New Year’s Honours for members of University community

Members of the University community have been recognised in the Queen's New Year's Honours list.

Katherine Bennett, Senior Vice President of Airbus in the UK, has been awarded a CBE in the New Year’s Honours list for services to the Aerospace and Aviation sectors. Katherine studied a BA Hons in Combines Arts, History and Politics at the University, graduating in 1989. Mrs Bennett, who joined Airbus in 2004, was made Head of Political Affairs in 2010 before being promoted to her current role in 2017. She has led the aerospace giant’s drive to champion diversity in the industry and was also recognised for her voluntary work.

Malcom Dick gained an Arts PhD from the University of Leicester in 1980 and has been awarded an OBE for Services to West Midlands History. Malcom is currently a Lecturer in Regional and Local History and Director of the Centre for West Midlands History at the University of Birmingham.

Council member, Mehmooda Duke, has been awarded an MBE for services to the legal profession and for the promotion of female entrepreneurship. She is currently Managing Director of Moosa-Duke Solicitors. Mehmooda was the first female Asian president of the Leicestershire Law Society, and winner of the 2017 Leicester Mercury Women in Business Awards.

Former Head of Engineering, Sarah Hainsworth, was awarded an OBE for services to Engineering and Forensic Science. Whilst at the University of Leicester, Sarah’s expertise helped establish the manner of King Richard III’s death at the Battle of Bosworth by analysing wound marks found on his skeleton. Sarah was at the University for nearly 20 years, before taking up a role as Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of School of Engineering and Applied Science at Aston University.