LSE academics, Professor Laura Bear and Professor Martin Knapp, have been recognised in the New Year Honours List 2022.
Professor Laura Bear, from the Department of Anthropology, has been made Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her services to Anthropology and the COVID-19 response.
Professor Bear’s research on the impact of COVID-19 on disadvantaged UK communities with the LSE COVID and Care group led to government policy on social bubbles and community champions.
This impact was achieved through Professor Bear’s work with the Independent Scientific Pandemic Insights Group on Behaviours (SPI-B) and the Ethnicity subgroups of SAGE.
She also advised the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on Community Champions policy and the Cabinet Office on humane contact with the unwell and memorialisation of loved ones at the peak of the pandemic.
Commenting on the award, Professor Bear said: “This award is a tribute to the power of anthropology and collaborative work to create policy. Drawing on the research of the LSE COVID and Care Team, which carried out social listening in real time - especially with community organisations and disadvantaged groups - I was able to bring new insights and evidence to decisions at the heart of government.
“Anthropology’s focus on inequality also led me to mount robust challenges to the impact of COVID-19 policy on minoritized groups and their health outcomes, especially processes of stigmatization, particularly in work I led on in SAGE’s Ethnicity subgroup.
“I am very grateful to all the anthropologists who joined me in these initiatives and to the local government, third sector and community groups I learnt from. It has been a privilege to be part of this collective effort to make a difference. I have learnt to speak boldly, something I could only do as an independent academic amplifying the knowledge of ‘informants,’ who were the real experts.”
Professor Martin Knapp, Professor of Health and Social Care Policy at the Department of Health Policy and a Professorial Research Fellow at the Care Policy and Evaluation Centre (CPEC) was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services for Social Care Research.
Professor Knapp’s research interests are in the areas of social care, child and adult mental health, dementia and autism. Much of his work uses economic arguments and evidence to inform policy discussion and influence practice development.
Commenting on the award, Professor Knapp, who is also an alumus of the School (MSc(Econ) Econometrics & Math Econ 1975). said: “I am delighted and honoured (in both senses) to have this recognition for the research we do in the Care Policy and Evaluation Centre (CPEC) – which we’ve been doing at LSE for 26 years now – and previously when at Kent University and KCL. This is also recognition of achievements by the NIHR School for Social Care Research (SSCR), which we have been leading from LSE since it was established in 2009.
“As a national researcher-led large investment in social care research (£51 million since 2009), SSCR is, I think, unique across the world. And CPEC is, without doubt, one of the top two or three research centres globally in this field.
“Social care faces huge and increasing challenges today. Our research tries to find ways to improve the lives of people who are often in very difficult situations.”
Visiting Fellow in the Department of Anthropology and alumnus (BA Anthropology and Law 2006) Ziman Samuel was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to victims of domestic violence.
LSE would like to congratulate all our staff, former staff and former students who were recognised in the 2022 New Year’s Honours.
Alumni and students honoured include:
Elizabeth A Breeze OBE (MSc(Econ) Voluntary Sector Organisation 2001), Order of the British Empire for services to Philanthropic Research and Fundraising.
Ellen F Buttrick MBE (student), Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to Rowing.
John A Cooke MBE (Research Fee International History 1965), Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to Opera.
Gareth N Davies CB (MSc(Econ) Economics 1999), Order of Bath Companion for Public Service.
Professor Sir Anthony C W Finkelstein CBE (MSc Analysis,Design & Management of Info 1982), Knight Bachelor for Public Service.
Julie K A Foley OBE (1998), Order of the British Empire for services to Managing Flood Risk.
Simon E French OBE (BSc International Relations 1982), Order of the British Empire for services to Railway Safety.
Kate Grussing CBE (General Course 1985, Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to Social Care Research.
Martin S Lewis CBE (BSc(Econ) Government & Law, Research Fee Government/Politics 1994, 1995), Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to Broadcasting and Consumer Rights.
Zimran Samuel MBE (BA Anthropology and Law 2006), Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to victims of Domestic Violence.
Mitesh P Sheth MBE (BSc Actuarial Science 1999), Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to Diversity and Inclusion in the Financial Services Sector.
Jeffrey Golden (General Course 1971, PhD course 1972-75) was also appointed as Queen’s Counsel Honoris Causa (Honorary QC) in December. Honorary QC is awarded to those who have made a major contribution to, and impact on, the law of England and Wales, and how it is advanced, outside practice in the courts.