School of hard rocks: Queen guitarist becomes uni chief

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2008

LONDON (AFP) — Rock star and astrophysics expert Brian May took up his post as a university chancellor on Monday, warning that science funding cuts risked damaging Britain's position on the world stage.

The Queen guitarist, who last year completed a long-abandoned doctoral thesis on interplanetary dust, said he was "very proud" to become the chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) in northwest England.

The 60-year-old star, who dropped his studies in the 1970s as Queen took off, told the 500-strong congregation as he accepted the largely honorary post that science was woefully underfunded in Britain.

"It is very sad that the cuts have been so sweeping. It is a real shame. I think everyone is going through a horrific time in science in this...