100 Notable alumni of
Newcastle University
Updated:
Newcastle University is 442nd in the world, 156th in Europe, and 35th in the United Kingdom by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 100 notable alumni from Newcastle University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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Rowan Atkinson
- Enrolled in Newcastle University
- Graduated with Bachelor of Engineering in electrical engineering
- Occupations
- electrical engineertelevision directorfilm actorvoice actorstage actor
- Biography
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Rowan Sebastian Atkinson CBE is an English actor, comedian and writer. He first gained success on the sketch comedy show Not the Nine O'Clock News (1979–1982), before going on to play the title roles in the sitcoms Blackadder (1983–1989) and Mr. Bean (1990–1995), and in the film series Johnny English (2003–present).
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Princess Eugenie of York
- Enrolled in Newcastle University
- 2009-2012 graduated with undergraduate degree in art history and English-language literature
- Occupations
- art directorpatron of the artsdirector
- Biography
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Princess Eugenie, Mrs Jack Brooksbank, is a member of the British royal family. She is the younger daughter of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson, and a niece of King Charles III. At birth, Eugenie was sixth in the line of succession to the British throne and is 12th as of 2026.
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Bryan Ferry
- Occupations
- musicianpianistsinger-songwriteractorguitarist
- Biography
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Bryan Ferry is an English singer and musician. He became known as the frontman of the band Roxy Music and also launched a solo career.
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Perrie Edwards
- Occupations
- singersongwriter
- Biography
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Perrie Louise Edwards is an English singer. Her music career began when she auditioned for The X Factor UK, and joined the line up for Little Mix. Formed during the show's eighth series, Little Mix became the first group to win the competition, and together went on to release six studio albums and amassed nineteen UK top-ten singles, five of which reached number one. Before going on hiatus in 2022, they became the first girl group to win the Brit Award for British Group.
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Hugh Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster
- Enrolled in Newcastle University
- 2010-2013 graduated with Bachelor of Science
- Occupations
- large estate ownerbusinesspersonaristocrat
- Biography
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Hugh Richard Louis Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster, DL, is a British aristocrat and inherited trust manager. He inherited his title and control of the Grosvenor Estate from his father in 2016, then worth an estimated £9 billion, making him one of the wealthiest men in Britain. In 2025, Bloomberg estimated that he had a net worth of approximately £9.56 billion ($12.7 billion). He ranked 14th on the Sunday Times Rich List 2025 with an estimated fortune of £9.884 billion ($13.13 billion) in 2025.
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Esha Gupta
- Occupations
- actorbeauty pageant contestantmodel
- Biography
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Esha Gupta is an Indian actress, model, and beauty pageant titleholder. She works in Hindi films. She was crowned Femina Miss India International 2007 and represented India at Miss International 2007. She made her acting debut with the crime thriller Jannat 2 (2012) receiving a Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut nomination.
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Jade Thirlwall
- Occupations
- singerdancersongwriter
- Biography
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Jade Amelia Thirlwall is an English singer. Her music career began at the age of 15, when she auditioned for The X Factor on three occasions before rising to prominence as a member of the girl group Little Mix. Formed during the show's eighth series, Little Mix became the first group to win the competition, and together went on to release six studio albums and amassed nineteen UK top-ten singles, five of which reached number one. Before going into hiatus in 2022, they became the first girl group to win the Brit Award for British Group.
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Chris Vance
- Occupations
- film actoractortelevision actor
- Biography
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Chris Vance is an English actor. He is known for his starring roles in television, such as Jack Gallagher in the Fox series Mental, as James Whistler in Fox's series Prison Break (2007–2008), and for playing Frank Martin in TNT's Transporter: The Series. Vance has recurred on the television series Burn Notice, Dexter, Rizzoli & Isles, and Supergirl. He played Commander Harry Langford on Hawaii Five-0, and Dalton Walsh in the fifth season of Amazon Prime Video's police drama series Bosch.
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Lisa Nandy
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Lisa Eva Nandy is a British Labour Party politician serving as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport since 2024. She has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Wigan constituency since 2010.
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Wilko Johnson
- Occupations
- guitarist
- Biography
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John Andrew Wilkinson, better known by the stage name Wilko Johnson, was an English guitarist, singer, songwriter and occasional actor. He was a member of the pub rock/rhythm and blues band Dr. Feelgood in the 1970s. Johnson was known for his distinctive guitar playing style, which he achieved by not using a plectrum but playing fingerstyle. This enabled him to play rhythm guitar and riffs or solos at the same time creating a highly percussive guitar sound.
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Claire Williams
- Occupations
- sporting directorbusinessperson
- Biography
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Claire Victoria Williams OBE is a British former motorsport executive who was the deputy team principal of the Williams Formula One racing team from 2013 to 2020. She is one of only two women to have ever managed teams in Formula One. In 2023, she became a brand ambassador for WAE Technologies, an R&D off-shoot of the racing team.
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Alastair Reynolds
- Enrolled in Newcastle University
- Studied physics and astronomy
- Occupations
- astrophysicistscience fiction writerwriter
- Biography
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Alastair Preston Reynolds is a Welsh science fiction author. He specialises in hard science fiction and space opera.
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Tim Farron
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Timothy James Farron is a British politician who served as Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2015 to 2017. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Westmorland and Lonsdale since 2005 and is the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Before entering politics, he worked in higher education.
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Kate Adie
- Occupations
- writerauthorjournalisttelevision presenter
- Biography
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Kathryn Adie CBE DL is an English journalist. She was Chief News Correspondent for BBC News between 1989 and 2003, during which time she reported from war zones around the world.
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Chris Williamson
- Occupations
- YouTuberpodcastertelevision personality
- Biography
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Chris Williamson is an English podcaster and YouTuber. He appeared on the first series of the reality show Love Island in 2015. Since 2018, he has hosted the Modern Wisdom podcast, a show which has been downloaded more than 400 million times.
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Duncan Watmore
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
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Duncan Ian Watmore is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Rotherham United.
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Rory Best
- Occupations
- rugby union player
- Biography
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Rory David Best OBE is a Northern Irish former rugby union player who was the captain of the Ireland national team from 2016 to 2019. He played hooker for Ulster and was registered for Banbridge RFC. Best earned 124 caps for Ireland, making his debut in 2005 and retiring at the end of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, his fourth World Cup. He toured with the British & Irish Lions in 2013 and 2017. Since retiring as a player, he has worked in the media, coaching and rugby administration. In October 2025 he was appointed general manager of Ulster.
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William Armstrong, 1st Baron Armstrong
- Occupations
- civil engineerentrepreneurmechanical engineerengineerinventor
- Biography
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William George Armstrong, 1st Baron Armstrong, CB FRS was an English engineer and industrialist who founded the Armstrong Whitworth manufacturing concern on Tyneside. He was also an eminent scientist, inventor and philanthropist. In collaboration with the architect Richard Norman Shaw, he built Cragside in Northumberland, the first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity. He is regarded as the inventor of modern artillery.
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Kit Malthouse
- Occupations
- financierbusinesspersonpoliticianchartered accountant
- Biography
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Christopher Laurie Malthouse is a British Conservative Party politician and businessman who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for North West Hampshire since 2015. He served as Secretary of State for Education from 6 September to 25 October 2022, and previously served as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster from July to September 2022.
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Pascal Canfin
- Occupations
- university teacherpoliticianjournalist
- Biography
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Pascal Canfin is a French politician of La République en marche (LREM) who has been serving as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) since 2019. In the 2019 elections for the European Parliament, he was elected in the list of Renew Europe group and serves as chair of the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee; following his initiative, the European Parliament declared in December 2019 a "climate state of emergency". He was re-elected in 2024.
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Carina Bergfeldt
- Occupations
- columnistwriterjournalistvoice actorreporter
- Biography
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Barbro Carina Bergfeldt is a Swedish journalist, reporter, columnist and author. In March 2016 she became SVT's correspondent to Washington, D.C. until 2020 when she got her own talkshow with the same name as herself.
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Alexander Downer
- Enrolled in Newcastle University
- Graduated with Bachelor of Civil Law
- Graduated with Bachelor of Arts
- Occupations
- political advisereconomistdiplomatpolitician
- Biography
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Alexander John Gosse Downer is an Australian former politician and diplomat who served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1996 to 2007, and was a member of parliament (MP) for the South Australian division of Mayo from 1984 to 2008.
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Sean Scully
- Occupations
- university teacherpainterillustratorartistgraphic artist
- Biography
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Sean Scully RA is an Irish-born American-based artist working as a painter, printmaker, sculptor and photographer. His work is held in museum collections worldwide and he has twice been named a Turner Prize nominee. Moving from London to New York in 1975, Scully helped lead the transition from Minimalism to Emotional abstraction in painting, abandoning the reduced vocabulary of Minimalism in favour of a return to metaphor and spirituality in art.
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Yasmin Ahmad
- Occupations
- screenwriterfilm directorfilm produceractor
- Biography
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Yasmin binti Ahmad was a Malaysian film director, writer and scriptwriter. She was the executive creative director at Leo Burnett Kuala Lumpur. Her television commercials and films are well known in Malaysia for being humorous and touching. Her work crossed cross-cultural barriers, particularly her ads for Petronas, the national oil and gas company. Her works have won multiple awards both within Malaysia and internationally. In Malaysia, her films were highly controversial due to their depiction of events and relationships, which have been considered 'forbidden' by social conservatives, especially hard-line interpretations of Islam. She was a central figure of the "first" New Wave of Malaysian cinema.
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Óscar López Águeda
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Óscar López Águeda is a Spanish politician serving as minister for Digital Transformation and Civil Service of Spain since 2024.
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Paul Kennedy
- Occupations
- historiangeopolitical analystuniversity teacher
- Biography
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Paul Michael Kennedy CBE FBA is a British historian specialising in the history of international relations, economic power and grand strategy. He is on the editorial board of numerous scholarly journals and writes for The New York Times, The Atlantic, and many foreign-language newspapers and magazines. His monthly column on current global issues is distributed worldwide by the Tribune Content Agency.
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David Tibet
- Occupations
- musicianpublishersongwriterpainterpoet
- Biography
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David Tibet is an English musician, poet and songwriter. He is best known as the founder and sole constant member of the neofolk group Current 93, as well as for his contributions to the band Death in June.
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Anke Domscheit-Berg
- Enrolled in Newcastle University
- Graduated with master's degree in European Business Administration
- Occupations
- opinion journalistbusiness consultantpolitician
- Biography
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Anke Domscheit-Berg is a German politician and activist. She was a member of the Bundestag from 2017 to 2025. In 2017, she was elected on the party list of The Left, without being a party member. She joined the party in 2021 following her nomination to the top female position on the party election list in the state of Brandenburg. Her mandate ended in 2025 because she did not run for re-election. Previously, she was a member of the Pirate Party Germany and the Greens. She is married to Daniel Domscheit-Berg.
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Bruce Babbitt
- Occupations
- juristlawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Bruce Edward Babbitt is an American attorney and politician who served as the 47th United States secretary of the interior from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. He previously served as the 16th governor of Arizona from 1978 to 1987 and was a candidate for President of the United States in the 1988 Democratic primaries.
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Mary Midgley
- Enrolled in Newcastle University
- In 2008 graduated with Doctor of Civil Law
- Occupations
- writerethicistphilosopheruniversity teacher
- Biography
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Mary Beatrice Midgley was a British philosopher. A senior lecturer in philosophy at Newcastle University, she was known for her work on science, ethics and animal rights. She wrote her first book, Beast and Man (1978), when she was in her late fifties, and went on to write over 15 more, including Animals and Why They Matter (1983), Wickedness (1984), The Ethical Primate (1994), Evolution as a Religion (1985), and Science as Salvation (1992). She was awarded honorary doctorates by Durham and Newcastle universities. Her autobiography, The Owl of Minerva, was published in 2005.
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Max Fosh
- Occupations
- choir singerYouTubercomedianradio personality
- Biography
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Maximilian Arthur Fosh is an English YouTuber and comedian. As of January 2026, his YouTube channel has over 4.8 million subscribers.
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Riton
- Occupations
- musician
- Biography
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Henry Smithson, best known by his stage name Riton, is an English electronic music DJ and producer from Newcastle upon Tyne.
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Lewis Fry Richardson
- Enrolled in Newcastle University
- Studied in 1898-1900
- Occupations
- cartographerpeace and conflict researcherphysicistmeteorologistmathematician
- Biography
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Lewis Fry Richardson, FRS was an English mathematician, physicist, meteorologist, psychologist, and pacifist who pioneered modern mathematical techniques of weather forecasting, and the application of similar techniques to studying the causes of wars and how to prevent them.
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Giles Fraser
- Occupations
- columnistAnglican priest
- Biography
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Giles Anthony Fraser is an English Anglican priest, journalist, and broadcaster who has served as Vicar of St Anne's Church, Kew, since 2022. He is a regular contributor to Thought for the Day and The Guardian, a panellist on Moral Maze, and an assistant editor of UnHerd.
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Maya Forstater
- Years
- 1973-.. (age 53)
- Occupations
- writerresearcher
- Biography
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Maya Forstater is a British tax expert and gender-critical activist. She was the claimant in Forstater v Centre for Global Development Europe. The case established that gender critical views are protected as a belief under the Equality Act 2010, while stating that the judgment does not permit misgendering transgender people with impunity. At a subsequent full merits hearing, the Employment Tribunal upheld Forstater's case, concluding that she had suffered direct discrimination on the basis of her gender critical beliefs. In a judgement for remedies handed down in June 2023, Forstater was awarded compensation of £91,500 for loss of earnings, injury to feelings and aggravated damages, with an additional £14,900 added as interest.
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Philip D. Jones
- Enrolled in Newcastle University
- Studied in 1973-1977
- Occupations
- climatologistscientisthydrologistuniversity teacher
- Biography
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Philip Douglas Jones is a former director of the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) and a professor in the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia (UEA) from 1998, having begun his career at the unit in 1976. He retired from these positions at the end of 2016, and was replaced as CRU director by Tim Osborn. Jones then took up a position as a Professorial Fellow at the UEA from January 2017.
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Ali Mohamed Shein
- Years
- 1948-.. (age 78)
- Occupations
- politicianminister
- Biography
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Ali Mohamed Shein was the 7th President of Zanzibar, from 2010 to 2020. He was previously Vice President of Tanzania from 2001 to 2010. Shein is originally from the island of Pemba, and he is a member of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party. He is a medical doctor by profession.
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Lim Boon Heng
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Lim Boon Heng is a Singaporean trade unionist and former politician. A former member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he was a Member of Parliament (MP) between 1980 and 2011, and had served in the Cabinet between 2001 and 2011. He served as Chairman of the People's Action Party between 2004 and 2011.
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Wash Westmoreland
- Occupations
- film producerfilm directorfilm editorcinematographeractor
- Biography
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Paul "Wash" Westmoreland, previously known professionally as Wash West, is a British director who has worked in television, documentaries, and independent films. He frequently collaborated with his husband, writer-director Richard Glatzer. Together, they wrote and directed the 2014 film Still Alice, based on Lisa Genova's NYT best-selling book and starring Julianne Moore, Kristen Stewart, and Alec Baldwin. The film won many awards, including the Academy Award for Best Actress for Julianne Moore and Humanitas Prize for feature film for the duo. Their 2006 coming-of-age feature film, Quinceañera, won the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.
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Geoff Parling
- Occupations
- rugby union player
- Biography
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Geoff Parling is an English rugby union coach and former player. He is the head coach of Leicester Tigers in Premiership Rugby.
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Theo Clarke
- Years
- 1985-.. (age 41)
- Enrolled in Newcastle University
- 2003-2007 graduated with Bachelor of Arts
- Occupations
- art historianpolitician
- Biography
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Theodora Roosevelt Clarke is a British Conservative Party politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Stafford from 2019 to 2024. Prior to her political career, she worked in the arts industry and founded the campaign group Coalition for Global Prosperity.
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Terry Farrell
- Enrolled in Newcastle University
- Graduated with Bachelor of Architecture
- Occupations
- urban plannerscientistarchitect
- Biography
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Sir Terence Farrell CBE FRIBA FRSA FCSD was a British architect and urban designer.
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Caroline Cox, Baroness Cox
- Occupations
- politiciansociologist
- Biography
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Caroline Anne Cox, Baroness Cox, FRCS, FRCN is a cross-bench member of the British House of Lords. She is also the founder of an organisation called Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust (HART). Cox was created a Life Peer in 1982 and was a deputy speaker of the House of Lords from 1985 to 2005, as well as being a minister in government. She was also a Baroness-in-Waiting to Queen Elizabeth II. She was Founder Chancellor of Bournemouth University, Chancellor of Liverpool Hope University from 2006 to 2013, and is an Hon. Vice President of the Royal College of Nursing. She was a founder Trustee of MERLIN Medical Emergency Relief International. She is a recipient of the Commander Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland.
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Rupert Freeman-Mitford, 6th Baron Redesdale
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Rupert Bertram Mitford, 6th Baron Redesdale, Baron Mitford, is a British hereditary peer, politician and member of the prominent Mitford family.
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Milton Augustus Strieby Margai
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Sir Milton Augustus Strieby Margai PC was a Sierra Leonean physician and politician who served as the country's head of government from 1954 until his death in 1964. He was titled chief minister from 1954 to 1960, and then prime minister from 1961 onwards. Margai studied medicine in England, and upon returning to his homeland became a prominent public health campaigner. He entered politics as the founder and inaugural leader of the Sierra Leone People's Party. Margai oversaw Sierra Leone's transition to independence, which occurred in 1961. He died in office aged 68, and was succeeded as prime minister by his brother Albert. Margai enjoyed the support of Sierra Leoneans across classes, who respected his moderate style, friendly demeanor, and political savvy.
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Caroline Johnson
- Occupations
- pediatricianpolitician
- Biography
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Caroline Elizabeth Johnson is a British Conservative Party politician and consultant paediatrician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sleaford and North Hykeham since 2016. She served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Mental Health and Public Health from September to October 2022. She has been Shadow Minister for Health and Social Care since July 2024.
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John Yorke
- Occupations
- executive producertelevision producer
- Biography
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John Roland Clifford Yorke is a British television producer, screenwriter, editor, and author who, as head of Channel 4 Drama (2003–2005), controller of BBC drama production (2006–2012) and managing director of Company Pictures (2013–2015), has commissioned or produced many award-winning television and radio programmes, including EastEnders, Wolf Hall, Shameless, Life on Mars, Father Brown, Spooks, and The Archers. Yorke also founded the BBC Writers Academy.
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Liz Sugg, Baroness Sugg
- Years
- 1977-.. (age 49)
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Elizabeth Grace Sugg, Baroness Sugg CBE is a British politician, life peer and political adviser. A member of the Conservative Party, she served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Overseas Territories and Sustainable Development between February and November 2020.
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Robert Goodwill
- Occupations
- farmerpolitician
- Biography
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Sir Robert Goodwill, PC is a British Conservative Party politician and farmer who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Scarborough and Whitby from 2005 to 2024. He was previously a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Yorkshire and the Humber. Goodwill served in Theresa May's government as Minister of State at the Home Office, the Department for Education, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
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Paul Williams
- Occupations
- general practitionerpolitician
- Biography
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Paul Daniel Williams OBE is a British general practitioner (GP) and former Labour Party politician, who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Stockton South from 2017 to 2019, when he lost his seat to the Conservative candidate Matt Vickers in the 2019 general election. In May 2021, Williams stood as the Labour Party candidate in the 2021 Hartlepool by-election but lost to the Conservative candidate Jill Mortimer.
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Alan Plater
- Occupations
- writerscreenwriter
- Biography
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Alan Frederick Plater CBE FRSL was an English playwright and screenwriter, who worked extensively in British television from the 1960s to the 2000s. He is best known for the sitcom Oh No It's Selwyn Froggitt and the comedy drama serials The Beiderbecke Trilogy. He also contributed to the BBC series Dalziel and Pascoe, and adapted Chris Mullin's novel A Very British Coup (1988) for television. He was the driving force behind the TV version of Flambards Among his few feature films were The Virgin and the Gypsy and Priest of Love.
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Danny Dorling
- Occupations
- geographer
- Biography
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Danny Dorling FRSA FRGS FRSS FAcSS is a British social geographer. He is currently 1971 Professor of Geography (known as the Halford Mackinder Professor of Geography prior to February 2025) attached to St Peter's College at the University of Oxford; a post he has held since appointed in September 2013.
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Nigel Shadbolt
- Occupations
- computer scientistprincipaluniversity teacher
- Biography
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Sir Nigel Richard Shadbolt is Principal of Jesus College, Oxford, and Professorial Research Fellow in the Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford. He is chairman of the Open Data Institute which he co-founded with Tim Berners-Lee. He is also a visiting professor in the School of Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton. Shadbolt is an interdisciplinary researcher, policy expert and commentator. His research focuses on understanding how intelligent behaviour is embodied and emerges in humans, machines and, most recently, on the Web, and has made contributions to the fields of psychology, cognitive science, computational neuroscience, artificial intelligence, computer science and the emerging field of web science.
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Stuart Hatton
- Occupations
- beauty pageant contestant
- Biography
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Stuart Hatton is an English pageant winner, model, and dancer. He was a former Mr. Gay World and for two consecutive years and Mr. Gay UK in 2013 and 2014. He was the first North East man to win the title of Mr. Gay UK.
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Andy Morrell
- Occupations
- association football playerassociation football coach
- Biography
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Andrew Jonathan Morrell is an English former professional footballer. A striker, Morrell played 359 games in the Football League for Wrexham, Coventry City, Blackpool and Bury, scoring 96 goals.
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Paul Ashworth
- Occupations
- association football playerassociation football coach
- Biography
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Paul Anthony Ashworth is an English football manager and former player.
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Ablade Glover
- Occupations
- artistuniversity teacher
- Biography
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Ablade Glover FGA FRSA CV is a Ghanaian painter and educator. He has exhibited widely, building an international reputation over several decades, as well as being regarded as a seminal figure on the West African art scene. His work is held in many prestigious private and public collections, which include the Imperial Palace of Japan, the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, and O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, United States.
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Damien O'Kane
- Occupations
- musician
- Biography
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Damien O'Kane is an Irish musician, born in Coleraine, County Londonderry. He lives in Yorkshire with his wife, the folk musician Kate Rusby, and their two daughters.
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Peter Gibson
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Peter Alexander Gibson is a British politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Darlington from the 2019 general election until losing his parliamentary seat in the 2024 general election. He is a member of the Conservative Party.
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Michael J. Benton
- Enrolled in Newcastle University
- In 1981 graduated with Doctor of Philosophy
- Occupations
- herpetologistnon-fiction writeruniversity teacherpaleontologist
- Biography
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Michael James Benton is a British palaeontologist, and professor of vertebrate palaeontology in the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Bristol. His published work has mostly concentrated on the evolution of Triassic reptiles but he has also worked on extinction events and faunal changes in the fossil record.
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Ruth Gates
- Enrolled in Newcastle University
- Graduated with Doctor of Philosophy
- Occupations
- biologistmarine biologist
- Biography
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Ruth Deborah Gates was the Director of the Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology and the first woman to be President of the International Society for Reef Studies. Her research was dedicated to understanding coral reef ecosystems, specifically coral-algal symbiosis and the capacity for corals to acclimatize under future climate change conditions. Doctor Gates is most accredited with looking at coral biology and human-assisted coral evolution, known as super corals, as notably seen in the documentary Chasing Coral, available on Netflix.
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Alexander Burnett
- Enrolled in Newcastle University
- Graduated with Bachelor of Laws
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Alexander James Amherst Burnett of Leys is a Scottish Conservative Party politician who has served as the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Aberdeenshire West constituency since 2016.
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Nigel Mills
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Nigel John Mills is a British politician and former chartered accountant who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Amber Valley in Derbyshire from the 2010 general election until he lost his seat in the 2024 general election. A member of the Conservative Party, he has campaigned for the pro-Brexit, Eurosceptic Leave Means Leave group following the 2016 European Union membership referendum.
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Gordon Lyons
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Gordon Lyons is a Northern Irish unionist politician, serving as Minister for Communities since 2024. He has also served as Director of Elections for the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) since 2021. He was Minister for the Economy in the Northern Ireland Executive from 2021 to 2022, and has been a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for East Antrim since August 2015. He is the DUP's Spokesperson for Finance, Public Service Reform and the Northern Ireland Protocol as of 2023.
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Dennis Assanis
- Occupations
- writer
- Biography
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Dionissios "Dennis" Nikolaou Assanis is a Greek-American mechanical engineer, currently serving as the 6th chancellor of the University of California, Santa Barbara since September 2025.
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Stephen Hepburn
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Stephen Hepburn is a British politician, who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Jarrow from 1997 to 2019. Hepburn was a member of the Labour Party until 7 October 2019, when he was suspended from the party following an accusation of sexual harassment. He then sat as an independent and was barred by the party from standing as a Labour candidate.
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Ben Pimlott
- Occupations
- historianwriter
- Biography
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Benjamin John Pimlott FBA was an historian of the post-war period in Britain. He made a substantial contribution to the literary genre of political biography. He has worked on political biographies about Hugh Dalton, Harold Wilson, and Queen Elizabeth II.
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Richard Barrett
- Occupations
- oratoropinion journalistwriter
- Biography
-
Richard Barrett is a British author, coach, and artist who writes about ego-soul dynamics, leadership, leadership development, values, consciousness, and cultural evolution in business and society. He founded the Barrett Values Centre in 1997 and is currently the managing director of the Barrett Academy for the Advancement of Human Values, which he founded in 2018.
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Rich Johnston
- Occupations
- comics critic
- Biography
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Richard "Rich" Johnston is a British comics creator, columnist, and founder of the comics news site Bleeding Cool.
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Bella Hardy
- Years
- 1984-.. (age 42)
- Occupations
- fiddlersinger-songwritersingersongwriter
- Biography
-
Bella Hardy is an English contemporary folk musician, singer and songwriter from Edale, Derbyshire, England, who performs a combination of traditional and self-penned material. She was named Folk Singer of the Year at the 2014 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, having previously won the award for Best Original Song in 2012 for "The Herring Girl".
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Lisa Harvey-Smith
- Enrolled in Newcastle University
- Graduated with Master of Physics
- Occupations
- astronomer
- Biography
-
Lisa Harvey-Smith is a British-Australian astrophysicist, author, television presenter and Professor of Practice at the University of New South Wales. Harvey-Smith served as Australian Government’s Women in STEM Ambassador from 2018-2024, during which time she advised the Australian Government on gender equity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and led national programs to advance equity and inclusion in STEM. Her research interests include the origin and evolution of cosmic magnetism, supernova remnants, the interstellar medium, massive star formation, astrophysical masers and gender equity in STEM. For almost a decade she was a research scientist at Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, including several years as the Project Scientist for the Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder and later Project Scientist for the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) Telescope. She has published seven non-fiction books about astronomy and physics for adults and children, including the multi-award-winning ‘Under the Stars: Astrophysics for Bedtime’, which won the Singapore Book Awards best education title and was shortlisted for many other awards.
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Alex Tait
- Occupations
- rugby union player
- Biography
-
Alex Tait is a retired English rugby union player, who played for Newcastle Falcons in the Premiership.
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Ashraf Choudhary
- Occupations
- engineerscientistcivil engineerpolitician
- Biography
-
Ashraf Choudhary QSO is a Pakistani-New Zealand scientist in agricultural engineering and formerly a member of the Parliament in New Zealand. He is a member of the Labour Party, and was New Zealand's first MP from South Asia and Pakistan.
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William David Butler-Adams
- Occupations
- chief executive officer
- Biography
-
William David Butler-Adams OBE FRGS is the managing director of Brompton Bicycle Limited a manufacturer based in the United Kingdom and Brompton Bike Hire Limited a provider of bicycle-sharing systems.
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Paul Smith
- Occupations
- singer
- Biography
-
Paul Smith is an English singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer of indie rock band Maxïmo Park.
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Fay Hield
- Years
- 1978-.. (age 48)
- Occupations
- singer
- Biography
-
Fay Hield is a traditional English folk singer and a Professor of Music at the University of Sheffield.
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Mark Burgess
- Occupations
- computer scientistphysicist
- Biography
-
Mark Burgess is an English independent researcher and writer, formerly professor at Oslo University College in Norway and creator of the CFEngine software and company, who is known for work in computer science in the field of policy-based configuration management.
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Julie Ward
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Julie Carolyn Ward is a British politician who served as a Member of the European Parliament for the North West England region for the Labour Party from 2014 to 2020.
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Norma Redfearn
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Dame Norma Redfearn DBE is a British Labour Party politician who served as Mayor of North Tyneside from 2013 to 2025.
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John Burn
- Years
- 1952-.. (age 74)
- Occupations
- geneticist
- Biography
-
Sir John Burn is a British professor of Clinical Genetics at Newcastle University and senior leader in England's National Health Service.
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Charlie Webster
- Occupations
- podcastermodeljournalisttelevision presenter
- Biography
-
Charlotte Amy Serena Webster is a British broadcaster and campaigner. She was born in Sheffield, England, and has a degree in Language and Linguistics from Newcastle University. She started her career as a TV presenter for Real Madrid TV and then worked for various sports channels such as ESPN, Sky Sports, ITV4, and BoxNation. She has covered a wide range of sports events, including football, motorsport, boxing, triathlon, and the Olympics. She has launched several campaigns to raise awareness and funds for causes such as domestic violence, mental health, and malaria prevention.
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Jim Causley
- Years
- 1980-.. (age 46)
- Occupations
- musician
- Biography
-
Jim Causley is a British folk singer, songwriter, and musician from Devon who specializes in the traditional songs and music of the West Country. Journalist Colin Irwin has called him "the finest singer of his generation".
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James Edward Barker
- Occupations
- film producerrecord producercomposer
- Biography
-
James Edward Barker is a British composer, music producer and film producer. Many of his music works include an ethereal mixture of live sonic experimentation with grandiose classical motifs and alternative percussion.
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Tamara Taylor
- Enrolled in Newcastle University
- Graduated with laurea in biomedicine
- Occupations
- rugby union coachrugby union player
- Biography
-
Tamara Louise Taylor is an English female rugby union player, who captained England in the 2015 Women's Six Nations Championship. She was the 2017 RPA Player of the Year when she was one of only three women who had made more than 100 appearances for her country. She is currently the fourth most capped England women's rugby union player of all time.
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David Trubridge
- Occupations
- designer
- Biography
-
David Geoffrey Trubridge is a furniture designer based in Whakatu, New Zealand. He designs lighting and furniture, with a focus on sustainable materials.
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Eric Parry
- Occupations
- university teacherdesignerarchitect
- Biography
-
Eric Owen Parry CBE RA is a British architect, designer, writer and educator. Parry is the founder and principal of Eric Parry Architects established in London in 1983. His built work includes the restoration and renewal of St Martin-in-the-Fields in London, the Holburne Museum in Bath, 50 New Bond Street, 23 Savile Row, One Eagle Place in Piccadilly, Aldermanbury Square by London Wall, 30 Finsbury Square in London, and the London Stock Exchange. His projects also include a number of residential developments. Eric Parry's architectural work and design has been shown internationally on major exhibitions, including the Royal Academy of Arts, the British School at Rome, and the 2012 Venice Biennale of Architecture.
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Helen Scales
- Occupations
- university teacherdiverbiologistmarine biologistnaturalist
- Biography
-
Helen Scales is a British marine biologist, broadcaster, and writer.
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Phil Bennion
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Phillip Bennion is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the West Midlands from 2012 to 2014, and then from 2019 to 2020.
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Henry Hemming
- Occupations
- non-fiction writerwriter
- Biography
-
Henry Hemming is an English non-fiction author. In 2017 it was announced that his book, M: Maxwell Knight, MI5's Greatest Spymaster, based on the life of Maxwell Knight, would be adapted for television by Mammoth Screen with screenwriter Matt Charman attached as lead writer.
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Joyce Quin, Baroness Quin
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Joyce Gwendolen Quin, Baroness Quin, PC, is a British Labour Party politician. She was a member of the European Parliament from 1979 to 1989, and served as the member of Parliament (MP) for Gateshead East and Washington West and for its predecessor Gateshead East from 1987 to 2005. Quin was appointed a life peer in 2006 and sat in the House of Lords until her retirement in 2024.
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Tim Head
- Occupations
- university teacherpaintermultimedia artistartistphotographer
- Biography
-
Tim Head is a British artist. A painter, photographer and sculptor, he employs mixed media.
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Michael Kamau
- Occupations
- politicianminister
- Biography
-
Michael Kamau is a Kenyan civil servant who was nominated by President Uhuru Kenyatta as Cabinet Secretary for Transport and Infrastructure on 25 April 2013. He was suspended from the Cabinet on 28 March 2015 on allegations of corruption and charged in court with abuse of office on 4 June 2015. He was replaced by James Macharia in an acting capacity.
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Mark Isherwood
- Years
- 1959-.. (age 67)
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Mark Allan Isherwood is a Welsh Conservative Party politician, who has served as a Member of the Senedd (MS) for the North Wales region since 2003. Isherwood has previously held a number of Shadow Ministerial positions for the Welsh Conservatives since he was first elected, at various points holding portfolios for Finance, Social Justice, North Wales, Europe, Housing, Communities and Local Government, among others.
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Johanna Ropner
- Years
- 1963-.. (age 63)
- Biography
-
Johanna Ropner is a British businesswoman who has been Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire since 2018.
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Stephen Chapman
- Occupations
- teacherchemist
- Biography
-
Steven Kenneth Chapman CBE FRSE FRSC CChem is a British chemist and academic. He served as Vice-Chancellor of Edith Cowan University in Perth, Western Australia, between 2015 and 2024. Before that, he was Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh.
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Iain Smith
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Iain Smith is a Scottish Liberal Democrat politician. He was the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the North East Fife constituency from 1999 until his defeat at 2011 election by the SNP's Rod Campbell.
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Ross D. King
- Occupations
- computer scientistresearcher
- Biography
-
Ross Donald King is a Professor of Machine Intelligence at Chalmers University of Technology.
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Ben Murphy
- Occupations
- athleteaircraft pilot
- Biography
-
Ben Murphy is a British pilot. He is a pilot of The Blades aerobatic team, and master class of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship. He is a former Commanding Officer of the Royal Air Force display team The Red Arrows
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Alex Bateman
- Years
- 1972-.. (age 54)
- Enrolled in Newcastle University
- Studied in 1994
- Occupations
- researcherbioinformatician
- Biography
-
Alexander George Bateman is a computational biologist and Head of Protein Sequence Resources at the European Bioinformatics Institute, part of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Cambridge, UK. He has led the development of the Pfam biological database and introduced the Rfam database of RNA families. He has also been involved in the use of Wikipedia for community-based annotation of biological databases.
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Stephen C. West
- Occupations
- biochemistresearcher
- Biography
-
Stephen Craig West FRS FMedSci is one of the world's foremost experts working on DNA recombination and DNA repair. Stephen was trained as a biochemist and molecular biologist and specialises on research into chromosome instability and links to cancer. West obtained his BSc in 1974, and his PhD in 1977, both from Newcastle University. He is currently a Principal Group Leader at the Francis Crick Institute in London. He is an honorary Professor at University College London, and at Imperial College London. In recognition of his work he was awarded the Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine in 2007, is a fellow of the Royal Society, the Academy of Medical Sciences, an International Member of the National Academy of Sciences, and an International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He received the 2022 Royal Medal, a gift from Queen Elizabeth II, for 'discovering and determining the functions of key enzymes that are essential for DNA recombination, repair and the maintenance of genomes'.
