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Honorary Doctor of the University, 2007
Bio | Citation

Baroness Platt of Writtle has been honoured for her outstanding contribution to science throughout her career. After graduating during the war, Baroness Platt took a job at Hawkers, working in the testing and production of Hurricanes and Typhoons for the RAF. After the war, she went on to work in the research department of the newly formed British European Airways, primarily involved with air safety.

Baroness Platt is a Conservative Peer and has served widely as a Councillor with Chelmsford Rural District Council and Essex County Council. She is also a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Essex and an honorary Alderman of the Council. Not only has Baroness Platt received a Parliamentary Award, but she has served more than a quarter of a century in the House of Lords working on a number of Select Committees. She has been an advocate of advancing the cause of women in science and engineering, most recently as the Founding Patron of Women in Science and Engineering (WISE). Awarded a CBE in 1978, Baroness Platt has accumulated no less than 21 Honorary Doctorates and Fellowships in recognition of her work.

In 2007 Baroness Platt received the Honorary degree of Doctor of the University.

Areas Of Interest: Politics, Engineering
Faculty: Science & Technology
Citation:

"Senate of Anglia Ruskin University has great pleasure in recommending the award of Honorary Doctorate of the University to Baroness Platt of Writtle for her outstanding contributions to science throughout her career.

Baroness Platt, who was awarded a CBE in 1978, is not new to being honoured. She has accumulated no less than 21 Honorary Doctorates and Fellowships in recognition of her work.

It is well known that she is a Member of the Conservative Peers; and has served widely as a Councillor working with Chelmsford Rural District Council and Essex County Council, rising to hold the posts of Chairman of the Education Committee and Vice Chair of the Council. She is also a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Essex, and an honorary Alderman of the Council.

Not only has Baroness Platt recently received a Parliamentary Award, presented at the House of Commons by the Royal Society of Chemistry, but she has served more than a quarter of a century in the House of Lords working on a number of select committees including Murder and Life Imprisonment, Science and Technology, Energy and Renewables and Science and Heritage. During this time she has been an advocate of advancing the cause of women in science and engineering, most recently as the Founding Patron of Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) and is a role model to all girls who are thinking of following a career in engineering.

She has worked tirelessly at promoting science in education citing her own experience at Westcliffe High School for Girls where her teachers encouraged and supported her enthusiasm for Science and Engineering and produced a lifelong convertee in Baroness Platt.

She then went to Girton College Cambridge, initially to study Mathematics, but she won a state bursary and found herself one of only five girls amongst 250 men reading Mechanical Sciences, which we now know as Engineering.

Shortly after graduating during the war, Baroness Platt took a job at Hawkers experimental flight test department where she worked in the testing and production of Hurricanes and Typhoons for the RAF.

After the end of the war, she went on to work at the newly formed British European Airways in their research department where she was primarily involved with air safety. Her number one priority was to make sure aircraft could land safely if an engine were to fail!

In addition, to her political interests in science and engineering, Baroness Platt has worked with various British and overseas charities and international bodies, including the European Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men and has held the Chairmanship of the Equal Opportunities Commission.

It is for her energy and enthusiasm to bring about change and radical progress within the subjects of science and engineering, that I hereby exercise the power conferred on me by Senate, to invite the Vice Chancellor to bestow the award of Honorary Doctor of the University upon the devoted, staunch and steadfast Baroness Platt."

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