‘You first need to understand what your fellow human beings are up against and try to empathise’ Latif Ismail on global development

Posted on by Bailey Anastasiades

Latif Ismail poses in honorary graduate gown while holding degree. Professor Professor Judith Squires stands on the left and Professor Eric Herring stands on the right, both wearing ceremonial robes.

We were fortunate to speak with one of this year’s esteemed honorary graduates, Latif Ismail (MSc 2014, Hon LLD 2023), CEO of Transparency Solutions and Co-Director of Somali First. Somali First is a joint initiative of Transparency Solutions and the University of Bristol, launched in 2014 to promote Somali-led development through impartial facilitation, research and education.

Latif is also Managing Director of Horn Risk Management, Co-Investigator & Hub Leader of Transforming Education for Sustainable Futures. (more…)

From undergraduate to alum: A Bristol story

Posted on by Kathryn Pintus

Helen celebrates her graduation with a smile, as she stands outside the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, dressed in her cap and gown.

Recent graduate Helen (BA 2023) took on a Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Summer Internship, working in the University of Bristol’s Development and Alumni Relations Office (DARO). We caught up with her to hear about her internship experience, how she feels transitioning from graduate to alum, and her advice for current students.

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Eminent Historian and legacy pledger Professor Ronald Hutton on Bristol

Posted on by Clare

Professor Ronald Hutton, Department of History, University of Bristol

Ronald Hutton, Professor of History in Bristol’s Department of History, is a renowned and beloved academic and author of multiple books and publications. He is a leading authority on the history of the British Isles in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, on ancient and medieval paganism and magic, and on the global context of witchcraft beliefs.

Professor Hutton shares with us his views on Bristol, why it’s so important to him, and why he’s left a gift in his Will to the University. (more…)

‘Fail quickly and move on. And always cherish and celebrate your unsung heroes’: Jonathan de Pass on his unique career path

Posted on by Grace

Jonathan de Pass (MBChB 1979) graduated with a degree in Medicine in 1979. After working as a junior doctor, and a spell at business school, he joined an investment bank specialising in financing pharmaceutical and bioscience companies. In 1996 he founded Evaluate, a provider of data and intelligence to the bioscience industry which would become a market leader.

A recipient of an honorary graduate degree this year, Jonathan shares insights into his unique career path and his advice to those starting out today. (more…)

Watch our panel discussion, Bristol in Conversation: Our Natural World

Posted on by Bailey Anastasiades

This spring, we were honoured to host our first annual Bristol in Conversation event. It was an amazing opportunity for so many alumni and friends to make new connections and reconnect with old classmates, while hearing from two of our remarkable alumni speak about their careers in wildlife filmmaking. Dr Mike Gunton (BSc 1979), Creative Director of BBC Natural History, and Gillian Burke (BSc 1995), presenter of BBC Springwatch, offered insightful discussions on our changing world and how documentaries can help engage the public.

The event was held on campus, but for those of you unable to attend, we’ve put together a video featuring the most memorable moments. Click the video below to watch! (more…)

Bristol alumni recognised in 2023 Honours lists

Posted on by Bailey Anastasiades

Each year, the King’s Birthday Honours recognise a group of exceptional individuals, each of whom have made a positive and lasting contribution to society. This year, they were announced just after another set of awards, those of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Resignation Honours. These 19 outstanding Bristol alumni have been acknowledged for their services to health, environmental science, politics, education and more.

We admire their commitment to service and are exceedingly proud to showcase their achievements. (more…)

Lord Evans of Weardale, former Director General of MI5, on balancing security and ethics

Posted on by Bailey Anastasiades

A portrait of Lord Evans wearing a business suit, standing in an office setting

Lord Evans of Weardale KCB DL (BA 1980, Hon LLD 2008) is the former Director General of MI5, the British Security Service. He graduated from the University with a degree in Classical Studies before joining the Security Service in 1980, focusing on international and domestic counterterrorism. In 2001, he was appointed Director of the Service’s international counterterrorism work just ten days before the 9/11 attacks.  (more…)

‘I don’t know exactly what I want to do when I leave Bristol, but I do know that the Futures Scholarship is helping me get there’: Maja on her Futures Scholarship

Posted on by Kathryn Pintus

Futures Scholar Maja is smiling at the camera. She is wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and dark denim jacket, and is standing in front of a tree and a building with white pillars.

First-year Veterinary Nursing student Maja discusses the valuable experience she has gained and how her Futures Scholarship is helping her pursue her career ambitions.  (more…)

‘My scholarship has given me the space and the freedom to explore my path’: Chinelo on her Black Bristol Scholarship

Posted on by Bailey Anastasiades

University of Bristol student Chinelo Etiaba wears professional attire as she smiles, sitting in a garden with a stone wall behind her.

Chinelo is studying a Master’s by Research in Cellular and Molecular Medicine and accessed an Opportunity Bristol Scholarship through the Black Bristol Scholarship Programme.   (more…)

‘Having these funds means that I have more time to dedicate to my studies and career development’: Hind on her Futures Scholarship

Posted on by Kathryn Pintus

University of Bristol student Hind Almaqdisi is wearing a bright pink cardigan, standing in front of a stone wall and smiling off into the distance

Second-year Law student Hind talks about what having a Futures Scholarship means to her and how it has helped her studies.

(more…)