Staff news

University staff become Royal Society of Edinburgh Fellows

Twelve academics have been named as Royal Society of Edinburgh Fellows within the 2020 cohort.

Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) Fellows are leading thinkers and experts from Scotland and around the world, whose work has a significant impact on the nation. A total of 64 fellows have been elected, and they join around 1,600 existing fellows who represent the full range of physical and life sciences, arts, humanities, social sciences, education, professions, industry, business and public life.

Those awarded with the fellowship have undergone rigorous assessment of their achievements, professional standing and societal contribution. Fellows, who give their time freely, play a fundamental role in enabling the RSE to deliver its mission: ‘Knowledge Made Useful’, contributing to the cultural, economic and social well-being of Scotland and the wider world.

The diverse expertise and experience of our fellows, means that, as an organisation, we are well-placed to respond to the issues of the day with clear informed thinking free from commercial or political influence.  Our new fellows, who we look forward to welcoming, not only hold vast knowledge but also deep experience, keen judgement, boundless enthusiasm and a passion for promoting societal development and change.  By using their talents as a collective, we can often unlock or inspire new potential and unearth fresh solutions to some of the most complex issues Scotland’s society faces today.

Professor Dame Anne GloverPresident of the Royal Society of Edinburgh

Newly elected University of Edinburgh Fellows

The University congratulates the 12 academics who have been awarded the fellowship:

  • Professor Rosalind Allen FRSE  Professor of Biological Physics
  • Professor Penny Fielding FRSE  Grierson Professor of English Literature
  • Professor Thomas Gillingwater FRSE  Chair of Anatomy
  • Professor Bruce Guthrie FRSE  Professor of General Practice
  • Professor Ailsa Henderson FRSE  Professor of Political Science
  • Professor Nasar Meer FAcSS FRSE  Professor of Sociology
  • Professor Simon Mudd FRSE  Professor of Earth Surface Processes
  • Professor Scott Murray MBE FRSE  Emeritus Professor of Primary Palliative Care
  • Professor Francisca Mutapi FAAS FZAS FRSE  Professor of Global Health, Infection and Immunity
  • Professor Alexandra Rowe FRSE  Professor of Molecular Medicine
  • Professor Chris Speed FRSE  Chair of Design Informatics
  • Professor Stephen Tierney FRSE  Professor of Constitutional Theory

Related links

Royal Society of Edinburgh website