Professor Ayres, a Professor of Public Policy and Governance in the School for Policy Studies, is one of 41 scientists welcomed into the Academy as part of the Spring cohort.
Professor Ayres joined the University of Bristol in 2005, and her work has focussed on understanding how diverse actors help solve complex social problems through collaboration and local leadership.
A renowned expert on English devolution, Professor Ayres has been an academic advisor to three UK Governments, meaning she is regularly invited to provide written and oral evidence to government enquiries.
Professor Ayres said: “I’m delighted to be joining such an esteemed group of Fellows, each of whom has made an important contribution to social science. I will use my position as Fellow to continue to engage critically with policymakers in pursuit of solutions to complex social problems.
“There is a vital role for social science in promoting scientific excellence, good governance and social justice in contemporary policy making. I look forward to playing my part.”
Professor Ayres is currently working on a large research grant project called ‘Tackling the root causes upstream of unhealthy urban development’. The project aims to improve urban development decision making so that health outcomes feature before it is too late.
As part of this work Professor Ayres is working with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to co-design an evidence-based intervention to ensure health outcomes form part of government appraisals for urban development schemes.
This Spring’s cohort of Academy of Social Sciences Fellows have been elected for their substantial contributions to social science in a range of areas including land law reform, rural socio-economic change, ageing populations, urban development and migration.
The new Fellows have been elected from 30 UK organisations, comprising 25 Higher Education Institutions, as well as think tanks, research institutes, and non-profits, and from countries beyond the UK including Australia and South Korea.
President of the Academy of Social Sciences, Will Hutton, said: “At a time when the importance of the social sciences to addressing many pressing issues cannot be overstated, it’s a pleasure to welcome these 41 leading social scientists to the Academy’s Fellowship.
“Their contributions have furthered our understanding in tackling a wide range of societal challenges including mitigating health and economic inequalities, understanding the causes and effects of hate crime, the development of inclusive practices in education, and the future of cities. We look forward to working with them to further promote the vital role the social sciences play in all areas of our lives.”