Queen's honours for staff

Two University staff members have been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Lesley Forrest, a Senior Administrative Assistant in Finance, and Jill Pilkington, a research associate with the School of Biological Sciences, both received MBEs.

Transplant ambassador

Mrs Forrest was awarded for voluntary service to transplant athletics.

The administrator, who received a kidney tranplant in 1996, has been a regular competitor and multiple medal winner in the British Transplant Games.

She has also played an active role in fundraising and raising awareness on behalf of the Games’ organising body, Transplant Sports UK.

In 2008, she received the University’s inaugural Principal’s Medal award.

Supporting science

This is a tremendous honour and a wonderful acknowledgement for the St Kilda study. I'm very proud to be involved in what has become one of the most significant scientific studies of its type.

Mrs Pilkington was awarded for services to science.

Mrs Pilkington is being honoured for her professional and personal commitment to a scientific study of wild Soay sheep on the island of St Kilda, in the Outer Hebrides.

Over the past 20 years, Mrs Pilkington has undertaken regular, lengthy trips to St Kilda to carry out her role in the programme.

Her contribution, which has taught hundreds of scientists how to handle and work with the wild animals, has helped shape the pioneering study.

Knighted

University of Edinburgh alumnus and IVF pioneer Sir Robert Edwards was also honoured.

He was knighted for services to human reproductive biology.