Internationally-renowned physicist Sir Robert Hughes Williams, a Cowbridge resident, has been awarded a Knighthood in this year's Queen's Birthday Honours List.

Sir Robert has been recognised for his services to higher education, research and the Welsh language.

A Fellow of the Royal Society, before his Vice Chancellorship at Swansea, he headed Cardiff's Physics and Astronomy Department. Researching semi-conductor physics, advanced electronic devices and nanotechnology, he published over 300 academic papers.

Co-director of Cardiff's III-V Semi-conductor and Microelectronics Centre, he led a major drive to develop this research area, paving the way for Cardiff University's recent emergence as a worldwide compound semi-conductor hub.

He has been an influential member on several prominent research bodies, volunteering his services, for the UK Research Councils and 2008 Welsh Government Higher Education Task and Finish Group.

In 2015, he helped oversee Sêr Cymru ('Stars Wales'), a successful £50 million investment to boost Wales' research capacity.

An inaugural member of the Chief Scientific Advisor for Wales' Science Advisory Council for Wales (SACW) from 2010, he acted selflessly as reserve Chair, before becoming a permanent Chair between 2015-18.

In 2016, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services commissioned him to lead work considering scope for creating a single Wales-wide body for health workforce planning.

Since retirement, he has provided significant service to several academic fields across Wales.

A first-language Welsh speaker, he has worked tirelessly to champion the language. He led the group instrumental in setting up the Coleg Ffederal, later renamed 'Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol' (Welsh National College) in 2011.

He has also been a Council member & Vice-Chair of Techniquest - Wales' largest science education charity.