Dame Shirley Anne Pearce DBE (born February 1954) is a British academic and psychologist. She is Chair of Court and Council [1] at the London School of Economics and Political Science and a member of the Higher Education Quality Assurance Panel for the Ministry of Education (Singapore).
She is the former Vice-Chancellor of Loughborough University, [2] a position she held from January 2006, leaving at the end of the 2011–12 academic year. [3] She still holds an Emeritus Chair at Loughborough. Before becoming Loughborough University's 7th Vice-Chancellor, Pearce was a Professor of Health Psychology at the University of East Anglia and Dean of the Institute of Health. She had also served as Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of East Anglia from 2001 to 2004, responsible for health and the professional schools.
Born on 19 February 1954, Shirley Pearce was educated at Norwich High School for Girls, [4] before studying psychology, physiology, and philosophy at St Anne's College, [5] Oxford University, gaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1975.
She then trained in Clinical Psychology and at the Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, now part of King's College London. [6] While working at University College London, she studied part-time as a postgraduate student, obtaining her PhD degree in Psychology in 1986.
She joined the National Health Service as a clinical psychologist at St Mary's Hospital, London in 1977, and remained there until her appointment as lecturer then senior lecturer in Psychology at University College London. Her move to the University of East Anglia (UEA) in 1994 was to become the Chair of Health Psychology and the inaugural director of the School of Health Policy and Practice, becoming Dean of the Schools of Health in 1997 and leading the bid for a new medical school at UEA during this period.
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. During this time she was also a Non-executive director of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority and deputy chair of the Healthcare Commission. [7]
She became Vice-Chancellor of Loughborough University in 2006.[ citation needed ]
She has held positions at the Department of Health, BIS and the Home Office. Prior to moving to LSE, she was appointed Independent Chair of the College of Policing, the first professional body for policing.[ citation needed ]
She was appointed as LSE's chair of court and council [8] in November 2016 and took up the post in January 2017.[ citation needed ]
Her appointment as Chair of Court and Council at LSE was announced in November 2016 and she arrived in January 2017. [8]
She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2005 Birthday Honours for services to the National Health Service and elevated to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2014 New Year Honours for services to higher education. [9]
In 2012, she married Sir John Gains, the Chief Executive from 1995 to 2004 of Mowlem.[ citation needed ]
The University of East Anglia (UEA) is a public research university in Norwich, England. Established in 1963 on a 320-acre (130-hectare) campus west of the city centre, the university has four faculties and twenty-six schools of study. It is one of five BBSRC funded research campuses with forty businesses, four independent research institutes and a teaching hospital on site.
Loughborough University is a public research university in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, England. It has been a university since 1966, but it dates back to 1909, when Loughborough Technical Institute began with a focus on skills directly applicable in the wider world. In March 2013, the university announced it had bought the former broadcast centre at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as a second campus. The annual income of the institution for 2022–23 was £369.1 million, of which £48.3 million was from research grants and contracts, with an expenditure of £339.1 million.
Carys Davina Grey-Thompson, Baroness Grey-Thompson,, known as Tanni Grey-Thompson, is a Welsh life peeress, television presenter and former wheelchair racer.
Dame Sandra June Noble Dawson, BA is a British social scientist and academic. She was Master of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge from 1999 to 2009, making her the first woman to be master of a formerly all male College at the University of Cambridge. She was the inaugural KPMG Professor of Management Studies at the Cambridge Judge Business School. She has a BA in sociology and history from Keele University.
Dame Glynis Marie Breakwell is a British social psychologist, researcher and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bath. In January 2014 she was listed in the Science Council's list of '100 leading UK practising scientists'. Her tenure as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bath was marred by controversy over her remuneration, culminating in her dismissal.
Paul William Wellings CBE DL FRSN FRSA FAICD is an Australian/British ecologist and long serving university leader. He is notable for his past service as Vice-Chancellor of University of Wollongong (2012–21), Vice-Chancellor of Lancaster University (2002–12) and Deputy Chief Executive of Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (1999-2002).
Dame Nancy Jane Rothwell is a British physiologist. She served as president and vice-chancellor of the University of Manchester from 2010 to 2024, having deputised in both roles until January 2010.
Dame Alexandra Vivien Burslem, also known as Sandra Burslem, was a British academic and educationalist.
Dame Bridget Margaret Ogilvie, is an Australian and British scientist.
Dame Fiona Caldicott, was a British psychiatrist and psychotherapist who also served as Principal of Somerville College, Oxford. She was the National Data Guardian for Health and Social Care in England until her death.
Dame Elizabeth Anne Loosemore Esteve-Coll is a British academic and former museum director and librarian.
Dame Deirdre Mary Hutton, is a British public servant, termed by the British media as "Queen of the Quangos" and "The great quango hopper". She was the chair of the UK's Civil Aviation Authority from 2009 to 2020.
Dame Judith Anne Rees,, is a distinguished academic geographer, was interim director of London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) from May 2011 until September 2012. Professor Rees also acts as director for its Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy and is Vice-Chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.
Dame Parveen June Kumar is a British doctor who is Professor of Medicine and Education at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. She worked in the NHS for over 40 years as a consultant gastroenterologist and physician at Barts and the London Hospitals and the Homerton University Hospital. She was the President of the British Medical Association in 2006, of the Royal Society of Medicine from 2010 to 2012, of the Medical Women's Federation from 2016 to 2018 and of the Royal Medical Benevolent Fund from 2013 to 2020. She was also Vice President of the Royal College of Physicians from 2003 to 2005. In addition, she was a founding non-executive director of the National Institute of Clinical Excellence, chaired the Medicines Commission UK until 2005, and also chaired the BUPA Foundation Charity for Research until 2013.
Dame Karen Elisabeth Dind Jones is a British business executive.
Professor Susan Lea is a chartered psychologist and academic, and was Vice-Chancellor at the University of Hull from 2017 to 2022. Previously she was Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at the University of Greenwich.
Professor Dame Jessica Lois Corner DBE FMedSci is a British nurse, academic, educator and author. She is currently the Executive Chair of Research England. She was previously Professor of Cancer and Supportive Care, and Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange at the University of Nottingham.
Dame Theresa Mary Marteau, is a British health psychologist, professor, and director of the Behaviour and Health Research Unit at the University of Cambridge, Fellow and director of studies for Psychological and Behavioural Sciences at Christ's College, Cambridge.
Phebe Mann Eur Ing CEng MICE FCIArb FRICS FRSA MCIOB FHEA is Chair of the Institution of Civil Engineers London. She is an associate professor in highway and transportation at the University of East London. As a Chartered Civil Engineer, Chartered Surveyor, European Engineer, Chartered Construction Manager and Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Mann, is the first woman engineer of minority ethnic origin appointed by the Lord Chancellor to the Upper Tribunal, General Regulatory Chamber and Agricultural Land Tribunal for Wales. Phebe is also the first and only woman to hold eight professional qualifications concurrently in the UK. She has been recognised with a Top 50 Women in Engineering Award (WE50) for her outstanding achievements in engineering.