An ex-Formula 1 racing driver, a maverick architect and a Norfolk farmer are among the people being awarded honorary degrees at UEA this summer.Racer Martin Brundle (pictured), now an ITV sports commentator, was born in King's Lynn.

A maverick architect, an ex-Formula 1 racing driver and a Norfolk farmer are among the people being awarded honorary degrees at UEA this summer.

Innovative architect Prof Will Alsop, who receives an honorary doctor of civil law degree, is well-known for his use of vivid colours and unusual forms. His striking work includes the concept for the Norfolk-born CRed carbon reduction campaign's pioneering Star in the East project, which features a renewable power station.

Formula 1 racing driver turned ITV Sport commentator Martin Brundle, who receives an honorary doctor of civil law degree, was born in King's Lynn. In the 1980s, he went head-to-head with Ayrton Senna for the Formula 3 crown.

Receiving an honorary doctor of laws degree will be human rights campaigner Shami Chakrabati. She has been director of the pressure group Liberty for four years, working for a “culture of respect for human rights”.

Richard Jewson, lord lieutenant of Norfolk and UEA pro-chancellor, receives an honorary doctor of civil law degree. He is chairman of Archant, which publishes the EDP, and a non-executive director of Jarrold.

Prof Alexander McCall Smith - though best known as an author, including of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - will be awarded an honorary doctor of science deg-ree for his contribution to medical ethics.

Prof Lord Robert May, who receives an honorary doctor of science degree, is a cross-bench member of the House of Lords and was president of the Royal Society from 2000 to 2005 and a former chief scientific adviser to the government.

During the course of his career, American philosopher Prof Richard Rorty, who receives an honorary doctor of letters degree, has received numerous academic awards and honours, including the Guggenheim Fellowship (1973-4) and the MacArthur Fellowship (1981-86).

Norfolk-based writer Anthony Thwaite was a friend of Philip Larkin and co-edited both his poems and letters. He has published many collections of his own poetry, criticism and travel writing.

He receives an honorary doctor of letters degree along with his wife, Dr Ann Thwaite, a biographer who has written about the lives of AA Milne, Emily Tennyson, Edmund Gosse, Philip Gosse and Constance Hodgson Burnett.

Part of the Redgrave acting dynasty, Corin Redgrave's acting credits include films such as The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968), and Four Weddings. He receives an honorary doctor of letters degree.

The doyen of documentary filmmaking, Michael Cockerell, receives an honorary doctor of civil law degree for his work, including documentaries on British political history. His recent three-part history of Tony Blair's premiership received critical acclaim.

Composer, conductor and presenter Micheal Berkeley receives an honorary doctor of music degree. He is a regular presenter on BBC arts programmes and introduces Proms, concerts and festivals.

Dr Tadataka Yamada, who receives an honorary doctor of science degree, is president of the Global Health program for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, overseeing grants totalling $6bn.

Frank Oldfield, who receives an honorary doctor of civil law degree, farms 6,000 acres at East Raynham, near Fakenham. He has been a trustee of the John Innes Foundation since 1997 and was appointed chairman in 1998.

Physicist Prof John Enderby, who receives an honorary doctor of science degree, is vice-president of the Royal Society and president of the Institute of Physics. He helped relaunch physics at UEA in the form of the new Natural Sciences degree.

Prof Alexander Florence, who receives an honorary doctor of science degree, is one of the most influential and respected pharmaceutical scientists worldwide. He is editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Pharmaceutics and co-editor of the Journal of Drug Targeting.

Camila Batmanghelidjh, who receives an honorary doctor of civil law degree, has dedicated her life to helping disadvantaged children. She set up The Place to Be, offering psychotherapy and counselling to children in schools, which now serves more than 20,000 children a year across the country.

Educationalist Prof Paul Morris, who receives an honorary doctor of civil law degree, is president of the Hong Kong Institute of Education in Tai Po, which plays a major role in educating and training teachers in Hong Kong.

The honorary degrees will be awarded at this year's graduation ceremonies which take place from July 10 to 13 at UEA.