page_title: University of Greenwich
section_title: Notable alumni
hierarchical_section_title: University of Greenwich / Notable alumni
caption_attribution_description: English: Charles K. Kao receiving an honorary degree from Princeton University
context_page_description: The University of Greenwich is a public university located in London and Kent, United Kingdom. Previous names include Woolwich Polytechnic and Thames Polytechnic.
  The university's main campus is at the Old Royal Naval College, which along with its Avery Hill Campus, is located in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. Greenwich also has a satellite campus in Medway, Kent, as part of a shared campus. The university's range of subjects includes architecture, business, computing, mathematics, education, engineering, humanities, maritime studies, natural sciences, pharmacy and social sciences. Greenwich's alumni include two Nobel laureates. In 2019, the university was awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize for its research in pest management and control to combat human and animal diseases in the UK and internationally. It received a Silver rating in the UK government's Teaching Excellence Framework.
context_section_description: Prominent alumni of the university and its predecessor organisations include Nobel Laureate Charles Kao, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2009 for his work on transmission of light in fibre optics, and Abiy Ahmed, who won the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize. Two British government ministers, Richard Marsh and Gareth Thomas, are also graduates. A more extensive list is given below.
  Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia and Nobel Peace prize winner
  Jamie 'JME' Adenuga, MC
  Bola Agbaje, playwright
  Helen Bailey, writer
  Natasha Bedingfield, pop singer (did not graduate)
  John Behr, theologian
  Malorie Blackman, children's author
  John Boyega, actor, best known for Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  Liam Brown, author
  Alex Cartana, singer-songwriter and actress
  Campbell Christie, chairman of Falkirk F.C.
  Mark Daly, Irish Senator
  Siobhan Dowd, writer (A Swift Pure Cry)
  Jenni Fagan, author
  Leo Fortune-West, professional footballer
  Sarah Gillespie, singer-songwriter
  Pippa Guard, actress
  Gareth Hale, comedian
  Patrick Harrington, politician in the National Front (1979–1989) and currently Third Way (UK) think-tank; general secretary of Solidarity – The Union for British Workers
  Rachael Heyhoe-Flint, cricketer
  Brian Jacks, 1972 Summer Olympics bronze medallist in Judo
  Mark Jackson, musician (VNV Nation)
  Matt James, musician (Gene)
  Charles K. Kao, Nobel Prize winning scientist
  Graham Kendrick, Christian worship leader
  Sammy Lee, IVF specialist
  Richard Marsh, Baron Marsh, politician
  Rui Moreira, Portuguese politician and businessman; mayor of Porto
  Chinenye Ochuba, former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria
  Sarah Ockwell-Smith, childcare author
  Norman Pace, comedian
  Ann Packer, 1964 Summer Olympics gold medallist
  Lara Pulver, Olivier Award nominated dancer and actress
  Richard Pybus, cricket coach
  Jamie Reynolds, musician (Klaxons)
  George Rose, businessman
  Dave Rowntree, musician (Blur)
  Etienne Schneider, Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg
  Peter Skinner, MEP
  Aramazd Stepanian, playwright
  William G. Stewart, TV presenter (Fifteen to One)
  Nina Stibbe, author
  Adelle Stripe, author
  Joy Onumajuru, model and philanthropist
  Gareth Thomas, politician
  Ewen Whitaker, lunar astronomer (alumnus of Woolwich Polytechnic)
  Joel Willans, author, copywriter and British expat; creator of a popular Finnish social media brand and author of a related book, which makes light fun of stereotypes related to Finland.
caption: Sir Charles Kao was one of the distinguished alumni in UOG
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