Summer Graduations - Friday 6 July

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Summer Graduations - Friday 6 July

The University would like to congratulate all of its students on their graduation day.

For our graduands today is a celebration of the culmination years of study and hard work. We are united with them and their family and friends in a shared sense of pride in all of their achievements. Here are a few examples of this year's outstanding student success stories and our honorary graduates.

To watch ceremonies live, download videos of previous ceremonies, and view picture galleries, visit our Graduation website.

Honorary Graduate - Professor Lisa Jardine CBE

Professor of Renaissance Studies, University of London and Chair of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

Lisa Jardine CBE is Centenary Professor of Renaissance Studies at Queen Mary, University of London and Director of the Centre for Editing Lives and Letters. Since 2008 she has served as Chair of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the UK government regulator for assisted reproduction.

In 2013-14 Professor Jardine will serve as President of the British Science Association, which in 2012 made her an Honorary Fellow. In December 2011 she was appointed a Director of The National Archives. Lisa Jardine was a Trustee of the V&A Museum for eight years, and was for five years a member of the Council of the Royal Institution in London. She is Patron of the Archives & Records Association and the Orange Prize.

A prolific academic author, Lisa Jardine has also published several best-selling general books, including Worldly Goods: A New History of the Renaissance, Ingenious Pursuits: Building the Scientific Revolution, and biographies of Sir Christopher Wren and Robert Hooke. Her book on Anglo-Dutch reciprocal influence in the seventeenth century, Going Dutch: How England Plundered Holland's Glory, won the prestigious Cundill International Prize in History in 2009.

Lisa Jardine has served as a panel member for many literary awards, chairing the 1997 Orange Prize and the 2002 Man Booker Prize. Professor Jardine also writes and reviews widely for the media, and has presented and appears regularly on arts, history and current affairs programmes for television and radio.

Honorary Graduate - Professor Sir Adam Roberts KCMG, FBA President of the British Academy

Professor Sir Adam Roberts became President of the British Academy in 2009. A distinguished scholar in the field of international relations, he is an expert on civil resistance, international law, the United Nations, and strategic studies; his publications include works on the United Nations and on Hugo Grotius. Sir Adam is Senior Research Fellow of the Centre for International Studies in Oxford University's Department of Politics and International Relations. He is also an Emeritus Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford. He was the Montague Burton Professor of International Relations at Oxford University from 1986 to the end of 2007. Sir Adam was a member of the Council of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, London from 2002 to 2008, has been a member of the UK Defence Academy Advisory Board since 2003, and a member of the Council for Science and Technology since 2010. Adam Roberts was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 1990 and, in 2002, he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George for services to the study and practice of international relations.

Daniel Simpson

A behind-the-scenes insight into the world of medicine led Daniel Simpson down his chosen career path.

The 25 year-old from Fraserburgh, who graduates today with a Bachelor in Medicine and Bachelor in Surgery with commendation, worked part-time in the town's Saltoun Surgery during his time at secondary school.

He said: "I worked on reception and really enjoyed the job and it definitely inspired me to pursue medicine as a career. I would describe myself as quite a science geek and also a real people person, and working in medicine plays to both of these strengths."

Daniel completed a degree in Biomedical Sciences at the University before going direct into the second year of his degree in Medicine. Although he is the first Doctor in his family, he joins his siblings in entering the health profession. He has three sisters – one who is a nurse, another a radiographer and the third is graduating with a nursing degree next week.

Daniel will embark on his first year as a practising doctor at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness. He hopes in the future his career may take him to more rural areas of Scotland – "I spent my fourth year on a placement at Raigmore Hospital and visited rural clinics in places like Fort William, Skye and Orkney during this time.

"Working in more remote and rural areas was a fantastic experience and one I hope to repeat depending on where my career takes me in the future."

Catriona Harvey and Lisa Rennie

Friends for life and now fellow graduates, best friends Catriona Harvey (24) and Lisa Rennie (23) graduate together with degrees in Medicine. Since meeting at Culloden Academy in Inverness, the pair have walked step by step through their academic journey, both choosing to study at the University of Aberdeen and living together throughout their time at the institution.

And the bond won't be broken following their graduation - they will now both go on to undertake their first years as doctors at the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh.

Medicine runs in the blood for Catriona Harvey who is from Ardesier near Inverness - she follows in the footsteps of both of her parents who are doctors at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness. Catriona says watching her parents in their careers as she grew up inspired her: "My mum and dad gave me an insight into the idea of community that comes with a career in medicine - both in terms of working within a medical team and the links you have in the local area.

For Catriona's mum Francesca, today will bring back fond memories - she also obtained her degree in medicine from the University. In fact Catriona stayed in the room next door to her mum's during her time in student halls.

Catriona undertook placements at Raigmore Hospital during her studies and says she can envisage returning there to work alongside her parents in the future. Catriona has secured the award for most distinguished female graduate of her year.

Lisa, who is from Conon Bridge, also shares a family background in medicine - her mum Sheila works as a Community Midwife in Dingwall medical practice.

Elspeth Grieve

Elspeth Grieve is Edinburgh bound for her first job as a junior doctor - but she will see a familiar face on the wards as boyfriend Chris Pollard will also take up a post at the same hospital.

The former Cults Academy pupil, 22, graduates as a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery with Honours today (July 6), alongside Chris.

For Elspeth becoming a doctor means she is following in the family footsteps as her dad James, who graduated from Aberdeen University 35 years ago, is a pathologist and senior lecturer in forensic medicine at the University of Aberdeen, and her brother, also James, graduated from the same course two years ago. Her mother, Nicola, a community paediatrician, also followed in her own father's footsteps as an Aberdeen medical graduate.

In two weeks time she will move to the Scottish capital to begin work at the Western General where she will start in general surgery and Chris will take up a post in respiratory medicine.

Elspeth said: "It has been a brilliant five years at University and I've absolutely loved it. Graduating will be a little sad as it marks the end of an era. I've made some great friends and I look forward to the future reunions! Now I'm looking forward to moving to a new city and starting a new challenge. It is quite daunting to start out as a junior doctor so it will be nice to have a few fellow classmates in the same hospital - though it's probably better that Chris and I will be working in different departments!"

Elspeth hopes eventually to follow a career in general practice and will be watched as she graduates by parents James and Nicola.

Faye Dawson

Finishing in the top 10% of her class will see Highland dancer Faye Dawson graduate with honours today (Friday 5 July) in the final fling of her five year Medicine degree.

Faye, originally from Kennethmont near Insch in Aberdeenshire, has been dancing since she was three years old and during the third year of her degree she took time out to travel to China as part of the country's International Tourism Festival.

She said: "Getting the opportunity to dance in China was absolutely amazing. It wasn't long after the Beijing Olympics and the parade was round the Crows Nest stadium which was stunning. We also went on a tour of the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City."

Faye, who also found time to hone her bedside manner by working in a care-home during her studies, found her passion for medicine ignited after a hospital visit as a child where she was made to feel so relaxed by staff that she instantly knew it was the job for her.

Reflecting on her time at the University Faye (23) said "I loved studying medicine at Aberdeen as there are so many opportunities and lots of placements which are so unique to the course. I spent 8 weeks in the Accident & Emergency ward of a hospital in Leeds and although I saw some scary sights it was an amazing experience."

The future looks bright for Faye as she is set to start a one-year stint working at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary as a foundation doctor in the Cardiology department. However, with farming in her blood Faye is a country girl at heart and after completing her studies she hopes to reel-in a General Practitioner post at a rural North-east medical practice.

"I would love to work as a GP in the North-east as its always been my home and working in a rural community you really get to be part of something. Although it's been great studying specialist areas of medicine I really enjoy the variety which becoming a GP offers."

And the Dawson family will be out in force to see Faye graduate on Friday including her mother, father, uncle, all four grandparents and her boyfriend.

Sean Booth

Sean Booth may be the first in his family to graduate from University but the medical student credits his father's mechanical skills for inspiring a passion to 'fix' the human body.

Sean, 22, from Elgin, graduates as a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery with Honours, and is now planning a career in either orthopaedic surgery or emergency medicine.

The former Elgin High school student will spend his first year as a junior doctor in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where he will start in the Acute Medical Assessment Unit, before returning to Dr Gray's hospital in his hometown.

Sean said: "My dad is a mechanic and I've always been interested in how you 'fix' something, though with medicine it is obviously people rather than cars! That's why orthopaedic surgery appeals so much – it is one of the areas of medicine where a patient comes in and you can treat them in a way that genuinely gives them a new lease of life whether it is a hip replacement or repairing a broken bone. In emergency medicine you are really on the front line, treating people with a wide variety of illness and injury but again making a real difference to people's lives. That's what attracted me to medicine in the first place."

Sean has juggled his studies with a part-time supermarket job during the holidays to help fund his studies, which he finished this week after five years.

"It was sad to say goodbye to my colleagues but it really marks the end of student life for me and the move into becoming a doctor. I can't wait to get stuck into my junior year and I'm really looking forward to the challenge - I just hope that when I start A&E in Elgin I don't have to treat anyone I know!"

Sean will be watched by his parents Mike and Karen, sister Chloe and grandparents Alex and Anna Bamforth, and Bert and Moira Booth when he collects his degree at Elphinstone Hall, Aberdeen.

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