Herts professor elected to Academy of Social Sciences Fellowship
Professor Rebecca O’Connell, Professor of Food, Families and Society, is one of 74 social scientists elected to the Academy’s Spring 2026 cohort, selected through independent peer review for the excellence, impact and public benefit of their work.
A globally leading expert on food, families and inequality, and a social anthropologist by training, Professor O’Connell is widely regarded as a pioneer in establishing food as a central lens for understanding the lives and relationships of children and their families. A member of the University of Hertfordshire’s Centre for Research in Public Health and Community Care(CRIPACC), the groundbreaking research she has led has shaped national debates around food poverty, informed charities and policymakers, and highlighted the realities facing households navigating hardship.
Her work, carried out in multidisciplinary teams, spans children living in low‑income families, households affected by disability or long‑term health conditions, and young people with migrant status and special educational needs. She has led major mixed‑methods and comparative studies, collaborated across disciplines, and secured funding from a wide range of external bodies to support both research and impact activity.
Professor O’Connell has an extensive publication record, including four co-authored and co-edited books. Her recent work includes Feeding the family with a disability or long‑term health condition (2024), Families and Food in Hard Times (2021) and Living Hand to Mouth (2019). She is also known for collaborating on creative research outputs -such as animations and podcasts, and research she has led has been included in two plays and a film that amplify the voices of children, families and communities affected by inequality.
Alongside her scholarly contributions, she has worked closely with organisations such as the Child Poverty Action Group and School Food Matters, and with schools, hospitals and local authorities to effect meaningful change.
Professor O’Connell said: “I’m honoured to be elected to the Academy of Social Sciences Fellowship. My work is grounded in the experiences of children, young people and families who are too often unheard in policy discussions. This recognition reflects the importance of listening to those voices and using rigorous social science to help shape fairer policies and societies that support human flourishing. Social research is a team effort and I am grateful for the mentorship and support of colleagues and collaborators including at CRIPACC, Thomas Coram Research Unit, UCL Institute of Education , and more widely, and for the generous contributions of children, families and communities that make our research possible.”
Professor Wendy Wills, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at the University of Hertfordshire, said:
“Rebecca’s election to the Academy is richly deserved and a source of enormous pride for the University. Her research has transformed understanding of food inequalities and family life, and her commitment to co‑producing knowledge with communities is exemplary. Rebecca’s work has influenced policy, supported public debate and inspired colleagues across disciplines. We are delighted to see her contribution recognised at national level.”
The Academy of Social Sciences Fellowship comprises 1,700 leading social scientists from academia, the public sector, industry and civil society. Fellows are elected for their outstanding scholarship, leadership and real‑world impact across the breadth of the social sciences.