University of Sydney Professors Honored as Fellows of the Academy of the Social Sciences
The Academy of Social Sciences in Australia (ASSA) brings together over 700 of Australia’s leading researchers and accomplished professionals representing a spectrum of social science disciplines in Australia.
Fellows are elected through a demanding selection process where peers carefully evaluate candidates for their globally acclaimed contributions to their respective fields.
The Sydney professors joining the Academy as the 2023 Fellows are:
- Professor James Curran, Professor of History, School of Humanities
- Professor Muireann Irish, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology and Brain and Mind Centre
- Professor Sharon Naismith, Leonard P Ullman Chair in Psychology, School of Psychology and Brain and Mind Centre
“Through rigorous research and evidence-based analysis, social scientists contribute valuable insights that inform decision-making, drive innovation and enhance the wellbeing of individuals and communities. They are the architects of progress and visionaries of social science, and I warmly welcome them to the Fellowship,” said Academy President Professor Richard Holden.
Professor Ben Colagiuri, Head of the School of Psychology, congratulated Professors Naismith and Irish.
“Congratulations to Professors Sharon Naismith and Muireann Irish on their very well-deserved election as Fellows of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia. I am extremely proud of their world-leading research, which has had an enormous impact on our understanding of healthy ageing, sleep, dementia, and memory. I look forward to seeing their excellent research continue to advance our knowledge for the better of society,” he said.
Chris Hilliard, Challis Professor of History and Interim Head of School for the School of Humanities, commended Professor James Curran’s ongoing contributions to public discourse on Australia’s foreign relations.
“It is great to see Professor James Curran recognised as a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia. James’s standing as a historian of Australian foreign relations is unparalleled, and he has been a major contributor to public debate on Australia-China relations, through his books and media appearances, and most recently as a columnist for the Australian Financial Review,” he noted.