Three experts
in public policy, accounting and international relations from Northumbria
University are among 64 outstanding social scientists recognised by the Academy
of Social Sciences today.
Dr Howard Reed,
Professor Kathryn Haynes and Professor Helena Farrand Carrapico have all been elected
to the Academy’s prestigious Fellowship, which is awarded for excellence in
research and applied professional use of social science in their work.
After decades
of pioneering work on the microsimulation of tax-benefit systems, Dr Howard Reed, a Senior Research Fellow in Public
Policy from the Department of Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing,
is one of the three Northumbria Fellows to be recognised.
Having
previously held the positions of Chief Economist at the Institute of Public
Policy Research (IPPR) and Programme Director, Work and Incomes Research, at
the Institute for Fiscal Studies, he has made a significant contribution to the
understanding of fiscal modelling and macroeconomics within research since
joining the University in 2022.
His work as
Economics Lead for the group of researchers known as the Common Sense Policy Group at Northumbria has underpinned the
Beveridge-style vision of Act Now, which sets out 10 key policies to
achieve national renewal, its follow up, Basic Income: The Policy That Changes Everything and numerous related reports and publications, including the group’s
biannual response to the UK Government Budget and Spring Statement.
Dr Reed has secured
around £4 million in research funding from organisations including Wellcome
Trust, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and the Economic
and Social Research Council (ESRC), as well as public and third sector bodies,
such as the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, Greater London Authority,
and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. This has all contributed to his work on
informing public policy and presenting clear, alternative approaches to
politicians and policymakers in Britain.
Speaking of
becoming a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, Dr Reed said: “I am
grateful for this honour and extremely proud to be part of an excellent
multidisciplinary team in the Department of Social Work, Education and
Community Wellbeing at Northumbria. I’m now one of five Fellows in the
department, reflecting a rapid growth in research intensivity and, critically,
world-leading expertise.
“This is timely
recognition of my work in exploring the economic and health impacts of public
policy, as we begin a groundbreaking new study funded by the National Institute
for Health and Care Research, which will examine the impact of welfare reform
on tackling health inequalities.”
Professor of
Accounting at the University’s Newcastle Business School, Professor Kathryn Haynes, works to demonstrate the powerful role
of accounting within society, particularly in relation to the interaction of
equality and sustainability. Her research, published in leading accounting
journals, addresses feminism, gender and diversity, the circular economy, and
accountability. She is also an expert in qualitative research methodologies,
particularly autoethnography, which involves a researcher connecting their
personal experiences to wider cultural, political, and social understandings.
Professor
Haynes has recently completed a Major Research Fellowship awarded by the
Leverhulme Trust. This two-year programme of work explored contemporary global
feminisms and their relationship with gender, race and class within accounting,
as a profession and as a practice. Her book outlining the research outcomes, Accounting for Feminism - Exploring Emancipation for Profession and Practice, is being published by Routledge later this month.
As a Fellow of
the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and an active
member of the ICAEW’s Sustainability Committee for eight years, Professor
Haynes’ expertise straddles academia and practice. She has conducted several
research projects funded by the ESRC on the United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals, as well as aspects of gender inequality in professions. She
was also a founding co-facilitator of the Principles of Responsible Management
Education (PRME) Gender Equality Working Group. Professor Haynes joined Northumbria in 2020.
Speaking of
today’s recognition from the Academy, Professor Haynes said: “I am delighted to
be conferred with the award of Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. This
honour is a career highlight, which recognises my sustained contribution and
commitment to researching the role of accounting in wider society, particularly
in relation to inequalities.
“Although I am
preparing to retire from full-time academic work, this award, together with the
position of Professor Emerita awarded by Northumbria University, enables me to
continue to engage with the powerful impact of social science in understanding
equality and diversity in professions and organisations.”
Professor
of International Relations and European Politics, Professor Helena Farrand Carrapico joined the Department of Social
Sciences at Northumbria in 2019 and is renowned for her work on European
internal security governance. Her research
addresses how internal security concerns, such as cybercrime, organised crime,
or migration, are constructed, represented, and responded to by different
actors within the EU and the UK, as well as how policy responses impact society
at large.
She
has led research projects supported by funders including the ESRC, the British
Academy, the Royal Society, the Scottish Parliament, and the European
Commission which have led to the publication of a large number of articles in
high-ranking international relations journals. As a result, Professor Carrapico
is regarded as one of the leading academics working on European Union internal
security in the UK and has been elected
to the steering committees of two key academic associations in her field – the British
International Studies Association and the University Association for
Contemporary European Studies.
Professor Carrapico co-authored a book on the
impact of Brexit on the UK’s internal security, Brexit and Internal Security: Political and Legal Concerns on the Future UK-EU Relationship, and was
selected to serve as a Commissioner with the Independent Commission on UK-EU Relations in 2022. She is regularly invited to provide high-level
training to practitioners, including in the House of Commons, the House of
Lords and UK Government departments.
On
today’s announcement, Professor Carrapico said: “Being conferred as a Fellow of
the Academy of Social Sciences is both an honour and an important recognition
of the excellent and impactful work that social scientists do at Northumbria
University in addressing today’s complex and troubling societal challenges.
Rigorous and critical social science research is key to creating more informed
and robust societal structures and policies, fostering public understanding,
and producing meaningful change towards a kinder and more peaceful world.
“As
an international relations scholar who is deeply connected to other social science
disciplines, I am committed to advancing this critical mission through
interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration, championing the indispensable
value of social science in our rapidly evolving academic, political and
security landscape.”
All Academy
Fellows are elected for their excellence in their fields and their substantial
contributions to social science for public benefit and selection takes place by
independent peer review. All three new Fellows from Northumbria join 1,600
leading social scientists from academia, the public, private and third sectors,
with expertise which covers the breadth of the social sciences. Their practice
and research addresses some of the major challenges facing communities,
society, places and economies.
Will Hutton
FAcSS, President of the Academy of Social Sciences, said, “I’m delighted to welcome these
64 outstanding social scientists to the Academy’s Fellowship, whose research
and practice are helping to develop solutions to pressing societal issues. From
informing decision-making around environmental challenges and encouraging entrepreneurial
growth to improving planning systems and tackling educational inequalities,
their insights, skills and understanding are delivering positive impact to
improve our daily lives.”
Northumbria
University is dedicated to reducing health and social inequalities and
improving social, economic and health outcomes for the most marginalised in
society. Through its new Centre for Health and Social Equity (CHASE), researchers will be delivering world-leading health and social
equity research and creating innovative, evidence-based policies and
data-driven solutions to bring impactful change across the region, the UK and
globally.