Professor is named on the Queen’s Birthday Honours List

A professor from Edge Hill University is named on the Queen's Birthday Honours List for his exceptional services to the Royal Naval Reserve.

Professor Ian Robinson, Dean of Quality Enhancement and Director of the Graduate School at the University, has been awarded an OBE for his long-standing contribution on the leadership team of the Maritime Reserves.

His name is featured alongside famous faces in this year's list including Oscar winning actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, playwright, author and critic Bonnie Greer and motor racing legend David Coulthard, as well as many ordinary people who have made a real difference in their communities.

Anybody can be nominated for an honour, but only exceptional people receive one.

The married father-of-two who lives in Parbold had no idea he had been nominated for the award and was completely shocked and surprised when he found out the news when the list was officially published. He said: "I was totally taken aback; I had no idea whatsoever I was in line for an OBE. It was so unexpected and very unusual because few reservists are considered for them".

"It is such an honour and my family was over the moon. The award is a tangible recognition that reservists can make a significant contribution to the work of the regular forces, and comments in particular on leadership and professional guidance to the merchant shipping community."

Professor Robinson, whose background is in engineering, has worked at Edge Hill University for four years and had dedicated more than 30 years of his life to the Royal Naval Reserve, the volunteer arm of the Royal Navy, until he retired from the military at Christmas.

He said: "My most memorable times were in command a unit of 150 reservists, and then subsequently going on to command all the units in the northern part of the country, with perhaps 1,500 personnel."

During his time in the reserves he was mobilised in the 2002 conflict in the Gulf, providing advice to merchant shipping trading in the danger zones.

Professor Robinson will go to Buckingham Palace later in the year with his family to receive the award in person from the Queen.