Fifty-one leading social scientists join the Fellowship of the Academy of Social Sciences

Today (26 Mar) we are delighted to announce that 51 leading UK social scientists have been conferred the award of Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. All have been have been elected on the basis of their outstanding contributions to research and to the application of social science to policy, education, society and the economy.

The Academy’s Fellowship is made up of distinguished individuals from academic, public and private sectors, across the full breadth of the social sciences. Through leadership, applied research, policymaking and practice, they have worked to help understand and tackle some of the toughest challenges facing us in modern times. Their work has contributed to the UK’s position as a world leader in the social sciences.

Among our eminent new Fellows this spring, we are proud to welcome from the public sector, for example, Sir David Norgrove, Chair of the UK Statistics Authority. His Chairmanship of the Low Pay Commission led to the introduction of the National Living Wage. The conferment of Professor Jennifer Rubin, recognises her role as one of the UK’s most influential social scientists, as Executive Chair of the Economic and Social Research Council and as UKRI’s Executive Champion for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.  The conferment of Dr Audrey MacDougall, Scottish Government Social Researcher, reflects her consistent advocacy for accurate and effective use of evidence in policymaking which has helped the Scottish Government make better decisions to tackle social injustice and inequalities.

Leading academics who are honoured with Fellowships include Professor Pauline Dibben (University of Sheffield) whose scholarship in employment relations has led to improved labour security for people with disabilities and long term health conditions. Professor Gordon Walker (Lancaster University) is renowned for his intellectual leadership in the area of environmental justice and sustainability, which encompasses analyses of the social dimensions of environmental, risk and energy issues.

These are just a few examples of those who have joined the Academy’s Fellowship this spring. Collectively, their world-class thought-leadership, research and professional expertise demonstrate the importance of the social sciences to so many domains of our political, social and economic lives, including many of the Grand Challenges we face in the UK and globally. 

Professor Roger Goodman, President of the Academy of Social Sciences said:
“We are immensely proud to welcome 51 new Fellows to the Academy who are so highly accomplished in their fields. They have been selected following a robust review by their peers and have been recognised for the excellence of their work and its applications in academia, business and the public sector.

“Over the course of their careers they have surpassed the normal requirements of their positions and many have used social sciences to deliver public benefit in the realms of social, economic and environmental policy, and in higher education, regional development, government and law. I offer our new Fellows my sincerest congratulations and look forward to collaborating with them to take forward the Academy’s ambitions.”

View our full list of new Fellows organised in alphabetical order by institution.