Professor Polina Bayvel appointed DBE in New Year Honours List

Professor Polina Bayvel has been appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2026 New Year Honours List.

The honour recognises her services to engineering and optical communications, as well as her sustained, internationally influential contributions to optical communications research, most recently through the TRANSNET programme. Polina's work has helped shape the optical networks that underpin global digital communications, with an impact that spans both academia and industry.

Polina is the first academic, and the first woman, in UCL Electronic and Electrical Engineering to receive a knighthood while working at UCL. The entire TRANSNET team is immensely proud of this recognition and thank Polina for her guidance and commitment to the success of the programme. Congratulations, Professor Dame Polina Bayvel!