Robert Winston, Baron Winston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Winston
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Winston in 2017
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| Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University | |
| In office 2001 – 26 July 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Bryan Nicholson |
| Succeeded by | Helena Kennedy, Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| Assumed office 18 December 1995 Life peerage |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Robert Maurice Lipson Winston
15 July 1940 London, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse |
Lira Feigenbaum
(m. 1973; died 2021) |
| Children | 3, including Ben Winston |
| Alma mater | London Hospital Medical College |
| Occupation | Surgeon, scientist, television presenter, politician, and peer |
| Signature |  |
Robert Maurice Lipson Winston, Baron Winston (born 15 July 1940) is a famous British professor, medical doctor, and scientist. He is also a well-known television presenter and a member of the House of Lords for the Labour Party.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Robert Winston was born in London, England, on July 15, 1940. His parents were Laurence Winston and Ruth Winston-Fox. He grew up in an Orthodox Jewish family. His mother was even the Mayor of Southgate, a part of London.
When Robert was nine years old, his father sadly passed away. Robert has two younger siblings: his sister, Willow, who is an artist, and his brother, Anthony.
Robert went to several schools, including Salcombe Preparatory School and St Paul's School. He later studied medicine and surgery at The London Hospital Medical College, finishing in 1964. For a short time, he even worked as a theatre director and won an award for it!
Medical and Scientific Career
Robert Winston started working at Hammersmith Hospital in 1970. He became a research fellow there. Later, he worked as a professor in Belgium and was an advisor for the World Health Organization (WHO).
He returned to the UK and continued his important medical work. He became a professor of Gynaecology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio for a while. Back in the UK, he led a team that made big advances in understanding human fertility.
Pioneering Fertility Research
Professor Winston's team was a pioneer in a technique called pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. This method helps identify problems in human embryos very early on. It helps prevent many genetic diseases.
He also developed special surgeries for reproductive health. In 1990, his research group, with Alan Handyside, created ways to screen human embryos. This was a huge step in preventing inherited diseases.
From 2004 to 2005, he was the president of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. He has written over 300 scientific papers. He is now a Professor of Science and Society at Imperial College London. He also helps lead the Genesis Research Trust, which raises money for research into reproductive diseases.
From 2001 to 2018, he was the Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University. This means he was the head of the university.
Views on Science and Medicine
Professor Winston has strong opinions about how fertility treatments are offered. He believes that treatments should only be given after a proper diagnosis. He worries that some treatments might not be effective and can cause distress to couples.
He also believes that "science is not the truth. It’s a version of the truth." This means science is always learning and changing.
Media Career and TV Shows
Robert Winston is very well known for presenting many BBC television series. He makes science and medicine easy to understand for everyone.
Some of his popular shows include:
- Your Life in Their Hands
- Making Babies
- The Human Body (which won a BAFTA award)
- Child of Our Time (which follows a group of children as they grow up)
- Walking with Cavemen (about early humans)
- The Story of God (exploring religious beliefs)
His documentary Threads of Life, which was about DNA, won an international science film prize in Paris. He also appeared on the radio soap opera The Archers as a fertility consultant.
In 2007, he tried to learn to play the saxophone for a TV series called Play It Again. More recently, he has appeared on The Late Late Show with James Corden in the United States, doing fun science experiments.
Political Career
Robert Winston became a life peer in 1995. This means he was given the title of Baron Winston, of Hammersmith. He is a member of the House of Lords, which is part of the UK Parliament. He sits with the Labour Party.
He often speaks in the House of Lords about important topics like education, science, medicine, and the arts. He was also the Chairman of the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology. This committee gives advice to Parliament on science and technology.
Personal Life
In 1973, Robert Winston married Lira Helen Feigenbaum. They had three children: Joel, Tanya, and Ben. Ben is now a successful film and TV producer and director. Sadly, Lady Winston passed away in 2021.
Robert Winston is a big fan of Arsenal Football Club. He also loves classic cars and owns a 1930s Bentley.
He is very passionate about helping young people learn about science. He founded the Reach Out Laboratory at Imperial College. This lab brings schoolchildren into the university to do hands-on science experiments and discuss scientific ideas. He also visits schools across England to talk about science and careers.
Current Roles
- Professor of Science and Society, Imperial College London
- Emeritus Professor of Fertility Studies, Imperial College London
- Chairman of the Genesis Research Trust
- Co-chair of the UK-Israel Science Council
Honours and Awards
Robert Winston has received many awards and honours for his work. Some of these include:
- Cedric Carter Medal, Clinical Genetics Society (1993)
- Victor Bonney Medal for contributions to surgery (1993)
- Gold Medallist, Royal Society of Health (1998)
- British Medical Association Gold Award for Medicine in the Media (1999)
- Michael Faraday Prize, Royal Society (1999)
- Twenty-three honorary doctorates from universities around the world.
- The VLV Award for the most outstanding personal contribution to British television (2004)
- He was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2008.
Images for kids
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Robert Winston's signature
See also
In Spanish: Robert Winston para niños
