Comedian Susan Morrison says she has been left speechless after being awarded an honorary doctorate by Edinburgh Napier University (ENU).
The Glaswegian – who now lives in Leith – is a familiar name on the Scottish stand-up circuit and has made a name for herself by using humour to bring academic research to new audiences during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Besides comedy, Susan has forged a career as a writer, broadcaster, newspaper and historian.
In a long series of public engagement work with ENU, she co-pioneered Bright Club in Edinburgh, helping researchers bring their work to life through comedy. She played a central role in the Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas, mentoring academics to communicate complex ideas with clarity and humour.
She played an important role in opening doors for female performers and served as a board member of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, the organisation that underpins the world’s largest arts festival, for eight years. In addition, she has spent time working to nurture groups like the Women’s Impact Network, and she has recently been appointed as an Ambassador for the Women's Fund for Scotland.
Susan was formally named a Doctor of the University during a graduation ceremony at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall today.
Susan said: “For a woman who makes her living talking, being struck speechless was a new sensation.
“I had to read the email twice, get my husband to read it to me three times, and then checked they had the right 'Susan Morrison'. They did. Edinburgh Napier doesn't make mistakes, in my experience.
“It wasn't just the impact of receiving this amazing honour that left me wordless, it was the realisation that I was being granted an honorary degree by a University that I have always held in the highest esteem, and now I feel part of the great, global Napier family. That, to me, is an incredible honour.
“Mind you, I do feel a sneaky sense of imposter syndrome, since all the public engagement work I've ever done in partnership with Edinburgh Napier's fantastic researchers has been a total joy.
“I can't quite believe I'm being honoured in such a way for having such a lot of fun whilst helping to get the work of a brilliant university out into the world, but thank you, Napier!”
Presenting Susan with her degree, Dawn Smith, Public Engagement Manager at Edinburgh Napier University, said: “Susan is a cornerstone of Edinburgh’s cultural scene.
“She has made her mark as a writer, broadcaster, historian, and comedian, and also as a daughter, wife and mother.
“Across all these roles, she has championed the voices of underrepresented people – especially women – always with her own distinctive style and wit.
“Edinburgh and Napier are richer for Susan’s love of stories, her commitment to people, and her generosity in sharing both.”