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Bristol medievalist elected as Fellow of The British Academy

Professor Ad Putter

Press release issued: 19 July 2019

Professor of Medieval English Literature, Ad Putter, from the University of Bristol’s Department of English, has been made a Fellow of The British Academy, the voice for the humanities and social sciences.

Professor Putter, whose area of research is medieval studies, is among 76 distinguished scholars to be elected to the prestigious fellowship in recognition of his work on medieval literature and Middle English philology.

He said: “I feel hugely honoured to be elected Fellow of the British Academy. The British Academy has done so much to champion research in the humanities and social sciences, and it will be a privilege to support its mission in the years to come.

“I started at the University of Bristol as a 26-year-old lecturer, and thank all colleagues and students, past and present, for helping me to develop as teacher and researcher.”

Professor Helen Fulton, Head of Department of English, added: “Ad is an inspiring researcher, a generous collaborator, and a wonderful colleague. We are all delighted that his outstanding research and leadership have been recognised by this most prestigious fellowship.”

Professor Putter joins The British Academy, a community of over 1,400 of the leading minds that make up the UK’s national academy for the humanities and social sciences.

Current Fellows include the classicist Dame Mary Beard, the historian Sir Simon Schama and philosopher Baroness Onora O’Neill. Historic Fellows include Dame Frances Yates, Sir Winston Churchill, Baroness Mary Warnock, C.S Lewis, Seamus Heaney and Beatrice Webb.

As well as a fellowship, the British Academy is a funding body for research, nationally and internationally, and a forum for debate and engagement.

Professor Sir David Cannadine, President of the British Academy, said:“The British Academy has always recognised pioneering research in the humanities and social sciences, and 2019 is no exception. This year we have elected a particularly multi-skilled and versatile cohort of Fellows whose research crosses conventional academic boundaries.

“Whether it is climate conservation or the ageing society, the rise of artificial intelligence or social cohesion, our new Fellows’ wealth of expertise means the Academy is exceptionally well-placed to provide new knowledge and insights on the challenges of today. Their work has opened rich new seams of understanding and discovery, offering new perspectives on long-standing and emerging challenges alike.

“I extend my warmest welcome and heartiest congratulations to all our new Fellows, Corresponding Fellows and Honorary Fellows. I look forward to working with these outstanding scholars to build on the Academy’s excellent and ever-expanding record of achievement.”

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