Professor László Székelyhidi and Bronwen Maddox named Honorary Fellows
The new Honorary Fellows were welcomed back to College at a dinner held on Friday 15 May, where Fellows, alumni and guests gathered to celebrate their achievements and enduring connections to St John’s.
Professor László Székelyhidi (Mathematics, 1996) is Professor for Applied Mathematics at Leipzig University and Director at the Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences. An internationally recognised mathematician specialising in fluid mechanics and the mathematical foundations of turbulence, he is a recipient of the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize and an elected member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.
Reflecting on the appointment, Professor Székelyhidi said: “I am extremely delighted to be named an Honorary Fellow of St John’s College. This is a wonderful surprise and, of course, an honour.”
He described arriving at St John’s in Michaelmas 1996 as “a life-shaping event”, adding that his years at the college “set me on a long path of mathematical research” and were also “a tremendous source of very important and lasting friendships”.
“At heart I have continued to feel as being part of the College ever since,” he said, “and it is with gratitude and pride that I can continue to do so in an official role.”
After studying mathematics at St John’s, Professor Székelyhidi completed his PhD in Leipzig in 2004 and has since held positions in Paris, Nice, Budapest, Bonn and the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton.
Bronwen Maddox (PPE, 1982), Director and Chief Executive of Chatham House, has built a distinguished career spanning finance, journalism and public policy. Before joining Chatham House in 2022, she served as Director of the Institute for Government and previously held senior editorial positions at The Times, the Financial Times and Prospect magazine.
Speaking about her appointment, Maddox said: “I’m really delighted and indeed honoured to become an honorary fellow of St John’s College. I will do what I can to help it and its students flourish.”
She reflected on her experiences as one of the first cohorts of women admitted to the College in the early 1980s, describing a period of significant cultural and political change. She also paid tribute to the lasting influence of her studies and tutors at St John’s.
“I have been struck through my career … how many-sided and resonant the St John’s teaching has been,” she said. “Really, it has stayed with me down the years and influenced my thinking in so many ways.”
The College warmly congratulates our new Honorary Fellows on their appointments and looks forward to continuing its association with both alumni in the years ahead.