This is a list of people associated with Durham University, divided for user convenience into multiple subcategories. This includes alumni, those who have taught there, conducted research there or played a part in its founding.

Durham University is a collegiate university, so where known and if applicable, they are shown alongside their associated college. Note that college membership was not always compulsory. Staff candidates who have read for higher degrees, like the geologist Gillian Foulger or the historian Jeremy Black, did not join a college either. Alumni who did not take up membership of a college or society are therefore listed as Unattached.

This list is divided into categories indicating the field of activity in which people have become well known. Alumni who have achieved distinction in more than one field are listed in the field in which it is felt they are most associated, or have been involved in more recently.

Durham alumni are active through organizations and events such as the annual reunions, dinners and balls. By 2009, the university claimed 67 Durham associations, ranging from international to college and sports affiliated groups, catered for the more than 109,000 living alumni.

Academics Scientific entries who are, or were, Fellows of the Royal Society, have the Post-nominal letters FRS listed after their name

Astronomers and Physicists

Aba Andam (Grad Soc) – President of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (2017–2019); the first female physicist from Ghana Karen Aplin (Trevelyan) – Professor of Space Science and Technology at University of Bristol David Axon (Hatfield) – Professor of Physics at the University of Hertfordshire and Rochester Institute of Technology Gilbert Ronald Bainbridge (Hatfield) – Wolfson Professor of Energy Studies at Newcastle University John Barrow FRS (Van Mildert) – Gresham Professor of Geometry (2008–2011); Templeton Prize (2006) Eric F. Bell (Grad Soc) – Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Astronomy at the University of Michigan Brian J. Boyle (Grad Soc) – Director of the Australian Astronomical Observatory (1996–2003); Public Service Medal (2013) Olwyn Byron – Professor of Biophysics at the University of Glasgow; Rosalind Franklin Medal and Prize (2020) Richard Christopher Carrington FRS – "Observer" at Durham University Observatory (1849–1852) Martyn Chamberlain – Emeritus Professor of Physics at Durham University; Master of Grey College (2003–2011) Emma Chapman (Josephine Butler) – Dorothy Hodgkin Research Fellow at Imperial College London Temple Chevallier – Director of Durham University Observatory (1839–1871) Rosemary Coogan (University) - astrophysicist and European Space Agency astronaut Roger Davies – Philip Wetton Professor of Astrophysics at Oxford University; President of the Royal Astronomical Society (2010–2012) I. M. Dharmadasa (Grad Soc) – Emeritus Professor of Electronic Materials & Devices at Sheffield Hallam University George Efstathiou FRS (Grad Soc) – Savilian Professor of Astronomy at Oxford University (1988–1997) Richard Ellis FRS – Professor of Astronomy at UCL; Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society (2011) Keith Ellis FRS – Professor of Physics at Durham University; Dirac Medal of the IOP (2019) Andrew Fisher – Professor of Physics at University College London; former lecturer at Durham (1993–1995) Carlos Frenk FRS – Ogden Professor of Fundamental Physics at Durham University (2001–); Rumford Medal (2021) Nigel Glover FRS (Hatfield) – Professor of Physics at Durham University Monica Grady (St Aidan's) – Professor of Planetary and Space Science at the Open University Lucien Hardy (Grad Soc) – Researcher at Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics best known for the Hardy's paradox thought experiment Alexander Stewart Herschel FRS – first Professor of Physics at the College of Physical Sciences Jeremy S. Heyl – Professor of Physics and Astronomy at University of British Columbia Harold Jeffreys FRS (Armstrong) – Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at Cambridge University (1946–1958) Hans Kronberger – Scientist-in-Chief of the Reactor Group at UKAEA (1962–1969); Leverhulme Medal (1969) Chris Leighton – Distinguished McKnight University Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Minnesota Gordon D. Love (Van Mildert) – Professor of Computer Science and Physics at the University of Leeds John Lupton – Professor of Experimental Physics at University of Regensburg Alan Martin FRS – former Head of the Physics Department at Durham; Max Born Prize (2007) Richard Massey (University) – Professor of Physics at Durham University Tom McLeish FRS – Chair of Natural Philosophy at the University of York M. A. Wazed Miah (Grad Soc) – Chairman of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (–1999) Bahram Mobasher (Grad Soc) – Professor of Observational Astronomy at the University of California, Riverside Ben Moore – Director of the Center for Theoretical Astrophysics and Cosmology at the University of Zürich; Philip Leverhulme Prize (2001) Antonio Padilla – Professor of Physics at the University of Nottingham; Buchalter Cosmology Prize (2016) A. W. Pryor – Fellow of the Australian Institute of Physics; David Syme Research Prize (1964) George Rochester FRS (Armstrong) – British physicist known for having co-discovered, with Sir Clifford Butler, a subatomic particle called the kaon Graham Ross FRS (Grad Soc) – Emeritus Professor of Physics at Oxford University; Dirac Medal of the IOP (2012) Brian Scarlett (Hatfield) – Professor of Chemical Technology at Delft University of Technology (1983–2000) Caleb Scharf (University) – Director of the Columbia Astrobiology Center at Columbia University; Carl Sagan Medal (2022) Ian Smail (University) – Emeritus Professor of Physics at Durham University; Herschel Medal (2025) Graham Smith (Hatfield and Grad Soc) – Particle physicist; Head of Instrumentation Division at Brookhaven National Laboratory (2012–2017) Anna Stasto – Professor of Physics at Pennsylvania State University James Stirling FRS – Jacksonian Professor of Natural Philosophy at Cambridge (2008-2013); Provost of Imperial College (2013-2018) Paul Sutcliffe (University) – Professor of Theoretical Physics at Durham University; Whitehead Prize (2006) Mark Swinbank (St Cuthbert's) – Professor of Physics at Durham University; Philip Leverhulme Prize (2013) Nial Tanvir FRS (St Aidan's) – Professor of Physics and Astronomy at University of Leicester; Herschel Medal (2019) Elizabeth J. Tasker (Collingwood) – Associate Professor at Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency; author of The Planet Factory (2017) Sarah Thompson (Trevelyan) – Head of Physics Department at the University of York Samuel Tolansky FRS (Armstrong) – Professor of Physics at Royal Holloway College (1947–1973) John C. Travers (Hild Bede) – Professor of Physics at Heriot-Watt University; A. F. Harvey Prize (2022) Richard S. Ward FRS – Professor of Theoretical Physics at Durham University Gillian Wilson (Grad Soc) – Professor of Physics at University of California, Merced Robert Wilson (Kings College) – Pioneer of the International Ultraviolet Explorer Arnold Wolfendale FRS – Emeritus Professor of Physics at Durham University; Astronomer Royal (1991–1995)

Chemists

Cyril Clifford Addison FRS (Hatfield) – Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at University of Nottingham (1960–78) Jas Pal Badyal FRS – Professor of Chemistry at Durham University; Edward Harrison Memorial Prize (1993) Neil Bartlett FRS (King's) – Emeritus Professor of Chemistry at University of California, Berkeley; Davy Medal (2002) Richard Dickinson Chambers FRS (University) – Professor of Chemistry at Durham University (1976–2000) Tristram Chivers (Hatfield) – Emeritus Professor of Chemistry at University of Calgary Geoffrey E. Coates – Head of the Chemistry Department at Durham University (1953–1968) Jacqui Cole (Grey) – Head of Molecular Engineering at Cavendish Laboratory James Feast FRS – President of the Royal Society of Chemistry (2006–08), Royal Medal (2007) Rebecca Goss (Hatfield) – Professor of Organic Chemistry at University of St. Andrews (2018–); Meldola Medal and Prize (2006) James Finlay Weir Johnston FRS – Professor in Chemistry and Mineralogy, first Durham Fellow of the Royal Society (elected 1837) Judith Howard FRS – Professor of Chemistry at Durham University Jeremy Hutson FRS – Professor of Physics and Chemistry at Durham University (1996–); Tilden Prize (2011) David Lilley FRS (Van Mildert) – Professor of Molecular Biology at the University of Dundee; Colworth Medal (1982) Rachel McKendry (Trevelyan) – Professor at London Centre for Nanotechnology; Rosalind Franklin Award (2014) Elizabeth New (Ustinov) – Professor of Chemistry at University of Sydney; Eureka Prize (2018) Friedrich Paneth FRS – Professor of Chemistry at Durham, 1939–1953 David Parker FRS – Professor of Chemistry at Durham (1992–); twice Head of Department John A. Pyle FRS (Grey) – Professor of Physical Chemistry at the University of Cambridge (2007–2018) Peter J. H. Scott (Ustinov) – Professor of Radiology and Pharmacology at University of Michigan Peter Skabara (Grad Soc) – Ramsay Professor of Chemistry at University of Glasgow

Classicists and Archaeologists

John Atkinson (Hatfield) – Emeritus Professor of Classics at University of Cape Town Eric Birley – Master of Hatfield College (1949–1956) David Breeze (University) – Chief Inspector of Ancient Monuments for Historic Scotland (1989–2005) Martin Carver – Professor of Archaeology at the University of York Sam Challis (Hatfield) – Director of the Rock Art Research Institute (RARI) at the University of the Witwatersrand Robin Coningham – Professor of Early Medieval Archaeology; UNESCO Chair in Archaeological Ethics and Practice in Cultural Heritage Roy W. Davies (Hatfield) – classicist and historian of the Roman army; Service in the Roman Army (1989) Brian Dobson (Hatfield) – Reader Emeritus of Durham University; President of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle Robert Malcolm Errington (Hatfield) – Emeritus Professor of Ancient History at University of Marburg Alan Greaves (Grey) – Lecturer in Archaeology at University of Liverpool William Greenwell FRS (University) – archaeologist, canon at Durham Cathedral Birgitta Hoffmann (Ustinov) – Director of the Roman Gask Project Michael Jarrett (Hatfield) – Professor of Archaeology at Cardiff University Iain MacIvor (Hatfield) – Chief Inspector of Ancient Monuments for Scotland (1980–1989) Charlotte Roberts - Professor of Archaeology at Durham University (since 2004) J. E. H. Spaul (Hatfield) – British epigrapher and specialist on the Army of the Roman Empire Malcolm Todd – Professor of Archaeology at the University of Exeter (1979–1996); Principal of Trevelyan College (1996–2000) Leslie Peter Wenham – Head of History at St. John's College, York Tony Wilkinson – Professor of Archaeology (2006–2014)

Computer scientists Sue Black – Professor of Computer Science and Technology Evangelist at Durham University Leslie Blackett Wilson (King's) – former Chair of Computer Science at the University of Stirling Keith Clark (Hatfield) – Emeritus Professor in the Department of Computing at Imperial College London Simon Colton (St Aidan's) – Professor of Computational Creativity at Queen Mary University of London Max Garagnani (Grad Soc) – Lecturer, Department of Computing, Goldsmiths University of London David Gavaghan (Grey) – Professor of Computational Biology at University of Oxford Edwin Hancock (Grey) – Emeritus Professor of Computer Vision at the University of York

Economists and Political scientists

Ewan Anderson – Emeritus Professor of Geopolitics at Durham Alexander Betts – Professor of Forced Migration and International Affairs at University of Oxford