OU in Wales Director is among Society’s new Fellows

The Open University in Wales' director Louise Casella is among 66 new Fellows elected to the Learned Society of Wales. 

Academics, researchers and public figures join the Society from across academic and civic life in Wales and beyond.

Specialisms run from aerospace engineering to the history of African Europeans, ceramic microstructures to the Baroque violin, women in surgery to the National Trust and much else in-between.

A full list of the new Fellows, listing their institutions and research areas, can be downloaded here. 

Professor Hywel Thomas, President of the Society said:

“The expertise of our new Fellows is outstanding. The range of research shows that Wales is well-placed to meet the environmental, technological, social, cultural, political and health challenges we face.

“The Society’s ability to bring together this talent allows us to initiate and influence important debates about how Wales, the UK and the world can navigate the turbulent waters we are in today.

“I am most pleased that 50% of our new Fellows are women. This shows we are starting to meet our commitments on equality, diversity and inclusion. There is further to go, as we work to make the Society reflect Wales’ diversity, but this is an important step.”

It's an honour to be elected as a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales, and to be among other new Fellows who have made such a varied contribution to higher education, the sciences and public life. I look forward to working with them to promote the benefits of lifelong learning and research, and how they can address the challenges we all face.

Women make up half of this year's intake, which is a significant step. I'm proud to be one of them, and I hope we continue to see even greater representation of Wales's diverse society in academic life as we go forward.

Louise Casella
Director, The Open University in Wales

Honorary Fellows

The Society has also admitted four new Honorary Fellows who come with a world-class reputation and status in their field:

Baroness Brown of Cambridge Professor Julia King is an engineer, one of the UK’s most respected voices on climate change and chairs the UK Climate Change Adaptation Committee. 

Charles Burton is one of Wales’ leading artists, whose work has an international flavour but captures in particular the landscapes and qualities of the Rhondda, from where he comes.

Dame Sue Ion is an engineer who has become a leading advocate for, and government advisor on, energy policy and the safe and efficient use of nuclear power.

Sir Karl Jenkins, born in the Gower, is a cross-genre musician and composer whose music is amongst the most performed in the world today.