ACCESS Director Birgitta Gatersleben elected Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences
Published on 13 March 2026
We are delighted to announce that ACCESS Director, Professor Birgitta Gatersleben (University of Surrey), has been elected Fellow of the prestigious Academy of Social Sciences.
Birgitta’s election recognises the work that she is doing to increase the visibility, use and impact of social science to tackle our most urgent environmental problems.
The Academy’s Fellowship comprises 1,700 leading social scientists from academia, the public, private and third sectors.
Academy Fellows are elected for excellence in their fields and for their substantial contributions to social science for public benefit. Selection is through an independent peer review which recognises their excellence and impact.
Birgitta said: “I am honoured to be elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. Social science is essential to help understand and address environmental issues. I’m delighted to join a community of scholars committed to using research to improve society.”
President of the Academy, Will Hutton FAcSS, said, “I’m delighted to welcome these leading social scientists to the Academy’s Fellowship this spring. Their substantial contributions have furthered knowledge and our understanding in tackling a wide range of societal challenges… We look forward to working with them to further promote the important role the social sciences play in our daily lives.”
ACCESS would also like to congratulate all the Fellows who have been elected this spring and to offer personal congratulations to Professor Lucie Middlemiss, environmental social scientist at the University of Leeds.