Wednesday 9^th November was a great day for the Department of Tourism and Hospitality as we celebrated the graduation of our latest cohort of students. 

Amongst the throng was a face that was familiar to many for this year Sean, now Dr Sean Beer was awarded his PhD.  The study upon which it was based explored perceptions of the authenticity of food and had taken up much of the past 4 years of Sean’s life. It culminated in his viva which Sean’s first supervisor, Dr Lorraine Brown, described as an excellent defence. It was a double celebration as Sean also received the Vice Chancellor’s Post Graduate Research Prize, which is awarded to the research student whose performance or achievement has been most outstanding in their time at BU. 

The day was a particularly happy occasion as Sean was accompanied by his wife Anne, daughters Phoebe and Lucy, Sister Sue and mother Vivian.   As Sean said, “Throughout my life I could not have achieved what I have without the support of my family.  It would have been great if my father, Albert , could have seen this”.   Sean’s father died part way through his studies and is fondly remembered as an inspirational person.