List of alumni of the University of York

This is a list of alumni of the University of York, listed in alphabetical order by surname. The University of York, founded in 1963, has among its alumni many who have become notable, including at least twenty Members of the United Kingdom Parliament, five members of the House of Lords, two Members of the Scottish Parliament, one Member of the European Parliament and several ministers of non-UK governments. The university is also represented by alumni educated in the liberal arts such as English literature, social sciences, economics, philosophy, medieval history, and music. More recently, due to expansion into areas of technology, it has also produced notable computer scientists.

A

Lama Abu-Odeh, Palestinian American academic: MA, philosophy, 1989 Daron Acemoglu, Turkish-born American economist,Nobel prize winner 2024, Professor at MIT: BA, Economics, 1989 Edward Acton, historian and former vice-chancellor of the University of East Anglia : BA, History, 1971 Mark Addis, philosopher: MSc, Computing Haleh Afshar, Baroness Afshar, cross-bench peer: BA, Politics, ? Geoffrey Álvarez, composer: D Phil, Composition Moniza Alvi, poet: BA, English Fleur Anderson, Labour MP for Putney: BSc, Politics, 1993; president of the Students Union, 1993–1994 Kerry Andrew, composer and singer (Juice): BA, music, MA & PhD, composition Rollo Armstrong, musician (Faithless): BA, Philosophy & English, 1988 Mohammad Hanif Atmar, Interior Minister of Afghanistan: Diploma Information Technology & MA Politics, 1997

B Ian Bailey, author: BA, English/Anglo-Saxon, 1980 Kevin Bailey, poet: BSc, Psychology, 1986 Sally Baldwin, academic: Dip. Social Administration, & DPhil 1976? Tony Banks, Baron Stratford, MP: BA Politics, 1967 Andrea Barber, actress Hugh Bayley, MP: BPhil, South African Studies, 1977 Helen Bell, composer and musician: BA Music, 2001 Steve Beresford, musician: BA music, 1970 Denys Blakeway, television producer and author Mark William Bolland, journalist and publicist: BSc Chemistry 1987 Anne Boyd, composer and professor of music: DPhil composition, 1972 Keith Bradley, Baron Bradley, politician: MPhil Social Administration, 1979 Stephen Brewster, professor of computer science: DPhil human-computer interaction, 1994 Carole Bromley, poet Andrew Brons, MEP and former National Front leader: BA Politics, 1970 Michael Brown, former MP and journalist Richard Burden, MP: BA politics 1978 Kate Butch, drag queen and stand-up comedianhttps://blogs.york.ac.uk/student-voices/2024/03/08/kate-butch-drag-queen-and-star-of-rupauls-drag-race-uk/ Charles Butler, author: MSc Information Processing, 1989, DPhil English 1989 Tanya Byron, child psychologist, author, TV presenter and Chancellor of Edge Hill University: BA Psychology, 1989

C

James Callis, actor: BA English and Related Literature, 1993 Matt Carter, General Secretary of the Labour Party: DPhil Politics, 1999 Richard Causton, composer: BMus 1993, MA Composition 1994 Aníbal Cavaco Silva, 11th Prime Minister and 21st President of Portugal: PhD Economics, 1973 Horatio Clare, writer, radio producer and journalist: BA English & Related Literature, 1996 Jane Clarke, Professor of Molecular Biophysics, University of Cambridge Myrna Combellack, writer, translator and academic: DPhil, English Literature, 1971 David Conn, journalist and author: BA English literature & politics, 1986 Richard Coyle, actor: BA Politics, 1994 or Languages and Philosophy, 1995 Megan Crane, novelist: MA English Literature 1999, DPhil 2004 Tim Crane, Knightbridge Professor of Philosophy, University of Cambridge: MA Philosophy, 1985 Lee Cronin, chemist, nano-scientist: BSc Chemistry, 1994 & PhD, 1997

D Ken Dark, archaeologist: BA Archaeology, 1982? Sara Davies, entrepreneur: Management, 2006 Caroline Dean, plant scientist; group leader at the John Innes Centre: BA Biology, 1978 & DPhil, 1982 Simon Ditchfield, Professor of Early Modern History: BA History, 1980 Michael Dixon, director of the Natural History Museum: DPhil Zoology Chris d'Lacey, children's author: BSc biology, 1975? Michael Dobbs, US-based author: BA Economic & Social History, 1972 Paul Dolan, behavioural scientist: MSc and D.Phil. economics, 1991 and 1997 Michelle Donelan, former MP and Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: BA History and Politics. Juraj Draxler, Education minister of Slovakia 2014–2016:MA Politics, 2005 Duncan Druce, musician: MA music, 1985 Helen Dunmore, writer: BA English, 1973 Christopher Dye, epidemiologist, former Gresham Professor of Physic: Biology Greg Dyke, head of the Football Association and BFI; former director general of the BBC: BA politics, 1974

E

Iain R. Edgar, social anthropologist: BA Philosophy, 1969 Huw Edwards, MP for Monmouth Louise Ellman, MP for Liverpool Riverside: MPhil Social Administration, 1972 Bryan Elsley, scriptwriter and creator of Skins: BA English & History, 1982 Stephen Emmott, computer scientist: BSc Experimental Psychology, 1987 Clive Emsley, historian and criminologist: BA History, 1966 Harry Enfield, comedian: BA Politics, 1982

F Jane Ferguson, journalist Steve Foots, Chief Executive of Croda International, BSc Chemistry Jay Foreman, musical comedian Christopher Fox, composer: DPhil composition, 1984 (Requires login/UK library card) Sir Lawrence Freedman, historian and political adviser, Professor of War Studies at King's College London: BPhil

G Sean Gabb, libertarian academic: BA History, 1981 David Gauntlett, sociologist: BA Sociology, 1992 Sarah Gavron, film director: BA English, 1992 Helen Geake, archaeologist: DPhil Archaeology, 1991? Roberta Gilchrist, archaeologist: DPhil Archaeology, 1989? Maurice Glasman, Baron Glasman, academic: MA Political Philosophy John Godfrey, composer: BA Music, 1983 & DPhil Composition, 1989 Jeremy Goldberg, historian: MA History David Goodhart, journalist and writer: BA History and Politics, 1979 Paul Goodman, MP: BA English Literature, 1981 Peter Gordon, radio presenter David Graddol, linguist: BA Language/Linguistics, 1975 & Sociology, 1983 Linda Grant, novelist and journalist: BA, English, 1975 Michael Gray, author, authority on Bob Dylan: BA History and English Literature, 1967 Jane Grenville, archaeologist and academic: PhD by publications, 2005 Susanna Gross, journalist and newspaper editor William Owen "Will" Gregory, musician and producer

H

Emily Hall, composer: BMus, 1999? Christine Hamilton, television personality: BA Sociology, 1971? Fabian Hamilton, MP: BA Social Sciences Han Seung-soo, 39th Prime Minister of South Korea: DPhil Economics, 1968 Andrew Harman, science fiction and fantasy author, game designer, co-creator of YAY Games : BSc Biochemistry Harriet Harman, MP, solicitor, Former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party: BA Politics, 1972 Richard Harpin, businessman: Economics, 1986 Patrick Harrex, musician: Music, 1968 Tim Harries, bass player: BA Music, 1981 Jonty Harrison, composer: DPhil Composition, 1980 Miles Harrison, sports commentator: BA Politics and Economic & Social History, 1987 Adam Hart-Davis, television producer and presenter: DPhil Chemistry, 1969 Sue Hartley, Professor of Ecology: DPhil, Ecology Claire Hazelgrove, MP, BA Politics, 2010 Joan Higgins, Professor of Health Policy: BA Social Administration, 1971 Jimmy Hill, radio, television, and YouTube personality: BA History, 2009 Rod Hills, politician and former leader of City of York Council. Jane Hillston, mathematician: BA Mathematics, 1985 Robert Hingley, musician: BA Linguistics, 1978 Peter Hitchens, journalist: BA Philosophy and Politics, 1973"Notable alumni". University of York. Retrieved 9 May 2014. Patrick Holford, nutrition expert: BSc Psychology, 1976 Martha Holmes, broadcaster: PhD Marine biology, 1988 Paul Holmes, MP: BA History, 1978 Sungji Hong, composer: PhD, musical composition, 2003 Anthony Horowitz, author and screenwriter (Foyle's War): BA English, 1977

J Stevi Jackson, professor of women's studies, University of York: BA Sociology 1973 Lawrence James, author and journalist: BA English and History, 1966 Greg Jenner public historian, author and podcaster: History and Archaeology, 2004 Aled Gruffydd Jones, historian, Sir John Williams Professor of Welsh History at Aberystwyth University: BA History, 1977 Trevor Jones, composer: BA Music, 1977 & MA Composition 1978 Jung Chang, writer and historian: PhD linguistics, 1982 Abdul Wahab Juned, politician and civil servant: MSc Biology and Biological education, 1983

K Thomas Kariuki, biologist and Director of Programmes at the African Academy of Sciences : PhD, Immunology, 2004 Brian Kennedy, journalist and LGBT rights activist : DPhil Biochemistry, 1974 Ranjana Khanna, literary critic : BA English & Related Literature, 1988, DPhil 1993 Oona King, Baroness King of Bow, former MP: BA Politics, 1990 Panayiotis Kokoras, composer : MA, PhD, musical composition Yannis Kyriakides, composer: BA musicology, 1991.

L Mark Laity, NATO spokesman, former BBC news reporter: BA, MA, 1977, 1978 Philip Lawson, composer, singer (The King's Singers): BA, Music, 1979 Clive Lawton, Founder of Limmud J. L. (Joanna) Laynesmith, historian: BA English/History, 1993 & DPhil Mediaeval History, 2000 Ruth Lea, Baroness Lea of Lymm, economist: Economics and Statistics, 1969 Carol Leader, actor: BA History 1971 Phil Lester, YouTube vlogger and BBC Radio 1 DJ: BA English Language and Linguistics, 2008 & MA Postproduction with Visual Effects, 2009 Andrew Lewin – Member of Parliament for Welwyn Hatfield since 2024, BA Politics, 2008 Victor Lewis-Smith, comedian and writer Marina Lewycka, author: BPhil English Literature, 1970 Tim Liardet, poet: BA History Chris Lilley, computer scientist: MSc Biological Computing, 1990 Peter Lord, Oscar-nominated director of Aardman Animations: BA, English, 1976 Emma Lowndes, actress: BA English, 1997? Zoe Lyons, comedian: Psychology, 1992

M Phil Mac Giolla Bhain, journalist: BA Politics and Sociology Kevin Maguire, journalist: BA Politics Elleck Mashingaidze, Zimbabwean historian and diplomat: PhD Genista McIntosh, Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall, Labour Life Peer and theatre executive Grace McCleen, novelist: MA English Literature Des McNulty, politician and MSP: BA, Social science, 1974 Gordon McPherson, composer: BA Music, 1986 & DPhil 1991 (requires login or UK library card) Molly Meacher, Baroness Meacher: BA Economics, 1970 Paul Mealor, composer: Music, 2002 Farah Mendlesohn, writer and academic: DPhil History, 1997 Anna Meredith, composer: Music Richard Middleton, musicologist: PhD Music Eduardo Reck Miranda, composer: MSc Music Technology, 1992 Kathryn Mitchell, psychologist: Psychology Mahmoud Mohieldin, economist: MSc Economic & Social Policy Analysis, 1990 Nicola Monaghan, novelist: BSc Mathematics, 1992 Dominic Muldowney, composer: 1976 (requires login or UK library card) Greg Mulholland, MP: BA, Politics, 1991 & MA Public Administration Policy, 1995 Gráinne Mulvey, composer; Professor of Composition, Technological University of Dublin: DPhil in Music Composition, 1999 Meg Munn, MP: BA, Language & Linguistics, 1981

N Beverley Naidoo, South African children's writer : BA Education, 1968 Atulya Nagar, mathematical physicist, academic and author: DPhil in Mathematics, 1996 Ratish Nanda, Indian conservation architect : MA in Conservation Studies, 1998 Glen Newey, academic and political philosopher : MA & DPhil Philosophy Michele Newman, television presenter : BA Economics, 1977 Rebecca Newman, singer, songwriter: BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics, 2007

O Rosemary O'Day (née Margaret Rosemary Brookes, now Englander), historian and author: BA History, 1967 Denise O'Donoghue, television executive: BA Politics, 1979 Waheed Omer, chief spokesperson for the President of Afghanistan: MA Political Science Albert Owen, MP: BA Politics, 1997