Usher Institute

Honorary degree for Dr Judith Mackay

[1 July 2016] Dr Judith Mackay has been awarded an honorary degree at this year's graduation ceremonies, in recognition of her life-long work for tobacco control internationally

The Usher Institute is  delighted that Dr Judith Mackay, MBChB, FRCP, who is well known within the Institute as a great friend and huge influence in the field of tobacco control, has been awarded the honorary degree of Doctor honoris causa at today at the University's graduation ceremonies, held in the Usher Hall. She was nominated through the Centre for Population Health Sciences (CPHS) and Usher Institute by Prof Amanda Amos and Prof Raj Bhopal, who delivered the laureation address.

Dr Mackay recieved an MBChB from the University of Edinburgh in 1966, later becoming a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh and London, and has directed the Asian Consultanct on Tobacco Control since she established it.

Currently, Dr Mackay is also the Senior Advisor for Tobacco Control at Vital Strategies (formerly known as the World Lung Foundation) and a Senior Policy Advisor within the World Health Organisation. In addition, she also holds professorships at the School of Public Health at the The University of Hong Kong and the School of Public Health and Primary Care at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. 

This is the second honorary degree in public health in recent years, with an honorary MD given to Professor John Last in 2003.

Judith Mackay (Wikipedia)

Vital Strategies

Laureation speech

Prof Bhopal presented the laureation address for Dr Mackay, and the text of his engaging speech is available below for download.