Philip Campbell Credit: Annthea Lewis/Nature

The editor-in-chief of Nature, Philip Campbell, was among those knighted for contributions to science in the United Kingdom’s latest honours list. The honours were announced on 12 June, for Queen Elizabeth II's official birthday.

Campbell, who has been editor of Nature since 1995, is “arguably one of the most influential people in science worldwide” and “has placed the world’s most highly cited scientific journal in the vanguard of an ethos of excellence and integrity”, according to the citation for his knighthood, one of the highest distinctions in the UK honours system.

“This is a fantastic honour, I’m frankly thrilled,” he said. “It wouldn’t have happened without the extraordinary skills and commitment of my colleagues at Nature.”

Science honours

In total, 2% of the 1,163 people on the honours list were recognized for their scientific work, along with luminaries from health, education, politics and industry.

Harshad Bhadeshia, a metallurgist at the University of Cambridge, UK, was knighted for his work in developing new types of steel that have made him “perhaps the world leader in metallurgy”, according to the official citation.

Frances Ashcroft, whose work on ion channels at the University of Oxford, UK, has been central in the understanding of insulin and diabetes, was made a dame, the female equivalent of a knighthood.

Ian Weller, chair of the scientific committee of the International Congress on Drug Therapy in HIV Infection, was knighted for services to HIV/AIDS research.

Victoria Bruce, a psychologist at Newcastle University, UK, was made a dame in recognition of her work in the field of visual perception.

Peter Downes, vice-chancellor of the University of Dundee, UK, was knighted both for his work on the use of lithium as a treatment for bipolar disorder, and for leading his university “through a period of unprecedented growth, incorporating new spin-out companies and the Dundee Drug Discovery Unit”.

There was a damehood, too, for Anne Glover, the former and first chief scientific adviser to the president of the European Commission. The post was controversially abolished last year, but in it, Glover “raised the profile of European science and promoted the use of science in evidence-based policy making”, according to the citation.

Others in research awarded the prestigious honour of CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire), were Angela Gallop, chief executive of Axiom International, for services to forensic science; geologist James Jackson at the University of Cambridge, for services to environmental science; and Clare Matterson, director of strategy at the London-based biomedical charity the Wellcome Trust, for services to public engagement with science.