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University of Reading

Queen's Birthday Honours recognition for members of the University

Monday, 17 June 2013

Christine Williams

Professor Christine Williams OBE

The University of Reading is delighted that Professor Christine Williams, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at the University, has been awarded an OBE for services to higher education and nutritional science in the Queen's Birthday Honours, announced on 15 June 2013.

Professor Williams is a distinguished scientist with a research career dedicated to improving understanding of the impact of dietary fats on human health, particularly in relation to heart disease and insulin resistance. She is a member of the University's senior management team and has overall responsibility for the leadership of the University's research and innovation strategy.

Professor Williams was appointed the first Hugh Sinclair Professor of Nutrition at the University of Reading in 1995. She has subsequently served as the Head of the School of Food Biosciences, Dean of Life Sciences and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Enterprise) before taking up her current role as Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) in 2010. 

Professor Williams is frequently involved in providing advice to government and industry on matters relating to dietary policy and actively engages in dissemination of nutritional science to the public.

In 1999 she was awarded the Royal Society of Medicine Gold Medal in Nutrition for her contribution to scholarship and education in nutrition. She has also been President of the UK Nutrition Society, Chair of the BBSRC Agri-Food Committee, and she is currently Vice President of the British Nutrition Foundation.

The University is also delighted that Mrs Muriel Anstey Hirst has been awarded a MBE for services to the University of Reading. Mrs Hirst has been associated with the University of Reading for more than 40 years, firstly as an administrative member of staff and then as wife of the late Wallace Hirst, a Professor in Engineering. On his retirement, they initiated an annual scholarship enabling students from the developing world to study for a Master's degree in either agriculture & development or in renewable energy. 

Mrs Hirst has developed this programme since her husband's death in 1997 and in 2010 endowed the fund permanently to ensure a full scholarship and stipend will be available to future generations.