Academic and artistic minds honoured as RSE fellows

The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE), Scotland’s National Academy, has announced 80 new Fellows, 10 of whom are academics from the University of Glasgow.

UofG’s Royal Society of Edinburgh Fellows 2022

The 80 new Fellows, from the arts, business, public service and civil society as well as academia from Scotland and beyond, will be joining the RSE’s current Fellowship of around 1,700 Fellows, who are recognised as being some of the greatest thinkers, researchers and practitioners working in or with Scotland today.

The UofG academics recognised by the RSE this year are: 

  • Professor Ravinder Dahiya, Professor of Electronics and Nanoengineering, James Watt School of Engineering.
  • Professor Stephen Driscoll, Professor of Historical Archaeology, School of Humanities | Sgoil nan Daonnachdan.
  • Professor Lindsay Farmer, Professor of Law, School of Law.
  • Professor Muhammad Imran, Professor of Communication Systems, James Watt School of Engineering.
  • Professor Mark Logan, Professor in Practice, School of Computing Science
  • Professor Frances Mair, Norie Miller Professor of General Practice and Head of General Practice and Primary Care, Institute of Health & Wellbeing.
  • Professor Roibeard Ó Maolalaigh, Vice-Principal & Head of College of Arts as well as Professor of Gaelic, School of Humanities | Sgoil nan Daonnachdan.
  • Professor Rory O’Connor, Professor of Health Psychology, Institute of Health & Wellbeing.
  • Professor Helen Walden, Professor of Structural Biology, Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology.
  • Professor Ya Ping Wang, Chair in Global City Future, School of Social & Political Sciences

Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of Glasgow, said: “I am delighted that so many of my colleagues across the University of Glasgow have been made Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

“These elections represent deserved recognition for their excellent contributions and work across a wide range of disciplines. On behalf of everyone at the University of Glasgow, I would like to congratulate all 10 of our new RSE Fellows.”

This year’s cohort represents the diversity of expertise within Scotland and the UK, with academics, leaders from business, Scotland’s tech sector, the legal sector and arts and culture industries being inducted to the Fellowship.

With a more diverse Fellowship, the RSE hopes to make even more of an impact across its policy, research and engagement work which seeks to address the key contemporary issues of the day. 

Professor Sir John Ball, President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, said: “It is a privilege to be able to welcome our new Fellows, and we are inspired by the breadth of talent and experience in our Fellowship. Every single individual elected this year has shown exceptional levels of expertise and insight in their chosen field, and their input helps RSE effect real and lasting change in Scotland’s society. 

“We look forward to working with our diverse Fellowship who provide a crucial link between the world of academic research and practice with government, business and civil society”.

Other new RSE Fellows for 2022 include Dr Sabir Zazai, chief executive at the Scottish Refugee Council since September 2017, who was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Glasgow for services to the community, and Dr Adele Patrick Creative Development Manager, Glasgow Women’s Library.

Dr Annie Lennox, Chancellor of Glasgow Caledonian University and award-winning Scottish singer, songwriter and activist, has received an Honorary Fellowship while Mr Chirikure Chirikure, Director, International Literature Festival, Harare; Litfest, was given a Corresponding Fellowship.