Honorary Fellows 2011
Iran Adil-Smith
Iran Adil-Smith moved to England from Iran in 1965. After A-levels, she joined Glaxo Pharmaceuticals and obtained a BSc in Physiology and Biochemistry as a University of London external student. She was awarded an MSc in Immunology from Brunel in 1976.
By the mid-1970s, Iran was working at Glaxo as a Research Scientist, specialising in the field of Cell Biology and Oncology.
Iran joined Brunel in 1993 as Assistant to the Radiation Protection Officer in the then Department of Physics. She studied part-time for a PhD in the field of radiation damage in biological systems, obtaining her doctorate here in 1998. Iran was appointed Radiation Protection Adviser at Brunel in January 1998 becoming Head of Health and Safety with operational responsibility for the University’s risk management and business continuity plans soon afterwards.
Iran retired from her full-time role in 2010, but continues in a part-time capacity.
Outside of Brunel, Iran has two grown-up sons and has very varied interests including walking, gardening and travel.
Colin Burgess
Colin Burgess retired from his post as Head of Media Services at Brunel in 2009, after 22 years’ service.
Colin’s first career was as a medical photographer. He worked at several London hospitals before accepting the post of TV Services Producer at Charing Cross Hospital Medical School in 1978. By 1980 he was Head of Television Services at St George’s Hospital Medical School, leaving in 1984 to join a video production company working on educational videos and interactive video projects.
In 1987, Colin joined Brunel as Head of the Television Unit, involved in both teaching and video production. He was appointed as Head of Media Services in 1989 (comprising AV, photographic, video production, and teaching support services), a post he held until his retirement. He joined the management team of the Computer Centre as Assistant Director (Media Services) in 1995. As Head of Department, Colin led the introduction of up-to-date multi-function AV and computing equipment as standardised facilities throughout the University’s teaching spaces.
Since retiring, Colin has been helping organise Brunel’s film and video archive collection.
Danny Daniels
Danny Daniels studied at Borough Road College, obtaining his Teacher’s Certificate in 1951. After working as a PE teacher for five years he moved to Canada to continue his career in Education, obtaining a BEd and PhD from the University of Alberta and holding senior posts in Education administration.
In addition, Danny has had a second career in Athletics both as competitor and coach. He has competed at all levels in middle distance running, road running and continues to do so at Masters level, in pentathlon and decathlon, winning over 500 trophies and medals, including a World Championship.
He has held several senior appointments both in Athletics Canada, currently Vice Chair, and as Head of Delegation for the Canadian teams at international championships. He is a Member of the IAAF Masters Committee, and has recently been elected to the Board of Directors of the Canadian Commonwealth Games Society. He has received numerous awards throughout his career and has been inducted into the British Columbia and Canadian Masters Athletics Halls of Fame.
He and his wife Marjorie live in Canada and he still regularly competes in Masters tournaments.
Brett Garrard
Brett Garrard graduated from Brunel University with a BSc in Sport Sciences with Business Studies in 1999. He was a full-time international hockey player between 1997 and 2008, captaining England/GB Hockey at senior international level. He holds the England record for the most capped player, with 263 caps.
While a student, he helped Brunel to win three consecutive British Universities Championships in 1996, 1997 and 1998. At international level, he played in four European Cups, three Commonwealth Games and three World Cups, and took part in the Olympic Games in both 2000 (Sydney) and 2004 (Athens), where he captained the GB men’s hockey team.
He has worked at numerous schools and clubs and in 2004/5 became a professional player and coach at Dutch Premier League Hockey Club, Klein Zwitzerland.
Brett retired from competitive hockey in 2008 and commenced his coaching career. He is currently Director of Hockey at Surbiton Hockey Club, one of the largest hockey clubs in the UK and is the company director of Living Hockey Ltd, which services the coaching and education industry.
Ian Macdonald
Ian studied Psychology at Brunel, graduating in 1972. After graduation he worked in a variety of roles before joining the Open University as an Educational Consultant. He returned to Brunel to join the Brunel Institute of Organisation and Social Studies where he set up the Mental Handicap Services Unit, designing a new form of assessment in the field of Learning Difficulties and worked on projects developing community-based, multidisciplinary, services. This work formed the basis of his PhD thesis awarded by Brunel in 1991.
Ian left BIOSS to move into full-time consultancy - a role which took him around the world working for businesses of all sizes, public sector organisations and the armed forces. Whilst living in Australia he was involved in groundbreaking projects in industrial relations and the development of organisations in Aboriginal communities.
Returning to the UK, Ian has continued to be involved with Brunel, helping to facilitate the University’s Strategic Planning Process and helping to establish the Magna Carta Institute.
Outside of work, Ian has been involved with his local church and also community, serving on the boards of local schools.
Graham Pearson
Graham Pearson joined Brunel in 1999 as Head of Management Information Systems (latterly Corporate Information Systems) within the Computer Centre. Before this he occupied a similar position at the University of Westminster. In 2004/5 he was appointed Deputy Director of the Computer Centre, a position he occupied until his retirement in July 2010. During his time in higher education he has been involved with all the major administrative computing systems including Student Records, Human Resources and Finance.
Prior to higher education, Graham worked initially for BAE and then BP, the oil giant. He stayed with them for nearly 20 years, gaining a wide IT knowledge of both commercial and technical systems development. Projects included leading the IT teams responsible for some of the complex systems required during the North Sea Oil major developments in the 1970s and 1980s and the replacement of BP Chemicals HR and Payroll system.
Since retiring, Graham has continued with his voluntary work for a local children’s hospice, has taken up horology and continues to enjoy skiing and walking.
Raymond John Puddifoot
Councillor Ray Puddifoot is, by profession, a Chartered Accountant, and has lived in Hillingdon all his life.
Ray was elected as a Councillor for the Ickenham Ward in May 1998 and in July 2000 was elected Leader of Hillingdon Council. He is the longest serving Leader since the Borough’s inception.
As Leader of the Council he has led four successive administrations, providing the political leadership to drive forward significant changes within the Council.
Ray is also the Borough’s Older People’s Champion, playing a leading role in working with local older people to deliver service improvements and changes to meet their needs.
As Leader of the Council, Ray has promoted the ethos of putting residents’ views and needs ahead of those of government inspectors. He has introduced sound financial management in the running of the Council, which has received numerous national awards in recognition of its achievements.
He is a Foundation Trust Governor of the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, and was Chair of Governors at Vyners Secondary School for eight years.
Charles Sargent
After graduating in Theology from King’s College, London, Charles worked with homeless young people. He was a volunteer at Centrepoint Night Shelter and later worked as project manager at the Depaul Trust for long term homeless young people.
Charles was ordained as Deacon in 1996 and Priest in 1997. Initially working as a Curate at a parish in North Kensington, he then moved to St Augustine’s South Kensington and Imperial College School of Medicine – his first role in the University Chaplaincy sector.
Charles joined Brunel in 2004 as Chaplain to the University, looking after the pastoral and spiritual needs of University students and staff. Here he trained as a mediator, was a member of the Hillingdon Hospital Major Incident Support Team and also served as Civilian Chaplain at RAF Uxbridge, until its closure, and as Chaplain to 1083 Squadron Air Training Corps. Charles’ other main interest is cookery and he organised courses for students at Brunel and large events for community groups. He is also a keen supporter of the Fairtrade Movement.
Since leaving Brunel in 2010, Charles has moved to Cornwall, setting up his own catering company - ‘The Sargent’s Mess’.
Andy Stubbs
Andy joined Brunel in 1983 when he was appointed by the Students’ Union as their Entertainments Manager. Responsible for contracting artists and attractions for Union events, he established the venue on the live band and comedy circuit. In 1988 he became the Commercial Services Manager for the Union.
Although he left Brunel in 1991, Andy returned as a mature student in 1993 and was awarded a BSc in Management Studies in 1996. Following this, he worked for the London Borough of Hillingdon for 15 years, spending the last 10 years as Uxbridge Town Centre Manager. This period saw huge changes in the town including the Chimes development, all of which Andy managed successfully. He commissioned research undertaken by Brunel into customer perceptions of the town centre and business priorities for improvements. He also persuaded the University to join the Uxbridge Town Centre Partnership and he continues to strongly support Brunel whenever he can, maintaining links through collaborations with Brunel Business School and through the Made in Brunel project.
Andy has recently joined the London Borough of Harrow as their Town Centre Manager.
Kate Walsh
Kate Walsh graduated from Brunel University with a BSc in Sport Sciences in 2003.
She is the current women’s hockey captain for Great Britain and England with over 250 international caps.
Kate began playing hockey for Didsbury Greys at the age of 12 and has also played for Bowdon Hightown and Klein Zwitzerland. She made both her England and Great Britain debuts in 1999, whilst a student, and has since gone on to play at the full range of international tournaments – the 2000 (Sydney) and 2008 (Beijing) Olympics, three World Cups, four European Championships, three Commonwealth Games and, on three occasions, the Champions Challenge. She has twice won medals at international tournaments in her hometown of Manchester – silver at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, and bronze at the 2007 European Nations Championships. In September 2010, she led the team to a bronze medal at the World Cup in Argentina.
She is twice a winner of the Hockey Writers Club UK Player of the Year, and in 2003 she was shortlisted for the World Player of the Year Award. In 2007, she was named Great Britain Hockey Athlete of the Year.
