Special ceremony to honour IoP Deans
Three new official portraits of former Deans of the Institute of Psychiatry (IoP) have been unveiled at a special ceremony in the IoP Wolfson Lecture Theatre, Denmark Hill Campus.
In front of an audience of current and former colleagues, alumni, friends and guests, tributes were paid to Professors Sir Robin Murray (Dean from 1982 to 1989), George Szmukler (Dean from 2001 to 2006), and Peter McGuffin (Dean from 2007 to 2009), as well as Professor Stuart Checkley whose tenure ran from 1989 to 2001.
Speeches were given by the Principal of King’s College London Professor Sir Richard Trainor, Vice-Principal (Health) at King’s Professor Robert Lechler, Dean and Head of School, Institute of Psychiatry Professor Shitij Kapur, Professor of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Anthony David, Professor of Community and Social Psychiatry Thomas Jamieson-Craig, and Professor of Psychiatric Genetics Robert Plomin.
Among the many accolades made to each Dean were “Sir Robin Murray: the Alex Ferguson of psychiatry?” (Professor Murray), “an outstanding clinician, gifted researcher and skilled diplomat” (Professor Smukler); and “one of the most well-rounded academics I know” (Professor McGuffin).
A special thank you was given to staff from the Institute Café Diner, in which Professor Murray’s portrait is set and features two of the staff, Victor and Cecilia.
In his remarks Professor Kapur said that we remember our Deans through portraits rather than plaques 'because the portraits capture not only the likeness of the person, but, their personality - and the three Deans we remember today have made a tremendous difference to the field, to IoP and to King's and will be fondly remembered for their many contributions.'
Clockwise from top left: (1) from left, Prof Jamieson-Craig, Prof Szmukler, Prof Plomin. (2) Prof Kapur and canteen staff. (3) Prof Gerald Russell, former Dean of the IoP, Prof Trainor. (4) Prof David, Prof Murray.
At a reception which followed the ceremony, guests had the opportunity to meet portrait artists June Mendoza and Nancy Newman Rice, with music by King’s second year music students The Madeleine Quartet.
Following the planned refurbishment of the ground floor of the IoP as part of the Teaching & Learning Hub project the new paintings will join the IoP’s collection of academic portraits, at the Portrait Gallery, in the foyer area outside the Wolfson Lecture Theatre.
From left to right: Professor Robert Lechler, Professor George Szmukler, Professor Sir Robin Murray, Professor Sir Richard Trainor, Professor Peter McGuffin and Professor Shitij Kapur.