Emeritus Professor Piers Chapman - Alumnus and internationally renowned marine chemist and oceanographer - for contribution to Public Service
Piers Chapman is an internationally respected marine chemist and oceanographer whose career spans research, leadership and global collaboration in ocean science. He graduated from Bangor University with a BSc in Chemistry in 1971 and later completed a PhD in Marine Biology in 1983, establishing a lifelong connection with the University. He has worked in the UK, South Africa and the Gulf of Mexico, publishing widely on marine chemistry, low oxygen regions and the use of chemical tracers in large scale oceanography. He held senior leadership roles at Texas A and M University, including Head of the Department of Oceanography, and directed major research programmes there and at Louisiana State University. Now Professor Emeritus, he returned to the UK in 2023, leaving a lasting international legacy in marine and coastal science.
Dr Elin Haf Davies - Welsh clinician, entrepreneur and advocate for children’s health - for contribution to Public Service
Dr Elin Haf Davies is a Welsh clinician scientist and entrepreneur recognised for transforming paediatric and rare disease research and clinical trials. Raised on a farm in Y Parc near Bala, she began her career as a children’s nurse at Great Ormond Street Hospital, where her commitment to improving care for seriously ill children was formed. She went on to study neuroscience and research methods, completing a PhD at University College London, and later worked at the European Medicines Agency supporting the introduction of EU paediatric Regulation. In 2015 she founded Aparito, a a med-tech company pioneering patient centred and decentralised clinical trials, particularly for rare disease communities. Aparito was acquired by Eli Lilly and Company in 2024. An accomplished adventurer and author, she has completed four major ocean crossings by oar and sail to raise funds for children’s health charities. Earlier this year, as co‑founder of Hyder Ventures, she partnered with Bangor University to deliver the first Hyder Hackathon, mentoring staff and students to develop innovative ventures addressing challenges in health and the environment.
Juno Dawson - Alumna and British author and screenwriter – for contribution to Welsh culture, language, music and the arts
Juno Dawson is a British author and screenwriter and a psychology graduate of Bangor University. After graduating, she began her career as a teacher before establishing herself as a leading voice in young adult fiction. Her debut novel Hollow Pike was followed by critically acclaimed and award-winning books including Say Her Name, Clean, Meat Market. Her adult debut, Her Majesty’s Royal Coven, became a No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller. Her writing is recognised for its imaginative storytelling and its sensitive exploration of identity, resilience and social justice. Juno’s non-fiction works, This Book is Gay and What’s the T?, are widely used as educational resources in schools, libraries and LGBTQ+ support organisations internationally. She is also a respected journalist, broadcaster, screenwriter and public advocate, whose work has had a lasting influence on inclusive education, representation and cultural understanding.
Atul Devani - Alumnus and successful technology entrepreneur and venture capital leader
A Bangor University alumnus, Atul Devani was awarded a first-class honours BSc Electronic Engineering degree in 1989. He has built a distinguished career as a technology entrepreneur, investor and board leader across telecommunications, software, digital health and venture capital. He founded United Clearing plc, a pioneering mobile communications business that floated on AIM and was later acquired and has held senior executive roles in global wireless and technology companies. He has also chaired and served on the boards of several London-listed Venture Capital Trusts, including his current role as Chair of Foresight Ventures VCT plc, supporting high-growth UK businesses. Atul served as an independent Member of Bangor University Council from 2020 to 2024 and remains closely connected to the University as a Director of M-SParc, the University’s science park, contributing to innovation, enterprise and economic development in North Wales.
Mair Wynn Hughes - alumna and one of Wales’s most prolific and beloved Welsh-language children’s authors - for contribution to Welsh culture, language, music and the arts
A former schoolteacher in Pentraeth, Ynys Môn, Mair Wynn Hughes began writing to address the lack of Welsh-language children’s books available to her pupils. She published her first book in 1967. In doing so, she created a substantial body of work, publishing more than 100 stories that have been enjoyed by generations of children at home and in school. The quality and appeal of her writing have been widely recognised. She won the Tir na n-Og Award, the oldest awards for children’s literature in Wales, on four occasions and received the Welsh Books Council Mary Vaughan Jones Award for children’s fiction in 2006. In 2021 her novel O’r Tywyllwch was republished in the Gorau’r Goreuon series, recognising its lasting literary value. Born and raised in Bryncir and educated here in Bangor at what was then Coleg Normal, she has lived and worked all her life in North Wales. In 2023, aged 92, Mair published her first novel for adults, Y Bocs Erstalwm, further extending a remarkable literary legacy.
Llion Jones - Welsh computer scientist and AI researcher – for outstanding scholarship and innovation
Llion Jones is a computer scientist whose research has had a profound influence on the development of modern artificial intelligence. He was one of eight Google engineers behind the landmark 2017 paper Attention Is All You Need, which introduced the Transformer deep learning model for natural language processing and now underpins many of today’s leading AI systems. After his time at Google, he co-founded Sakana AI in Tokyo, where he continues to lead innovative research into the future capabilities of artificial intelligence. Llion contributed to the Digidol 24 conference at M-SParc, Bangor University’s science park, and has shown a keen interest in the work of the University’s Canolfan Bedwyr Language Technologies team, particularly in the development of advanced language technologies for Welsh. His work has helped shape how artificial intelligence can reason, write and create, with impact felt worldwide, and reflects a combination of world leading research and ongoing engagement with Wales’s growing role in digital innovation.
Gwen Parry Jones OBE FREng – Alumna and a leading figure in the UK nuclear sector – for outstanding scholarship and innovation
Gwen Parry‑Jones is a Bangor University alumna, having completed an MA in Banking, Insurance and Finance in 1990, and is now a senior leader in the UK nuclear sector. Until September 2025, she was Chief Executive Officer of Great British Energy – Nuclear, having previously served as CEO of Magnox Ltd. Earlier in her career, she was Business Development Director at Horizon, leading work to develop new nuclear power stations at Wylfa and Oldbury. Gwen began her career in 1989 as a reactor physicist at Wylfa power station and progressed to senior management and Board roles at British Energy and EDF Energy in the UK and Canada. She was the first woman to serve as plant director of a UK civil nuclear power station at Sizewell B and later the first female station director at Heysham 1. Gwen is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics, an Honorary Fellow of the Nuclear Institute and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. Gwen is the Patron of women in Nuclear and was awarded an OBE for services to science and technology in 2015.
Professor Stephen G Riley - Clinician and national leader in medical education - for contribution to Public Service
Professor Stephen G Riley is a senior clinician and medical educator whose leadership has been instrumental in the development of the North Wales Medical School. As Head of the School of Medicine at Cardiff University, he has provided respected national leadership in medical education, championing equality, diversity and inclusion and guiding the School from Athena Swan Bronze to Silver. A practising clinician graduating and trained in Wales, Stephen, has a long-standing commitment to the NHS, social accountability and reducing health inequalities. He has been central to collaborative medical education developments between Cardiff and Bangor Universities since 2018, including Cardiff’s Clinical Apprenticeship in Rural Environments programme and the collaboration on the C21 North Wales curriculum. He now sits as the Chair of Medical Schools Council driving collaboration between the four nations Medical Schools, the NHS and Government in medical education and research. Through partnership with Welsh Government, Bangor University and international experts, he has helped shape an all-Wales approach to medical education with lasting impact for communities across Wales and beyond.
Philip Snow - Wildlife artist and author - for contribution to Welsh culture, language, music and the arts
Philip Snow is a highly respected wildlife artist and author who has contributed to wildlife art, conservation and public understanding of the natural world in Wales and beyond. Born in Cheshire, Philip has lived on Anglesey for over 40 years and has worked as a professional artist since the early 1980s. He has exhibited widely across the UK, including major venues in London and Wales, and his work is held in the Welsh National Collection, the National Library of Wales and the Welsh Assembly, as well as in many private collections including that of King Charles III. He has illustrated over 80 books and contributed to more than 200 publications, including major Collins guides. Philip has long supported conservation causes in Wales, including the Red Squirrel Conservation Initiative and Bangor University’s Treborth Botanic Garden. His work continues to inspire understanding and care for wildlife and landscapes.
Sir Terry Waite KCMG CBE - British humanitarian and author – for contribution to Public Service.
Sir Terry Waite KCMG CBE is a British humanitarian and author whose life and work reflect exceptional courage, compassion and commitment to service. He served for 22 years on the private staff of the Archbishop of Canterbury and became widely known for his work seeking the release of hostages in the Middle East. Captured during one such mission, he spent almost five years in solitary confinement, an experience that shaped his lifelong advocacy for those affected by conflict. Following his release, he co-founded Hostage International and helped establish Emmaus for the Homeless in the UK. Sir Terry has strong connections with Wales and Bangor University. In June 2025 he discussed his life, music and the arts with the Chair of the University’s Council ahead of the University’s performance of Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius, the first piece of music he heard after five years as a hostage. He is also a long‑standing contributor to Welsh cultural and civic life, including 15 years as President of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.
Summer Graduation will take place over five days, celebrating the achievements of students from across the University alongside these distinguished honorary graduates.