University of Leicester role models praised by Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock

A TV space scientist has praised a university's alumni for being incredible role models.

Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, best known for presenting BBC One's The Sky at Night and CBeebies' Stargazing, was at an awards ceremony at the University of Leicester.

The scientist, who is the university's chancellor, gave the keynote speech at the annual alumni awards dinner.

Winners included a women's football pioneer, Baroness Sue Campbell.

She studied at Leicester in the 1970s and won the lifetime achievement award,

She has been director of women's football at the FA since 2018 and has also been chair of UK Sport.

Criminology student Lucy Dawson, who contracted a rare brain disease that robbed her of her speech, memory and other functions during her studies, won alumna of the year.

She graduated in 2019 and is now a public speaker who campaigns for the awareness of medical trauma and encephalitis.

Dorin Frasineanu, a former foreign policy adviser and deputy chief of staff to the prime minister of Moldova, received the future leader award.

She graduated in law in 2016.

Dr Aderin-Pocock said: "It was incredible to be in the company of such amazing people.

"Their stories and achievements are truly inspiring and it has been a privilege to witness them at first hand.

"Role models should be real people. What I have seen today are incredible people - and the world needs people like them."

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