Bristol University is awarding honorary degrees to two prominent people at today’s degree ceremonies in the Wills Memorial Building [Monday, July 17].
Professor Michael Welch, neurological clinician, scientist, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Chicago, will be honoured with the degree of Doctor of Medicine at the 11.15 am ceremony.
After graduating with a medical degree from Bristol University’s School of Medicine, Michael spent his first clinical research post at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas. He then spent a year at the National Health and Medical Research Institute in Sydney, and later returned to Houston where he was appointed Director of the Division of Neurometabolism, then Chief of Service in 1976.
He later moved again to Detroit gaining the William T Gossett Chair in Neurology in 1981. In 1989 he was appointed Vice President of Academic Affairs at the Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, before moving again in 1999 to become President of the Research Institute at the University of Kansas Medical Centre.
An eminent neurologist and world-renowned researcher, his career has focused on the study of brain function in cerebrovascular disease, stroke and migraine. In 2002 Michael was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, then known as Finch University.
Rear-Admiral Nigel Guild, Chief Naval Engineer Officer, Ministry of Defence, will be honoured with the degree of Doctor of Engineering at the 2.30 pm ceremony.
Born in 1949 in Simonstown, South Africa, Nigel was educated at Bryanston School in Dorset. On leaving school he joined the Royal Navy, undertaking his initial training at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. He was then selected to study Mechanical Sciences at Cambridge University.
Following University, he served in HMS Hermes as a Weapons Section Officer and then as a Weapons Trials Officer, and was later selected to undertake an MSc at Bristol University.
Nigel served in various posts at the torpedo trials range, as Weapons Engineer Officer in HMS Euryalus, and then in Future Weapons Studies. After more senior posts in operational weapons engineering he was promoted Captain in 1990 and became Military Assistant to the Chief of Defence Procurement. In 1996 he was appointed Director Combat Systems and Equipment in what was then the Ministry of Defence.
In 2000 Nigel was promoted to Rear Admiral and became Controller of the Navy, responsible for the development and delivery of all new equipment projects for the Royal Navy.
Since 2004 Nigel also holds the title, Senior Responsible Owner (Carrier Strike Capability), taking responsibility for the concept development of the Royal Navy’s new large aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales and in addition holds the title of Chief Naval Engineer Officer.