Profiles: Great and good line up to take new posts

AC GRAYLING is professor of philosophy at Birkbeck College, University of London. He has written and edited many books on philosophy and other subjects. He will be the new college's first Master.

Glasgow-born professor Niall Ferguson is a historian who specialises in financial and economic history, as well as the history of colonialism. The 47-year-old academic presented a six-part Channel 4 series called Civilisation: Is the West history? based on his own books.

Biologist professor Richard Dawkins is an emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford and a high-profile advocate of evolutionary theory, prompting the press to label him "Darwin's Rottweiler".

Sir David Cannadine is an eminent historian, known for a number of books. He is currently a lecturer with the rank of professor at Princeton University.

Ronald Dworkin QC, is a leading constitutional lawyer teaching at University College London and New York University. He received the 2007 Holberg International Memorial Prize in the Humanities for "his pioneering scholarly work" of "worldwide impact".

Lawrence Krauss, professor of Earth and space exploration and physics at Arizona State University, will teach cosmology and science literacy.