Alison Richard
Encyclopedia
Dame Alison Fettes Richard, DBE
, DL
(born 1 March 1948 in Kent
, England
) was the 344th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge
. She was the first female Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge since the post became full-time. She is also the president of the Cambridge Network
.
Richard was an undergraduate at Newnham College, Cambridge
, before gaining a PhD
at King's College London
, and went on to have an academic career in Physical Anthropology
with a specialization in lemur
s. She chaired the Department of Anthropology at Yale
from 1986 to 1990, and later served as director of Yale's Peabody Museum of Natural History. Following that she was Franklin Muzzy Crosby Professor of the Human Environment in 1998. From 1994 until 2002, she was Provost
of Yale University
and was offered the post of Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge in 2003 following the end of Professor Alec Broers' seven year term. Her successor, Leszek Borysiewicz
, was admitted in October 2010.
Richard was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(born 1 March 1948 in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) was the 344th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. She was the first female Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge since the post became full-time. She is also the president of the Cambridge Network
Cambridge Network
The Cambridge Network is a commercial business networking organisation for business people and academics working in technology fields in the Cambridge area of the UK...
.
Richard was an undergraduate at Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College is a women-only constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1871 by Henry Sidgwick, and was the second Cambridge college to admit women after Girton College...
, before gaining a PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
, and went on to have an academic career in Physical Anthropology
Physical anthropology
Biological anthropology is that branch of anthropology that studies the physical development of the human species. It plays an important part in paleoanthropology and in forensic anthropology...
with a specialization in lemur
Lemur
Lemurs are a clade of strepsirrhine primates endemic to the island of Madagascar. They are named after the lemures of Roman mythology due to the ghostly vocalizations, reflective eyes, and the nocturnal habits of some species...
s. She chaired the Department of Anthropology at Yale
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
from 1986 to 1990, and later served as director of Yale's Peabody Museum of Natural History. Following that she was Franklin Muzzy Crosby Professor of the Human Environment in 1998. From 1994 until 2002, she was Provost
Provost (education)
A provost is the senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada and Australia, the equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor at some institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland....
of Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
and was offered the post of Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge in 2003 following the end of Professor Alec Broers' seven year term. Her successor, Leszek Borysiewicz
Leszek Borysiewicz
Sir Leszek Krzysztof Borysiewicz, FRS is a Polish British physician, immunologist and scientific administrator. He is currently the 345th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, his term of office started on 1 October 2010...
, was admitted in October 2010.
Richard was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours.