Bangor University professor awarded MBE – surprise message from Strictly winner
Julia Jones, Professor of conservation science at Bangor University, has been awarded an MBE for services to the Environment in King Charles III’s New Year’s Honours list.
Professor Jones was invited onto BBC Radio Wales to discuss the honour and was surprised by a recorded message from former student and Strictly Come Dancing winner Hamza Yassin, who offered his congratulations.
Hamza, the wildlife film maker and presenter who lifted the glitter ball trophy in 2022, said, “I just want to say a massive congratulations for your MBE. I can’t think of anyone more deserving. It’s a privilege and an honour to have been taught by you. From me, and all the other students you have taught throughout your time, I just want to say thank you, diolch yn fawr. Your hard work, your dedication and everything you do is just outstanding.”
Professor Jones is widely recognised for her work on improving the effectiveness of nature conservation by developing and applying methods to evaluate the impact of conservation policies and practices. She is committed to ensuring such research makes a real difference to practical conservation. Her past contributions include advising the RSPB and serving on the Darwin Expert Committee, which advises DEFRA on the Darwin Initiative - an important fund for biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation. She is currently a trustee of WWF-UK.
Professor Jones is also a strong advocate for environmental research in Wales. As director of the Low Carbon Energy and Environment Research Network Wales, she led the #SmallNationBigIdeas initiative to showcase Welsh science contributing to tackling climate change.
She currently serves on the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, the statutory advisor to the UK and devolved governments on UK-wide and international nature conservation issues. In this role, she co-chairs the Chief Scientists Group, which brings together the scientific leads from all the UK’s statutory nature conservation bodies.
Reflecting on the honour, Professor Jones said, “I am not often lost for words but when people ask what it feels like to have been named in the New Year Honours I am stumped. I know it is a cliché, but the truth is that it is truly humbling. These are difficult times: the interconnected climate and nature crisis are complex problems with no easy fix. But working with such brilliant colleagues and students at Bangor University and beyond gives me hope.”
Alongside her research and advisory roles, Professor Jones has played a significant part in shaping conservation education at Bangor University. She previously served as course director for the University’s conservation degrees and continues to teach on undergraduate and masters courses in Conservation and Land Management, GLOBE and Wildlife Conservation.
New Year's Honours for Bangor University community
Other members of the University community have also received honours. Among them is honorary graduate Mark Williams PLY, a former Paralympic swimmer and medallist, who was awarded an OBE. Mark received an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration from Bangor University in 2024. Mark transformed an idea for colourful prosthetic leg covers into an innovative business. Together with his wife Rachael, he founded LIMB-art, a company that instils pride in users’ prosthetics.
Alumni honoured included:
- Helen Glencross (Medieval and Early Modern History 2003) — MBE for services to heritage in Guernsey
- Sheena Harrison (Teacher Training 1990, Social Policy 1993, Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Social Work 1997) — BEM for services to Young People in Foster Care
- William Johnston (Theology 2003) — MBE for services to the Rail Workforce
- John Towers (History 1991) — MBE for services to Education
- Katy Woodington (Marine Biology 1998) — MBE for services to the Charitable and Energy Sectors