The Open University recently bestowed an honorary degree upon Professor Margaret Rees, acknowledging her remarkable contributions to the realm of women's health.
Recognising exceptional work across various disciplines since 1973, The Open University has conferred honorary degrees on distinguished figures like David Attenborough and Nobel Prize laureates. Among the hundreds of published works by Professor Margaret Rees are more than 20 textbooks—several of which have gone on to win awards from the British Medical Association.
In accepting the award, Professor Rees said: 'I am still overwhelmed by this recognition from the OU of my contribution to women’s health and research ethics.' 'The reason I specialised in these areas is that I wanted to make a difference. In medical school, it was apparent that there were too few women gynaecologists undertaking research.'
Professor Rees is Reader Emeritus in Reproductive Medicine at the University of Oxford, where she initially studied for her doctorate. Dr Rees has been a Supernumerary Fellow of St Hilda’s College since 1989. The College can elect to a Supernumerary Fellowship persons who have previously held Fellowship of the College, who are actively engaged with teaching, research or administration and who are members of Congregation, and those who have achieved distinction in their profession outside the University.
Her Fellowship is non-stipendiary, and she has no college duties, so does not have frequent contact with St Hilda’s since she is heavily involved with clinical teaching and research activities at the hospital. However, she has attended meetings of the College Medical Society and in 2003 gave an excellent talk at our annual reunion of Senior Members of the College.
Congratulations Professor Rees!