A message from the Head of Development and Alumni Relations
Once again, we at Bangor University are preparing ourselves for a week of graduation ceremonies at the beginning of July. During 10 ceremonies, around 2,000 students will receive their degrees in Prichard-Jones Hall in front of their families, friends and classmates. We’re also looking forward to recognising the outstanding achievements of ten individuals – five of whom are Bangor alumni – by awarding Honorary Degrees during each ceremony.
This is of course a very important part of the Development and Alumni Relations Office’s year – where we welcome a new cohort of alumni into our network. The team always have a great week speaking to graduands and hearing about their time here as students and their plans for the future. It’s such a happy week and we can’t wait!
Keep an eye on our LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram pages to see photos and stories of our new graduates and Honorary Degree recipients from the 6th July.
Best wishes,
Emma Marshall
Head of Development and Alumni Relations
BANGOR UNIVERSITY NEWS
King's Birthday Honours for Alumni
Congratulations to four of our alumni who were among those honoured in the King's Birthday Honours list for 2026:
Alison Field (left), President of the Royal Forestry Society, has been awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to forestry. She graduated with a BSc in Forestry in 1978 and was awarded a Bangor University Honorary Degree for public service in 2025.
Claire Vincent has been awarded an MBE for services to marine science and to women in science. She completed a BSc in Marine Biology in 1988 and an MSc in Marine Biology in 1990 and is Deputy Director in the Marine and Fisheries Division at the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.
Timothy Hall FICFor, a BSc Forestry graduate (1990), also received an OBE for services to conservation and forestry. He was the Head of Estates and Programmes at Woodland Trust Scotland for 30 years and is a Trustee of the Borders Forest Trust.
Professor Graham Baldwin has been awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to higher education. He completed a PhD in Exercise Physiology in 2003 and is currently Vice-Chancellor at the University of Central Lancashire.
Bangor Fund Spring Telethon update
The Development and Alumni Relations Office is pleased to share the successful conclusion of the Bangor Fund Spring Telethon campaign, with our student calling team achieving great results whilst engaging alumni and reconnecting them with their alma mater.
We thank the many alumni who have pledged a further £52,000 to the Bangor Fund over the next five years. These contributions will directly enhance the student experience by supporting bursaries, scholarships, field trips, employability initiatives, wellbeing activities, sustainable projects and initiatives that preserve Welsh language and culture. This funding provides both vital support and an added margin of excellence to the student experience across the University.
Persida Chung, Development Officer, said: “The Telethon not only enriches the student experience but also creates a meaningful platform for our students to connect with alumni. These conversations strengthen the wider University community and offer students insight, encouragement, and real-world perspectives from those who have shared similar paths. We appreciate and value our alumni and honorary fellows who shared their journeys, experiences, and advice - support that are invaluable as our students prepare to make important decisions about their futures”.
For further information about the telethon campaign, click here.
Thank you again to those of you who donate!
Alumni donations support Student-led Employability Working Group
The Bangor Fund has enabled the School of Environmental and Natural Sciences to support a series of innovative, student-led initiatives through its Student-led Employability Working Group.
The funding supported two projects designed to enhance employability, develop practical skills, and strengthen community engagement among students.
The first focused on community engagement in partnership with the Anglesey Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the second activity supported the launch of a student-led podcast series, with funding used to purchase professional recording equipment. Seven students are currently developing the series with input from alumni, with a wider launch planned for September 2027.
The Bangor Fund is made up of alumni donations and is administered by the Development and Alumni Relations Office. Its primary purpose is to add value to the student experience.
Santander X Bangor University Graduate Entrepreneurship Fund 2026
Bangor University, in partnership with Santander Universities, is offering three £5,000 grants to support alumni entrepreneurs in growing their start-up businesses.
Who can apply?
You are eligible if you:
o Graduated from Bangor University
o Have launched a UK-based start-up
o Generate less than £250,000 in annual revenue
o Employ fewer than 25 staff
What can the funding be used for?
We want to hear about the difference this money could make for you and your start-up. For example, the grant could be used for:
o Marketing Activities
o Digital development
o Training
o Attendance at promotional events
Apply now! Submit your application via the Santander X platform by Friday, 17 July 2026.
Alumni Reunion at the National Eisteddfod of Wales
We are thrilled to introduce Emyr Afan (Welsh, 1985), a BAFTA-winning TV executive producer, multi-camera director, and creative leader as our guest speaker during our alumni reunion at the National Eisteddfod of Wales.
Emyr, an OBE recipient in 2024 and Cardiff’s Business of the Year in 2023, is also Entrepreneur of the Year (2024). Recently appointed Business Ambassador for Wales Air Ambulance, he is a green innovator, winning a national innovation award recently for his battery system called Nessa. As CEO of Afanti Media - one of Wales’s most successful and long-standing production companies - he also chairs youth music charities and represents Wales on PACT. He will share how his time in Bangor helped shape his journey to becoming a leading figure in Welsh business and innovation.
The annual reunion will be held at 1.30pm on Wednesday, 5 August on the Bangor University stand at the National Eisteddfod of Wales in Llantwd, North Pembrokeshire.
London Bangorians meet-ups
Since 1901, London Bangorians have been meeting up to reminisce about their days in beautiful North Wales, make new friends and visit interesting places.
The alumni group is still going 125 years later, with plenty of events coming up in 2026 – and they would be delighted to welcome new members.
Their next meet-up is an informal pub night on July 1 from 7pm at their regular haunt, Mabel’s Tavern. Just turn up if you can and look for the table with a red London Bangorians sign.
The group are also organising Saturday trips to Rochester and Twickenham later in the year and will be adding more events to their calendar soon.
London Bangorians is open to all Bangor graduates (members contribute £20 a year to cover AGM venue hire and other costs). For more information, please email James Tute on londonbangorians@gmail.com or visit their website.
They hope to see you soon!
John Shrigley Psychology of Arts Seminar Series
We had a wonderful evening to launch our new public lecture series on the 27th of May! Dr Rebecca Chamberlain from Goldsmiths, University of London, gave a fascinating inaugural talk on the psychology of drawing, exploring what the act of drawing can reveal about both art and the artists behind it.
The lecture series has been made possible by a generous legacy donation from John Shrigley, an alumnus of Bangor's School of Psychology (1974). A huge thank you to the Shrigley family for making this possible!
Dr Chamberlain was hosted by Dr Awel Vaughan-Evans, Reader in Psychology here at Bangor, who leads the popular third-year module "Beauty and the Brain". We’re looking forward to seeing what the rest of this series has in store!
Alumna wins Bobi Jones Medal at Urdd Eisteddfod
Bangor University alumna Katie Baddiley (Psychology, 2023) has been awarded the prestigious Bobi Jones Medal (19–25 years old) at Eisteddfod yr Urdd Ynys Môn 2026.
The Bobi Jones Medal is awarded to an individual aged 19-25 who demonstrates their use of the Welsh language on a day-to-day basis by answering questions about their reasons for learning the language, the impact learning Welsh has had on their lives, and their hopes for the future.
Katie is originally from Nottingham and moved to Bangor in 2020 to study Psychology. She began learning Welsh in 2023 after joining the police. She is a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) who works in Dyffryn Nantlle and now lives her whole life through the medium of Welsh and is keen to help other learners on their own journeys.
Katie said, “I feel strongly that anyone working with the public in a Welsh-speaking area should show respect by making the effort to learn and to speak Welsh within that community. I’ve been fortunate enough to attend a course at Nant Gwrtheyrn and to be given learning opportunities through my work. I enjoy singing in Welsh with the North Wales Police Choir. One day I would love to raise children who are fluent in Welsh and perhaps even write a column in Welsh for my local community paper!”
Well done Katie!
Alumni panel highlights career pathways and emerging skills
Students studying linguistics, English language and bilingualism recently took part in a careers and employability event recently to highlight the wide range of career routes open to graduates.
The event brought together current students and alumni working across business, public sector communications and language technology. A panel discussion featured alumni Georgina Merckel (Linguistics, 2018), Business Operations Consultant and founder of Stiwdio North Wales; Laura Czerwinska (English Language & English Literature, 2019), Communications Officer at Healthcare Inspectorate Wales; and Albert Ventayol (Cognitive Linguistics, 2015), Language Engineer working with Meta.
Speakers reflected on their career journeys and the relevance of core skills developed through language study, including communication, critical thinking and multilingual awareness. The panel also explored the growing influence of artificial intelligence and language technologies, giving students insight into how these tools are shaping current practice and future opportunities across sectors.
Following the panel, students completed a short reflective skills activity before taking part in informal networking with the speakers. This provided space for one‑to‑one conversations, questions and practical advice.
Bangor University enters UK top 50 in Complete University Guide 2027
The 2027 Complete University Guide results for Bangor University have been published, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s recent progress. Bangor has risen six places, from 55 to 49 (out of 130) in the Complete University Guide league table.
This strong performance reflects improvement across a number of key measures used in the rankings, with the University’s overall score having increased by 7%, supported by better student continuation rates, improved staff-to-student ratios, and higher levels of student satisfaction.
Bangor University has also been named the top university in Wales in the 2027 University Compare Rankings for the second year running. The University continues to perform strongly at a national level, ranking 17th in the UK and maintaining its place within the top 20 universities across the country. This reflects sustained strength across key areas of the student experience.
University climbs higher for sustainability in QS World Rankings
The University has climbed even higher for Sustainability in QS World University Rankings 2027.
Strong performances were seen across a number of indicators, including Sustainability which saw the University jump by 12 places to position 183 in the world. Overall, the University attained a global rank of 567 and came in at position 52 in the United Kingdom.
Work begins on second M-SParc building
Work has officially begun on the second building at Bangor University’s Science Park, M-SParc, marking a major milestone for North Wales’ growing innovation economy. The new Egni development will expand the park's capacity to support businesses, researchers and innovators working across low carbon energy and advanced technologies.
The new building, being delivered by Wynne Construction, is expected to be completed by summer 2027. It will provide high-quality office, laboratory and workshop space, alongside dedicated facilities for collaboration, skills development and community engagement.
University), Professor Edmund Burke, Dr Debbie Jones (M-SParc), Janet Owen Jones (Welsh
Government), Professor Paul Spencer (Bangor University), Alwen Williams (Ambition North Wales),
Graham Dixon (Wynne Construction), Simon Morton (Wynne Construction), Dylan J. Williams
(Isle of Anglesey County Council)
Bangor academic named among UK's environmental power players
Professor Christian Dunn, a wetland scientist and Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Sustainability at the University, has been named as one of the 100 most influential environmental professionals in the UK.
The prestigious ENDS Report recognises the top environmental professionals who have made the greatest impact in the sector over the past two years.
Professor Dunn, from the School of Environmental and Natural Sciences at Bangor University, was named as one of the top 10 academics in the list for his work on wetland science and Nature-based Solutions. His work was highlighted for “shaping environmental science” in the UK.
Academic elected as Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences
Professor Dyfrig Hughes, Professor of Pharmacoeconomics at North Wales Medical School, has been elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences.
One of 60 new Fellows, Professor Hughes has been elected for his influential work in health technology assessment and medication adherence, which has helped shape healthcare policy across the nations of the UK.
