Professor Shirley Pearce, the former vice-chancellor of Loughborough University, is one of three Chartered members of the Society to be honoured in the New Year list. She has been appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for her services to higher education.

Professor Pearce began her career as a clinical psychologist began in 1977 at St Mary’s Hospital, London, where she remained until her appointment in 1981 as lecturer and then senior lecturer in Psychology at University College London.

She moved to the University of East Anglia(UEA) in 1994 to take up the chair in Health Psychology and became the inaugural director of the School of Health Policy and Practice. Three years later she was appointed dean of the Schools of Health and led the successful bid for a new medical school at UEA.

Professor Pearce was made Pro Vice Chancellor for the Health and Professional Schools in 2000, before becoming Dean of the Institute of Health and Director of the Centre for Interprofessional Practice at UEA. She became vice chancellor of Loughborough University in 2006 and served in this role until 2012. In June 2005 she was made a CBE in the Queen’s birthday honours list, for services to the NHS.

Two Chartered Psychologists have been made members of the Order of the British Empire. They are Dr Jacqui Craisatti, clinical director of forensic services with Oxleas NHS Trust, for services to mental health, and Professor Sonia Livingstone, from the Department of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics, for services to children and child internet safety.

In addition, Eva Lloyd, who is Reader in Early Childhood at the University of East London and a citizen of the Netherlands, recently received an Honorary OBE for services to education.

Two other honours given in the New Year list may be of interest to Society members.

Professor Susan Bailey, the President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, has been made a Dame for her services to psychiatry and her voluntary service to people with mental health conditions.

And Professor David Morton has received a CBE for services to the UK and international veterinary profession especially animal welfare and ethics. He was for many years a member of our Standing Advisory Committee on the Welfare of Animals.