New Principal Alex Freeman appointed Honorary Fellow of Linacre College

14 April 2026

We are delighted to announce that our new Principal, Alexandra Freeman, has been appointed an Honorary Fellow of Linacre College.

Alex studied zoology at New College before completing a DPhil at Linacre. She went on to spend 17 years making natural history and science documentaries, mainly for the BBC, before moving into academic leadership and research. She served as Executive Director of the Winton Centre for Risk & Evidence Communication at the University of Cambridge, where she focused on improving how evidence and uncertainty are communicated in public life, and is also the creator of Octopus, a not-for-profit publishing platform designed to reform scholarly publishing and improve research culture. In 2024 she was made a crossbench peer in the House of Lords by the independent House of Lords Appointments Committee.

The Principal of Linacre College, Nick Leimu-Brown, said:

“Alex exemplifies the very best of Linacre: a passionate advocate for open science in service of humanity, a committed champion of postgraduate study, and an inspiring role model for our students. We are immensely proud to count her among our distinguished Honorary Fellows.”

Reflecting on her appointment, Alex responded:

‘Linacre is a wonderful college, which provided me – as it has for generations of students – with a social hub throughout my graduate years. The friendships and interdisciplinary conversations I had there have had a lasting influence on my life. I am incredibly grateful to Linacre for everything it did for me as a student, and am deeply honoured to be made an Honorary Fellow.’