Professor Gemma Catney and Professor Christopher Lloyd are human geographers from the School of Natural and Built Environment and the only academics from Northern Ireland to be selected in this latest round.

The Academy is a distinguished community of world-leading social scientists from academia, the public, private and third sectors who work together to address major challenges in society, locally and globally. A total of 45 leading social scientists were appointed today, spanning research areas including urban governance and public policy; health technology assessment; hunger and food insecurity; migration and forced displacement; and international law.

Prof Gemma Catney is a population and social geographer who is being recognised for her internationally excellent scholarship on ethnic and racial diversity, segregation, inequalities, and migration, and for her leadership in providing crucial evidence on these themes. Her research is playing a major role in shaping and informing public, policy and political understandings of the UK’s changing ethnic geographies.

Commenting on her Fellowship, she said: “It is an honour to join this prestigious community of internationally leading scholars. Social scientists are uniquely well-positioned to address our most pressing societal challenges, from the global to the local. I will use this opportunity to promote and enhance the vital role of the social sciences, particularly through my research on ethnic and racial population change and inequalities.”

Prof Chris Lloyd is being recognised for his internationally leading research in deprivation, spatial inequalities and residential segregation. His research has provided critical insights into deprivation change in neighbourhoods across the UK and South Africa. Prof Lloyd’s research is being used to understand inequalities and to target resources to those in need, shaping the work of analysts in central, devolved and local government and third-sector organisations.

He said: “I am delighted to be conferred as a Fellow in recognition of my research on population change and neighbourhood deprivation. I look forward to working with the Academy in championing the value of the social sciences in tackling social and spatial inequalities.”

President and Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast, Professor Sir Ian Greer said the recognition from the Academy shone a light on the role of the social sciences, both within the University and radiating out into impact on society.

He said: "It is a great honour that two of our academics have been singled out in this way by the Academy of Social Sciences. These prestigious Fellowships not only recognise excellence in research but, importantly, the impact of that research.

“Social scientists further our understanding of how the world works and their research provides the evidence base for how to improve how societies function. As a University, we are enormously proud of the role our research can play in helping make the world a better, and safer, place for everyone.”

Will Hutton FAcSS, President of the Academy, added, "It’s a pleasure to welcome these 45 leading social scientists to the Academy’s Fellowship. Their substantial contributions to social science and wider society have furthered our understanding of the social and environmental factors related to population health, changing cultures of inequality, children and young people’s experiences of gaming and gambling, the importance of diversity and inclusion in organisations, and how businesses can contribute to the sustainable development goals, amongst many others.

"We look forward to working with them to further promote the important role the social sciences play in our daily lives.” 

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Inquiries to Una Bradley u.bradley@qub.ac.uk