Nobel Prizes and Fellowships

The academic quality of the University is reflected partly in the Nobel Prizes and Fellowships associated with the University community.

Nobel Laureates

  • Sir William Ramsay (1852–1916)
    Principal and Professor of Chemistry at University College, Bristol (later the University of Bristol) from 1880 to 1887. The Nobel Prize 1904 ‘in recognition of his services in the discovery of the inert gaseous elements in air, and his determination of their place in the periodic system’.
  • Paul Dirac (1902–84)
    Graduated from Bristol with a BSc (Engineering) in 1921, then studied mathematics at Bristol for a further two years.
    The Nobel Prize in Physics 1933 (1/2 share) ‘for the discovery of new productive forms of atomic theory’.
  • Cecil Frank Powell (1903–69)
    At Bristol from 1927, first as Research Assistant to A M Tyndall, then appointed lecturer and, in 1948, established as Melville Wills Professor of Physics.
    The Nobel Prize in Physics 1950 ‘for his development of the photographic method of studying nuclear processes and his discoveries regarding mesons made with this method’.
  • Sir Winston Churchill (1874–1965)
    Chancellor of the University of Bristol from 1929 until 1965.
    The Nobel Prize for Literature 1953 was awarded to Sir Winston Churchill, 'for his mastery of historical and biographical description as well as for brilliant oratory in defending exalted human values'.
  • Dorothy Hodgkin (1910–94)
    Chancellor of the University of Bristol from 1970 until 1988.
    The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1964 was awarded to Dorothy Hodgkin, 'for her determinations by X-ray techniques of the structures of important biochemical substances'.
  • Hans Albrecht Bethe (1906–2005)
    Held a fellowship at the University of Bristol in 1934.
    The Nobel Prize in Physics 1967 ‘for his contribution to the theory of nuclear reactions, especially his discoveries concerning the energy production in stars’.
  • Max Delbrück (1906-81)
    Research worker at the University in 1930-32.
    The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1969 (1/3 share) for discoveries concerning 'the replication mechanism and genetic structure of viruses'.
  • Gerhard Herzberg (1904-99)
    Carried out postdoctoral work at the University in 1929-30.
    The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1971 'for his contributions to the knowledge of electronic structure and geometry of molecules, particularly free radicals'.
  • Sir Nevill Francis Mott (1905–96)
    Chair in theoretical physics at Bristol from 1933, then, after a period of military research in London during the war, head of the Bristol physics department.
    The Nobel Prize in Physics 1977 (1/3 share) for 'fundamental theoretical investigations of the electronic structure of magnetic and disordered systems’.
  • Sir Paul Nurse (b.1949)
    Chancellor of the University of Bristol from 2017.
    The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2001 (1/3 share) for 'discoveries of key regulators of the cell cycle’.
  • Harold Pinter (1930–2008)
    Playwright. Honorary Doctor of Letters, University of Bristol, 1998.
    The Nobel Prize for Literature 2005 was awarded to Harold Pinter, ‘who in his plays uncovers the precipice under everyday prattle and forces entry into oppression's closed rooms’.
  • Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio (b.1940)
    Writer. Studied English at Bristol, 1958-9.
    The Nobel Prize for Literature 2008 was awarded to Le Clézio, ‘author of new departures, poetic adventure and sensual ecstasy, explorer of a humanity beyond and below the reigning civilization’.
  • Angus Deaton (b.1945)
    Professor of Econometrics at Bristol from 1976 until 1983.
    The Nobel Prize in Economics 2015 was awarded to Angus Deaton 'for his analysis of consumption, poverty, and welfare'.

Fellows of the Academy of Social Sciences

  • Sarah Ayres, Professor of Public Policy and Governance, School of Policy Studies
  • Jonathan Beaverstock, Professor of International Management, School of Economics, Finance and Management
  • Roger Burrows, Professor in Global Inequalities, School of Policy Studies
  • Terrell Carver, Professor of Political Theory, School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies
  • Sarah Childs, Professor of Politics and Gender, School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies
  • Michelle Cini, Professor of European Politics, School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies
  • Joanne Conaghan, Professor of Law, University of Bristol Law School
  • David Cowan, Professor of Law and Policy, University of Bristol Law School
  • Michael Crossley, Professor of Comparative and International Education, School of Education
  • Jenny Donovan, Professor of Social Medicine, Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences
  • Keri Facer, Professor of Educational and Social Futures, School of Education
  • Paula Giliker, Professor of Comparative Law, University of Bristol Law School
  • Steven Greer, Professor of Human Rights, University of Bristol Law School
  • Richard Harris, Professor of Quantitative Social Geography, School of Geographical Sciences
  • Professor Marianne Hester OBE, Chair in Gender, Violence and International Policy, School for Policy Studies
  • Misa Izuhara, Professor of Social Policy, School of Policy Studies
  • Kelvyn Jones, Professor of Human Quantitative Geography, School of Geographical Sciences
  • Helen Lambert, Professor of Medical Anthropology, Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences
  • Stewart Lansley, Visiting Fellow in the School of Policy Studies
  • Professor Stephan Lewandowsky, Chair in Cognitive Psychology, School of Experimental Psychology and the Cabot Institute
  • Liz Lloyd, Professor of Social Gerontology, School of Policy Studies
  • Morag McDermont, Professor of Socio-Legal Studies, University of Bristol Law School
  • Roger Middleton, Professor of the History of Political Economy, Department of History (Historical Studies)
  • Tariq Modood, Professor of Sociology, Politics and Public Policy, School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies
  • Susan Parnell, Professor of Human Geography, School of Geographical Sciences
  • Professor Jonathan Rigg, Chair in Human Geography, School of Geographical Sciences
  • Sally Sheldon, Professor of Law, University of Bristol Law School
  • Dale Southerton, Professor in Sociology of Consumption and Organisation, School of Management
  • Professor Judith Squires, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost
  • Leon Tikly, Professor in Education, School of Education
  • Ian Tonks, Professor of Finance, School of Accounting and Finance
  • Lucy Yardley, Professor of Health Psychology , School of Psychological Science

Emeritus:

  • Bernard Alford, Emeritus Professor of Economic and Social History, Department of History (Historical Studies)
  • Patricia Broadfoot, Emeritus Professor of Education, School of Education
  • Malcolm Johnson, Emeritus Professor of Health and Social Policy, School for Policy Studies
  • Hilary Land, Emeritus Professor of Family Policy and Child Welfare, School for Policy Studies
  • Judith Masson, Emeritus Professor of Socio-Legal Studies, University of Bristol Law School
  • Gregor McLennan, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies
  • Martin Partington, Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Bristol Law School
  • Elliot Stern, Emeritus Professor of Evaluation Research, School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies

Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences

Academy of Medical Sciences logo
  • Gianni Angelini, British Heart Foundation (BHF) Professor of Cardiac Surgery and Director, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences
  • David Anstee, Professor and Visiting Fellow, School of Biochemistry
  • Imre Berger, Director Max Planck Bristol Centre, Professor of Biochemistry. School of Biochemistry
  • Jane Blazeby, Professor of Surgery, Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences
  • Graham Collingridge, Professor of Neuroscience in Anatomy, School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience
  • Peter Cullen, Professor of Biochemistry, School of Biochemistry
  • George Davey Smith, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology, Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences
  • Andrew Dick, Professor of Ophthalmology, Schools of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Clinical Sciences
  • Jenny Donovan, Professor of Social Medicine, Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences
  • David Gunnell, Professor of Epidemiology, Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences
  • Jeremy Henley, Professor of Molecular Neuroscience, School of Biochemistry
  • Professor John Iredale, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Health and Life Sciences
  • Deborah Lawlor, Professor of Epidemiology, Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences
  • Stafford Lightman, Professor of Medicine, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences
  • David Lodge, Professor and Visiting Fellow, School of Physiology and Pharmacology
  • Paul Martin, Professor of Cell Biology in the Schools of Biochemistry and Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience
  • Sir Paul Nurse, Chancellor of the University of Bristol
  • Timothy Peters, Professor of Primary Care Health Services Research, Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences
  • Athimalaipet Ramanan, Professor of Paediatric Rheumatology, Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences
  • Anne Ridley, Professor and Head of the School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine
  • Jonathan Sterne, Professor of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences

Emeritus:

  • Dick Denton, Emeritus Professor of Biochemistry, School of Biochemistry
  • Jean Golding, Emeritus Professor of Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences
  • Andrew Halestrap, Emeritus Professor of Biochemistry, School of Biochemistry
  • Jonathan Sandy, Emeritus Professor of Orthodontics, Bristol Dental School
  • Sir Eric Thomas, Emeritus Professor (Vice-Chancellor 2001-2015)
  • Jeffrey Watkins, Emeritus Professor of Pharmacology, School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience

Fellows of the British Academy

British Academy logo
  • Simon Burgess, Professor of Economics, School of Economics
  • Robert Bickers, Professor of History, Department of History (Historical Studies) and Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor for Postgraduate Research
  • Joanne Conaghan, Professor of Law, Bristol Law School
  • David Gordon, Professor of Social Justice, School of Policy Studies
  • Ronald Hutton, Professor of History, Department of History (Historical Studies)
  • Robert Mayhew, Professor of Historical Geography and Intellectual History, School of Geographical Sciences
  • Tariq Modood, Professor of Sociology, Politics and Public Policy, School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies
  • Sir Paul Nurse, Chancellor of the University of Bristol
  • Samir Okasha, Professor of Philosophy of Science, Department of Philosophy
  • Dorothy Price, Professor of History of Art, Department of History of Art (Historical Studies)
  • Carol Propper, Professor and Research Fellow, School of Economics, Finance and Management
  • Tony Prosser, Professor of Public Law, University of Bristol Law School 
  • Professor Jonathan Rigg, Chair in Human Geography, School of Geographical Sciences

Emeritus:

  • Stephen Bann, Emeritus Professor and Research Fellow in History of Art, Department of History of Arts (Historical Studies)
  • Gillian Clark, Emeritus Professor and Senior Research Fellow of Classics and Ancient History, Department of Classics and Ancient History
  • William Doyle, Emeritus Professor and Senior Research Fellow in History, Department of History (Historical Studies)
  • Robert Fowler, Henry Overton Wills Emeritus Professor of Greek, Department of Classics and Ancient History
  • Peter Haggett, Emeritus Professor in Urban and Regional Geography and Senior Research Fellow in Geographical Sciences, School of Geographical Sciences
  • Kelvyn Jones, EmeritusProfessor of Human Quantitative Geography, School of Geographical Sciences
  • Richard Little, Emeritus Professor, School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies
  • Peter Warren, Emeritus Professor and Senior Research Fellow in Archaeology, Department of Archaeology and Anthropology  
  • William Drury, Visiting Professor of Innovation, School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering
  • Peter Flewitt, Visiting Professor in Interface Analysis Centre, School of Physics
  • David Knowles, Professor of Nuclear Engineering/Director (Engineering) of South West Hub, School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering
  • David Quarton, Visiting Professor, School of Civil, Aerospace and Design Engineering
  • Michael Wisnom, Professor of Aerospace Structures, School of Civil, Aerospace and Design Engineering

Emeritus:

  • David Blockley, Emeritus Professor of Civil Engineering, School of Civil, Aerospace and Design Engineering
  • Patrick Godfrey, Emeritus Professor of Systems Engineering, School of Civil, Aerospace and Design Engineering
  • David May, Emeritus Professor of Computer Science, School of Computer Science
  • Joseph McGeehan, Emeritus Professor of Communications Engineering, School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering
    David Quarton, Visiting Professor, School of Civil, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
  • David Muir Wood, Emeritus Professor of Civil Engineering, School of Civil, Aerospace and Design Engineering

Fellows of the Royal Society

Royal Society Academy logo
  • Varinder Aggarwal, Professor in the School of Chemistry
  • Mike Ashfold, Professor of Physical Chemistry, School of Chemistry
  • Paul Bates, Professor of Hydrology, School of Geographical Sciences
  • Michael Benton, Professor of Vertebrate Palaeontology, School of Earth Sciences
  • Katharine Cashman, Professor of Volcanology, School of Earth Sciences 
  • George Davey Smith, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology, Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences
  • Philip Donoghue, Professor of Palaeobiology, School of Earth Sciences
  • Tim Elliott, Professor in the School of Earth Sciences
  • Richard Evershed, Professor of Biogeochemistry, School of Chemistry
  • Stafford Lightman, Professor of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences
  • David Lodge, Professor and Visiting Research Fellow, School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience
  • Stephen Mann, Professor of Chemistry, School of Chemistry
  • Jens Marklof, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Professor of Mathematical Physics, School of Mathematics
  • Jane Memmott, Professor of Ecology, School of Biological Sciences
  • Sir Paul Nurse, Chancellor of the University of Bristol
  • Andrew Orr-Ewing, Professor in the School of Chemistry
  • Sandu Popescu, Professor of Physics, School of Physics
  • John Rarity, Professor of Optical Communications Systems, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • Anne Ridley, Professor and Head of the School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine

Emeritus:

  • Sir Michael Berry, Emeritus Professor and Senior Research Fellow in Physics, School of Physics
  • Malcolm Brown, Emeritus Professor of Anatomy, School of Physiology and Pharmacology
  • Dick Denton, Emeritus Professor and Senior Research Fellow in Biochemistry, School of Biochemistry
  • Sir Anthony Epstein, Emeritus Professor of Pathology, School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine
  • Bob Evans, Emeritus Professor and Senior Research Fellow in Physics, School of Physics
  • Peter Green, Emeritus Professor of Statistics and Professorial Research Fellow, School of Mathematics
  • Stephen Halford, Emeritus Professor, School of Biochemistry
  • Christopher Hawkesworth, Emeritus Professor and Senior Research Fellow in Earth Sciences, School of Earth Sciences
  • Alasdair Houston, Emeritus Professor of Theoretical Biology, School of Biological Sciences
  • Sir John Kingman, Vice-Chancellor 1985-2001 
  • Anthony Legon, Emeritus Professor and Senior Research Fellow of Physical Chemistry, School of Chemistry
  • James Maxwell, Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, School of Chemistry
  • David May, Emeritus Professor of Computer Science, Department of Computer Science
  • John McNamara, Professor of Mathematics and Biology, School of Mathematics
  • Mervyn Miles, Professor of Physics (Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award Holder), School of Physics
  • Alan Roberts, Emeritus Professor, School of Biological Sciences
  • Bernard Silverman, Emeritus Professor, School of Mathematics
  • Tom Simpson, Emeritus Professor Senior Research Fellow in Chemistry, School of Chemistry
  • Sir Stephen Sparks, Emeritus Professor, School of Earth Sciences
  • John Steeds, Emeritus Professor of Physics, School of Physics
  • Anthony Walsby, Emeritus Professor of Microbiology, School of Biological Sciences
  • Jeffrey Watkins, Emeritus Professor of Pharmacology, School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience

National Academy of Sciences

  • Katharine Cashman, Professor of Volcanology, School of Earth Sciences

Emeritus:

  • Sir Michael Berry, Emeritus Professor and Senior Research Fellow in Physics, School of Physics
  • Peter Haggett, Emeritus Professor in Urban and Regional Geography and Senior Research Fellow in Geographical Sciences, School of Geographical Sciences

Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher Education

The Queen's Anniversary Prizes logo, select to go to the website.

The University of Bristol has been awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher Education - the highest accolade for any academic institution – in recognition of its leading-edge research in obstetric and neonatal practice, which has made a positive difference to mothers and babies throughout the world and for its world-leading research in volcanology, which has been applied across the globe to reduce a variety of risks posed by active volcanism.

Vetlesen Prize

  • Sir Stephen Sparks, Emeritus Professor, School of Earth Sciences
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