Essex student turned scientific research leader honoured at graduation

An Essex alumna who has championed scientific research in the UK for more than two decades has been awarded an honorary degree.

Dr Lesley Thompson was recognised for her illustrious career with one of the largest scientific research funders in the world, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

In a career than spanned a quarter of a decade at the EPSRC, Dr Thompson rose to become Research Director where she helped shape the direction of an annual research portfolio worth hundreds of millions of pounds, supporting the scientists, engineers and innovators whose work has driven some of the most significant advances of the twenty-first century.

She introduced revolutionary initiatives which encouraged a more interdisciplinary approach to research and was instrumental in the development of cohort-based doctoral training.

“These initiatives have left a lasting legacy and their impact continues to be felt in laboratories, universities and industries throughout the United Kingdom and beyond,” said Professor Terry McGenity, Head of the School of Life Sciences, said in his oration at graduation.

“Yet what makes Dr Thompson's contribution particularly significant is her unwavering belief in people.

“She has been a passionate advocate for early-career researchers, recognising that the next generation of scientific leaders require not only funding but encouragement, opportunity and support.

“She has championed diversity and inclusion within research, helping to open doors for talented individuals from all backgrounds and ensuring that excellence is recognised wherever it is found.”

Dr Thompson left the EPSRC in 2016 to join educational publisher Elsevier as Vice President for Academic & Government Strategic Alliance, helping universities, funders and government achieve their strategic objectives.

She is also a member of its UK Open Science Partnership Steering Group, enabling the design and development of new methods to support Open Science in the UK.

Dr Thompson, who graduated from Essex with a degree in Environmental Biology in 1981 before returning to complete a PhD in Biology in 1986, paid tribute to the work done by universities to research and educate.

In a speech at graduation, she said: “I have always believed that the greatest contribution universities make is the people they shape.

“A university education is about much more than acquiring knowledge. It teaches you how to question, how to think critically. It also introduces you to people whose experiences and perspectives are completely different from your own—and that changes you too.

“Essex certainly changed me.”