Professor Douglas Paul was awarded an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2025 King’s New Year Honours for services to quantum technology research.

Professor Paul currently holds a Royal Academy of Engineering Research Chair in Emerging Technologies in the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering. He previously held an EPSRC Quantum Technology Fellowship, awarded to provide leadership for the UK Quantum Technology Programme, and an EPSRC Advanced Research Fellowship at the University of Cambridge. He was the first Director of the  James Watt Nanofabrication Centre and is the Principal Investigator of QEPNT, the UK Hub for Quantum Enabled Position, Navigation & Timing.

Speaking about the award, Professor Paul said: “I am honoured to have received an OBE in the New Year Honours list. The recognition of my services to quantum technologies research would not have been possible without all my collaborators and those who have supported my career.”

Among the members of the University community recognised in the New Year Honours were Chris Stark, Honorary Professor in the University’s Centre for Public Policy and former chief executive of the UK’s Climate Change Committee, who was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for services to Tackling Climate Change

Graduate of the University and current Director General of MI5, Sir Ken McCallum, received a Knighthood within the Order of the Bath for public service. 

The full list of members of the University community who have been honoured in 2025:

  • Gillian Elizabeth Mary Dunion (Gillian Docherty) OBE FRSE awarded Commander of the Order of the British Empire. She is the Chief Commercial Officer, University of Strathclyde. For services to Business and Technology UofG: BSc 1993

  • Beatrice Rowlatt (Bee Rowlatt) was awarded Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to the Promotion of Women's Rights and Women's Cultural Contributions. She is a trustee of the Wollstonecraft Society. UofG: MA 1997

  • Jacqueline Weir (Jackie Bird) Journalist and Presenter was awarded Member of the Order of the British Empire. For services to Broadcasting and to Charities in Scotland. UofG: DLitt 2012.

  • Professor Sir Leszek Krzysztof Borysiewicz, FRS FRCP FMedSci Lately Chair, Cancer Research UK. He was awarded Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire For services to Cancer Research, to Clinical Research, to Medicine and to Charities. UofG: DSc2011

  • Christopher Alan Stark, Chief Executive, Climate Change Committee. He was awarded Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to Tackling Climate Change UofG: BFLS 2002
  • Professor Richard Eric SUSSKIND OBE KC FRSE Lately Technology Advisor to the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales. He was awarded Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to Information Technology and to the Law. UofG: LLB 1982, PhD 1986

  • Ian Lamont Cosh, Assistant Chief Officer, Greater Manchester Police. He was awarded Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to Policing. UofG: MA 1985

  • Douglas John Paul FRSE, Professor of Semiconductor Devices, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow. He was awarded Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to Quantum Technologies Research

  • William Bain Lumsden, Director of Distilling, Whisky Creation and Whisky Stocks, The Glenmorangie Company. He was awarded Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to the Scotch Whisky Industry. UofG: BSc1983

  • Professor Melissa Terris was awarded Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to Digital Humanities. UofG: MA, MSc
     
  • Shirley Joyce Maxwell was awarded Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to the Epilepsy Community in Scotland. UofG: MA 1981
  • Brian Patrick Murphy, Lately Consultant Cardiologist, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. He was awarded Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to Heart Failure Therapies and to People with Motor Neurone Disease. UofG: BSc 1994, MBChB 1997

  • Stephen Hugh Neilson, Chair, British Handball. He was awarded Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to Handball. UofG: BEng 1987

  • William Macfarlane Lawson, Genealogist. He was awarded Medal of the Order of the British Empire for services to the community in the Western Isles. UofG: BL 1960 

  • Imtiaz Dharker, Poet, Artist and Video Film-Maker. She was awarded Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to the Arts. UofG: MA 1971

  • Alison Bunce, Founder Compassionate Inverclyde. She was awarded Medal of the Order of the British Empire for services to the community in Inverclyde. UofG: PgDip 1999, MSc (Med Sci) 2004. 

  • Stuart McKenzie, Volunteer. He was awarded Medal of the Order of the British Empire for services to the community in Pollokshields and Glasgow. UofG: BSc 1993

  • Sir Ken McCallum Director General, MI5. He was awarded Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath for public service. UofG: BSc 1996

  • Estelle Marilyn, The Lady Wolfson of Marylebone was awarded Officer of the Order of the British Empire. For services to Medical Research and to the Arts for services to Further Education.

Overseas Awards:

  • Eleanor Sharpston KC awarded Order of St Michael and St George (Dame Commander). She is the Yorke Distinguished Visiting Fellow: lately Arthur Goodhart Visiting Professor in Legal Science; formerly Advocate General, European Court of Justice. For services to Justice and to the Education of Law in the UK and Europe. UofG: Hon LLD 2010

  • Sandy Moss awarded Order of the British Empire (Officer). He is UK Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe, Strasbourg. For services to British Foreign Policy. UofG: Diploma in Legal Practice 1998

  • Martin Murray awarded Order of the British Empire (Officer). He is Chair and Trustee, Indochina Starfish Foundation and Fundraiser for My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. For services to Charity. UofG BAcc 1988

First published: 9 January 2025

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