Filmmaker Doug returns to Uni for special accolade
Ex-student’s Graduate of theYear award
Award-winning documentary filmmaker Doug Allan has returned to Stirling University to pick up a special accolade celebrating his illustrious career.
Senior Deputy Principal Professor Malcolm MacLeod presented Doug — who graduated from Stirling with a BSc Marine Biology in 1973 — with a Graduate of the Year award in recognition of his achievements, which include eight Emmys, five BAFTAs, two Polar Medals and the Fuchs Medal.
His work work has featured on The Blue Planet, Planet Earth and Frozen Planet among many documentaries.
The recognition comes 11 years after he received an Honorary Doctorate from Stirling and eight years after he became an Honorary Professor of the university’s Institute of Aquaculture.
Presenting him with the award during a special lunch, Professor MacLeod said: “Our Graduates and Students of the Year are inspirational role models and fantastic ambassadors for our university. Collectively, they represent a diverse range of backgrounds, academic achievements and personal, professional and sporting accomplishments.
“Doug has received a range of plaudits during his illustrious career and we hope this Graduate of the Year honour will hold a special place in his affections.”
The award reflects Doug’s work in highlighting — and inspiring people to tackle — the environmental challenges facing the world. As part of his current theatre tour, ‘Wild Images, Wild Life’, he reflects on how pollution and climate change adversely impact the natural world.
The award panel drew parallels between his work and the world-renowned research carried out by the university in the areas of environment and climate change.
Accepting the award, Doug said: “It is a great honour to receive this award from the University of Stirling. I’m very grateful to be recognised in this way.”
Reflecting on his time at Stirling, he recalled: “I first came to Stirling in 1969, just two years after it was founded, to study marine biology. It was a small, intimate university and I was attracted by both its size; the flexibility of the courses; and, of course, the beautiful campus and location — it was ideally placed for all of the things that I wanted to do. I often enjoyed afternoon walks up Dumyat, and was part of the canoe club and tennis table team too.
“I valued the knowledge gained during my degree and it was a great way to start my career.”
On graduating he had a number of diving jobs, taking him to Germany and the Red Sea, before securing the role of research diver on the British Antarctic Survey station at Signy Island, in the South Orkneys, in 1976.
Over the next 10 years, he spent five winters and nine summers working in the region and, during that time, he was awarded the Fuchs Medal and the Polar Medal for his work. It was also during that decade that he had the opportunity to film emperor penguins in the wild. The resulting footage featured in BBC series Birds for All Seasons — and Doug’s career took a new direction.
Since then, he has filmed at both poles, with his footage contributing to some of the world’s most famous nature documentaries.
Doug is also a celebrated stills photographer and, in addition to his behind-the-camera role, has worked as a presenter on a number of wildlife documentaries. He has contributed to a number of radio shows and written numerous articles — and his own book — about wildlife and his experiences.