News

Professor Alan Walker, FBA

Professor Alan Walker, of the Department of Sociological Studies, has been elected as a Fellow of the British Academy. The Academy is the UK’s national body for the promotion of the humanities and social sciences, and election to fellowship is among the most prestigious academic honours. Professor Walker now joins the likes of poet Seamus Heaney, historian Eric Hobsbawm, and former Sheffield academics Sir Anthony Bottoms, Sir Ian Kershaw, and David Luscombe in its fellowship.

Professor Walker has long been at the forefront of research into social gerontology and social policy, publishing widely in these fields, and directing major national and international research programmes. He is currently Director of the £22 million RCUK New Dynamics of Ageing Programme and is also Director of the EU funded FUTURAGE Project, which has developed a roadmap for future ageing research.

Doctoral Training Centre opens

Accredited by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) in January 2011, the White Rose Social Science Doctoral Training Centre will facilitate collaboration across the social sciences at the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield and York through the award of 48 postgraduate studentships per year.

By combining the expertise of the White Rose Universities, the DTC will deliver excellent supervision, first class training and vibrant intellectual environments for postgraduate research students. It will enable them to participate in our national and international networks of industrial partners, opinion formers, policy makers and academics, and will produce doctoral graduates with outstanding skills and flexibility.

All three institutions have ambitious strategies to develop research and scholarship to make a major impact upon global society. The social sciences are a key feature of our various efforts to promote interdisciplinary research in partnership with colleagues in science, medicine and the arts and developing a large and vibrant social science post-graduate research community with access to the very best subject specific, core, advanced and skills based training is an integral part of these strategies.