Dame Wendy Hall is Regius Professor of Computer Science, Associate Vice President (International Engagement), and is an Executive Director of the Web Science Institute at the University of Southampton.
She is well known for her development of the Microcosm hypermedia system in the mid-1980s, which was a forerunner to the World Wide Web. With Sir Tim Berners-Lee and Sir Nigel Shadbolt, Dame Wendy co-founded the Web Science Research Initiative in 2006 and is the Managing Director of the Web Science Trust, which has a global mission to support the development of research, education and thought leadership in Web Science.
She became a Dame Commander of the British Empire in the 2009 UK New Year's Honours list and is a Fellow of the Royal Society. She was co-Chair of the UK government’s Artificial Intelligence Review, is the UK government’s first Skills Champion for AI and is Chair of the Ada Lovelace Institute.
Dame Wendy will be presented with her award on Wednesday 14 December, 10.30am.
Best-selling author, Broadcaster and Neuroscience Presenter, Dr Hannah Critchlow has a passion for demystifying the human brain.
After graduating from Brunel in 2003 with a First-Class Honours BSc in Cell and Molecular Biology, Hannah started working as a Nursing Assistant at St Andrews Psychiatric Hospital. Her eye-opening experiences working on the ward inspired her to pursue a career in neuroscience and her desire to educate the public.
In 2013 Cambridge University named Hannah among the most ‘inspirational and successful women in science’. The following year, the Science Council named her a Top 100 UK scientist for her work in science communication.
Hannah still shares her love of science through a busy public speaking schedule. Her ability to engage audiences is exceptional.
Hannah will be presented with her award on Wednesday 14 December, 3.30pm.
Charity consultant Sue trained as a counsellor for young people aged 19. Quite the storyteller, Sue has a flair for giving society’s most marginalised people a voice. Starting out as a detached youth worker in Hillingdon and supporting sex workers on the streets of Moss Side Manchester, she has spent 24 years working in charities, social enterprises and Education.
Sue first worked with Brunel Volunteers in 2016. She was trying to promote The Trinity Big Sleep Out on campus. She supported several students to sleep out to raise money that year making Trinity Brunel’s charity of the year. Several years later, Sue is still supporting Brunel students to volunteer.
Susan will be presented with her award on Thursday 15 December, 3.30pm.
Former drama teacher turned comedian, Greg Davies studied English and Drama at Brunel and has been a fixture on stage and screen for more than 20 years.
He is best known for playing ruthless Head of Sixth Form, Mr Gilbert, in The Inbetweeners and as writer, creator and star of Man Down. His leading role in all five series of Cuckoo earned him a BAFTA nomination, and his most recent credits include being creator, writer and star of the sitcom The Cleaner.
Since 2015 Greg has been the host of BAFTA-winning hit TV show Taskmaster, alongside the show's creator Alex Horne. He hosted the 2018 Royal Variety Performance Gala, performing in front of HRH The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the London Palladium, watched by more than 150 million viewers worldwide. His 2018 stand-up show You Magnificent Beast was recorded and released as a Netflix Special, and two of his shows have been nominated for Edinburgh Comedy Awards.
Greg will be presented with his award on Thursday 15 December, 3.30pm.
Mike Gooley is a former SAS Officer who founded the Trailfinders travel company in October 1970, the largest independently owned travel company in the UK.
Named Entrepreneur of the Year in the Consumer Services category at the inaugural EY National Entrepreneur of the Year awards in December 1999, in 2006 Mike was appointed a CBE for his services to the Travel Industry and to charity, and in 2018 The Sunday Times Rich List named him as the UK's 21st most generous giver to charity.
Gooley is the owner of Ealing trailfinders Rugby Club which in partnership with Brunel offers talented rugby players scholarships designed to offer a bespoke professional training environment for Brunel rugby players whilst studying for a degree at the University.
Mike is sadly unavailable to attend graduation.