Professor awarded rare distinction for excellence in social sciences research

Professor Wendy Larner

Press release issued: 14 April 2011

A University of Bristol professor has been awarded a rare distinction for her outstanding contributions to social sciences research.

Wendy Larner, Professor of Human Geography and Sociology in the School of Geographical Sciences, has been elected an Academician of the Academy of Social Sciences (AcSS), for her research into globalisation, governance and gender.

Academicians of the Academy of Social Sciences include distinguished scholars and practitioners from academia and the public and private sectors. Individual social scientists are conferred the title by virtue of their eminence and members are elected for life.

Professor Judith Squires, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law, said: “Congratulations to Professor Larner, I'm delighted to see that the Academy of Social Sciences has conferred upon her the award of Academician. This is excellent news, and very well deserved.”

In addition to this latest commendation, Professor Larner has a number of other national and international awards. These include British and Canadian Commonwealth Scholarships, a Fulbright New Zealand Senior Fellowship, and a Queen Mary Distinguished Visiting Fellowship. She has also been an invited visiting professor at the University of Madison-Wisconsin, University of Kentucky and the University of Frankfurt. In 2009, she was elected an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand.

This latest award brings to 16 the number of current Bristol academics whose work in the field of social science has been honoured in this way. Others who have previously been awarded the title AcSS include Emeritus Professor Bernard Alford (Historical Studies), Professor Terrell Carver (Politics), Professor Guy Claxton (Graduate School of Education), Professor Michael Crossley (Graduate School of Education), Visiting Professor Rosemary Deem (Graduate School of Education), Emeritus Professor Malcolm Johnson (Policy Studies), Professor Kelvyn Jones (Geographical Sciences), Emeritus Professor Hilary Land (Policy Studies), Emeritus Professor Richard Little (Politics), Professor Gregor McLennan (Sociology), Professor Roger Middleton (Historical Studies), Professor Tariq Modood (Sociology) and Professor Judith Squires (Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law), Professor Ray Forrest (Policy Studies) and Professor Mark Wickham-Jones (Politics).

The Academy of Social Sciences is an academic institution, which aims to promote excellence in, and the advancement of, the social sciences in the UK for the public benefit. Further information can be found on the Academy of Social Sciences website.