Appointments

The British Academy has announced the appointment of 38 new fellows. Those joining the national academy include UK-based psychologists, economists, historians and lawyers who have achieved distinction in the humanities and social sciences. The new fellows are: Simon Baron-Cohen, professor of developmental psychopathology, University of Cambridge; William Beinart, Rhodes professor of race relations, University of Oxford; Martin Bell, professor of archaeology, University of Reading; Robin Briggs, senior research fellow in modern history, University of Oxford; Bruce Campbell, professor of medieval economic history, Queen's University Belfast; Christine Chinkin, professor of international law, London School of Economics and Political Science; Paul Cloke, professor of human geography, University of Exeter; Jean Dunbabin, senior research fellow, University of Oxford; John Duncan, assistant director, MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge; Richard English, professor of politics, Queen's University Belfast; Philip Ford, professor of French and neo-Latin literature, University of Cambridge; Michael Freeman, professor of English law, University College London; Graham Furniss, professor of African language literature, School of Oriental and African Studies; Malcolm Godden, Rawlinson and Bosworth professor of Anglo-Saxon, University of Oxford; Rachel Griffith, professor of economics, University College London; Peter Hammond, Marie Curie professor of economics, University of Warwick; Colin Haselgrove, professor of archaeology, University of Leicester; Jonathan Haslam, professor of the history of international relations, University of Cambridge; Patsy Healey, emeritus professor of town and country planning, Newcastle University; Wilfrid Hodges, formerly professor of mathematics, Queen Mary, University of London; Glyn Humphreys, professor of cognitive psychology, University of Birmingham; Mary Jacobus, professor of English, University of Cambridge; Ruth Lister, professor of social policy, Loughborough University; John Mack, professor of world art studies, University of East Anglia; John Marenbon, senior research fellow, University of Cambridge; Roger Pearson, professor of French, University of Oxford; Christopher Pelling, Regius professor of Greek, University of Oxford; Geoffrey Pullum, professor of general linguistics, University of Edinburgh; Susan Rankin, professor of medieval music, University of Cambridge; Michael Silk, professor of classical and comparative literature, King's College London; David Smith, emeritus professor of geography, Queen Mary, University of London; Margaret Snowling, professor of psychology, University of York; Fiona Steele, professor of social statistics, University of Bristol; Peter Taylor-Gooby, professor of social policy, University of Kent; Alexandra Walsham, professor of Reformation history, University of Exeter; Reg Ward, formerly professor of modern history, Durham University; David Womersley, Thomas Warton professor of English literature, University of Oxford; Sarah Worthington, professor of law, London School of Economics and Political Science.

Two long-serving members of the University of Wolverhampton are retiring this summer. Deputy vice-chancellor Geoff Hurd is stepping down from his role after 36 years in various posts at Wolverhampton, and Gerald Bennett, pro vice-chancellor for research and external development, is retiring after 23 years at the institution.

An events management specialist has been appointed to a new post at Bucks New University. Chris Kemp becomes pro vice-chancellor and executive dean of the faculties of creativity and culture and enterprise and innovation, following the university's decision to merge the two departments. Professor Kemp has previously worked in sports and arts centre management, and has been involved in the promotion and management of more than 3,000 events, including productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company and international snooker tournaments.

The Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland has named the winners of its Carnegie Century Professorships 2011 awards. The awards enable two international scholars to spend a sabbatical period in the country. The winners are: Keith Rayner, from the University of California, San Diego, who will study language processing and the control of eye movement at the University of Dundee; and Don Garrett, from the University of British Columbia, who will take part in the "Hume at 300" celebrations of the work of the Scottish philosopher, economist and historian David Hume, and will be based at the University of Edinburgh.

Libby Aston has been named the first director of the University Alliance, the collection of pre- and post-1992 universities that are not members of the sector's other mission groups. Ms Aston is the former director of research at the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Before that, she was a special adviser to the Education and Skills Select Committee.

A professor from the University of Edinburgh has been recruited as the director of a new UK Brain Banks network. James Ironside, professor of clinical neuropathology at Edinburgh, will set up and lead the Medical Research Council initiative, which aims to tackle the shortage of brain tissue available for research. Professor Ironside also heads the neuropathology laboratories in the National CJD Surveillance Unit.

Steve Kendall has been appointed director of widening participation at the University of Bedfordshire. He is area director for Aimhigher, the programme to help young people from social groups under-represented in higher education. He has also worked on a widening participation strategic assessment for the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

Ian Rickson, a prominent British theatre director, has been appointed to an honorary professorship at the University of Kent. Professor Rickson's post in the university's School of Arts will see him contributing to the university's drama and theatre studies programme. He has previously led productions of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull and Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler.

Tim Long, senior lecturer in media at Canterbury Christ Church University, has been selected to exhibit his artwork at the Northern Print Biennale 2009. His installation, On Reflection, was one of 50 selected for the Newcastle exhibition. It will be displayed alongside internationally acclaimed artists, including Louise Bourgeois and Richard Hamilton.

The University of Wolverhampton's Nalini Patel has been named IT Service and Support Person of the Year. Competing against applicants from IPC Media and the National Health Service, among others, Ms Patel received the Service Desk Institute award for her contribution to Wolverhampton's IT service team.