thursday 20 July 2017.

Dr Sharman will also be unveiling a plaque to officially open the University of Sheffield’s world-class teaching and research facilities at The Diamond on Thursday 20 July at 10am. The state-of-the-art Diamond facility provides students with specialist engineering teaching facilities and houses a range of lecture theatres, virtual reality labs, seminar rooms, open-plan learning spaces, library services and social spaces.

The University has a long tradition of inviting people of distinction to open its buildings - including HM King Edward VII, HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and the poet T.S. Eliot.

A leading researcher, an Air Vice-Marshal in the Royal Air Force and one of the UK’s leading forensic scientists are among the others who will also receive honours during the University of Sheffield’s graduation week.

Working in the field of microalloyed high strength steels, Dr J Malcolm Gray is a leading researcher and company president whose development work has had a transformative influence on the global transport, energy and construction industries.

In 2016, Dr Gray was presented a top Chinese government award - the Foreign Expert Friendship Award - by Vice Premier Ma Kai in recognition of his services to the steel and line pipe industries.

Dr Gray, who graduated from the University and achieved his PhD in 1965, will pick up his honorary degree on Wednesday 19 July 2017 at 3.30pm.

University of Sheffield alumnus Air Vice-Marshal Alan Johnson, who was born in Hemsworth, Yorkshire, will be honoured on Thursday 20 July at 3.30pm for his outstanding service in the Royal Air Force.

In 1957, Alan Johnson was commissioned into the Royal Air Force where he served in the UK, Germany, Borneo, Cyprus, Singapore and the USA before retiring in 1991 and being appointed first Director of Occupational Health and then Chief Medical Officer for the Metropolitan Police Service. He is also Patron of the South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum in Doncaster.

One of the country’s leading forensic scientists, Professor Angela Gallop, will receive an honorary degree of Doctor of Science from the University for her contribution to research and forensic science.

Throughout her career, Professor Gallop has lead numerous scientific teams responsible for solving complex cases, including the Stephen Lawrence and Rachel Nickell murders.

Professor Gallop, who graduated from the University of Sheffield in 1971, is a Past President of the Forensic Science Society and was awarded a CBE in 2015 for services to forensic science.

Two University of Sheffield graduates will also be receiving distinguished alumni awards during next week’s graduation ceremonies.

Sheffield alumnus David Fyfe will be honoured on Friday 21 July at 9.30am for raising £1million for Sheffield Children’s Hospital.

Together with friends Nigel and Sandra Worthington and his wife, Jean, David organised a ‘one-off’ ball for the charity in 1990. Today, the now-annual Daffodil Ball is one of the most popular events on the Sheffield social scene and has raised huge sums for one of the region’s most well-loved charities.

The first female Chairman of the Ipswich Building Society, Sarah Evans, will also be receiving a distinguished alumni award on Tuesday 18 July at 9.30am.

Sarah was appointed the first female Chairman of the Ipswich Building Society in 2013, before becoming a partner at Ernst and Young, where she has made huge contributions in the investigation of fraud and financial irregularity.