SCOTTISH wildlife film-maker Gordon Buchanan is to receive an honorary degree from the University of Stirling.
He will receive the award of Doctor of the University - in recognition of his outstanding services to conservation and wildlife film-making - at a ceremony on Thursday 27 June.
Mr Buchanan is currently starring in a new BBC series “Wild Cameramen at Work”, narrated by Sir David Attenborough. He won huge public acclaim for his series “The Bear Family And Me” and other films focusing on the natural world.
He said: "I am absolutely thrilled to receive the honour from the University of Stirling. My job is deeply rewarding on a personal level, so it feels incredibly generous to be recognised publicly for my contribution to conservation and film-making by such an esteemed institution."
Originally from the Isle of Mull, Gordon Buchanan’s career in filmmaking began in 1989 as assistant to the renowned filmmaker Nick Gordon. His first role was in Sierra Leone where he helped document animals in the Gola Rainforest and their projects continued in Venezuela and Brazil where they filmed indigenous peoples and the spectacular animals of the Amazon.
In 1995, he began to work independently and in recent years has made a name as a respected filmmaker specialising in big cats. He was a major contributor to the 2004 “Big Cat Diary” series and helped to capture sensational footage of leopards. He also continues to work in Scotland, filming foxes in Glasgow for TV’s “Springwatch” and “Autumnwatch”, and eagles on Mull.
More recently, Gordon Buchanan has made his name as a presenter. In 2010, his documentary on American bears “The Bear Family and Me” was aired on the BBC, and this was followed in 2013 with “The Polar Bear Family and Me”.
Through his work Gordon Buchanan has helped to create a greater awareness of the plight of endangered animals, working to improve their chances of survival. In 2013, he became a patron of the Scottish conservation charity Trees for Life. He lives in Glasgow with his wife Wendy and two children, Lola and Harris.
Professor Ian Simpson, the Head of Natural Sciences at the University, said: “Gordon Buchanan has spent the last 20 years filming wildlife around the globe. Traveling to some of the world’s most remote corners, as well as his work in Scotland, he has conveyed the wonder and beauty of the natural world – and brought amazing and thought-provoking images to millions of TV viewers. We are delighted to confer this honour in recognition of his achievements.”
The honorary degree will be conferred on Mr Buchanan at the Graduation Ceremony at the Gannochy National Tennis Centre on campus at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday 27 June. The Chancellor of the University, Dr James Naughtie, will preside.
Graduation ceremonies
The University of Stirling’s graduation ceremonies will be held in the Gannochy National Tennis Centre on campus at 10am and 2.30pm (Wednesday 26 June) and 10am and 2.30pm (Thursday 27 June). The Chancellor of the University, Dr James Naughtie will preside.
Honorary degrees will be conferred as follows:
Wednesday 26 June 2013
- 10 a.m. - Sheikh Dr Ahmed Abdullah Al Ghazali will receive the award of Doctor of the University in recognition of his outstanding contribution to education in Oman, and to his successful career both as an educator and as a leader in education.
- 2.30 p.m. - Dame Judi Dench will receive the award of Doctor of the University in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the Arts in general and to film in particular, and acknowledges the important role she has played in highlighting dementia.
Thursday 27 June 2013
- 10 a.m. - Mr Iain Macdonald will receive the award of Doctor of the University in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the international co-operative movement as Director-General of the International Co-operative Alliance.
- 2.30 p.m. - Professor James Smith will receive the award of Doctor of the University in recognition of his outstanding contribution to our understanding of economic and health issues associated with ageing.
- 2.30 p.m. – Mr Gordon Buchanan will receive the award of Doctor of the University in recognition of his outstanding services to conservation and wildlife filmmaking.
For more on the other recipients of the Honorary degrees, please visit https://www.stir.ac.uk/events/graduation/honorary-graduates/