Two Northumbria professors elected Fellows of the Academy of Social Sciences

Two leading academics from Northumbria University have been elected to the Fellowship of the Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS), in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the social sciences and to tackling major societal challenges. 

Professor Elliott Johnson, Professor of Public Policy and Vice-Chancellor's Fellow, and Professor Nicola Wake, Professor of Law, join an international community of leading social scientists who have been recognised for their impact on public life, following an independent peer review process. 

Professor Elliott Johnson is Public Affairs Lead for the Common Sense Policy Group, working closely with Professors Matthew Johnson, a Co-Director of Northumbria's Centre for Health and Social Equity (CHASE), and Daniel Nettle, both elected as Fellows of the Academy in 2024, and Howard Reed, who was elected in 2025. 

Elliott is an internationally recognised leader in disability and social security research, with his work focusing on inequalities and the social determinants of health, particularly the impact of work and welfare on disabled and underrepresented people. Working with Common Sense Policy Group colleagues, he has developed evidence-based, fully costed proposals for policy reform, including work on Basic Income as a means of mitigating health and economic inequality, and has secured more than £2.6 million in funding to support his work. 

His research has informed expert advice to Government and to the London Assembly's review of Basic Income, and he regularly appears as an expert contributor on outlets including Times Radio and LBC. His work has also been covered by the Guardian, the Financial Times, the BBC and TIME, among others. 

Elliott said: “I am deeply honoured that my work has been recognised by the Academy of Social Sciences. This is particularly meaningful as it has been the product of an ambition to challenge public policy orthodoxy and positively impact communities who have lost out over the last 40 years. These communities are precisely those that Northumbria University serves through ambitions like powering an inclusive economy. My work would not have been possible without our world-leading Common Sense Policy Group team, which has been fostered by the School of Communities and Education and supported strongly by the Faculty and University as a whole. The fact that now four members of the Group within the University have received recognition as Fellows speaks to the value of a focus on multidisciplinarity, rigour, common sense in policy design and real-world impact.” 

Professor Nicola Wake is a leading expert on vulnerable people within the criminal justice system. Nicola’s research focuses particularly on victim survivors of domestic abuse who act to defend themselves against that abuse or are coerced into offending by their abuser. Her work examines how the criminal law responds to these complex circumstances and has helped inform potential reforms to criminal law and improve responses to vulnerable people within the justice system. 

Working with the Centre for Women’s Justice, Nicola’s research into domestically abused victim-defendants has informed parliamentary submissions and contributed to policy discussions about improving the criminal justice response to domestic abuse. Her research highlights the complex relationship between coercive control, vulnerability and offending, and the challenges faced by victim-survivors whose experiences of abuse intersect with the criminal justice system. To find out more about Nicola's research, watch this short video.

Alongside her research, Nicola provides national disciplinary leadership through the Society of Legal Scholars and will serve as its President in 2027–28. She also led Northumbria Law School in securing a Faculty-wide Athena Swan Silver Award, and supports research capacity through mentoring to academic colleagues, supervising PhD students. 

Nicola said: “I am delighted and honoured to be appointed a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. This recognition reflects the importance of research that connects academic scholarship with real-world experiences. Working with the Centre for Women’s Justice, Project Resist and other third sector organisations has been fundamental to this work. I hope the Fellowship will help me continue to raise awareness of the experiences of victim-survivors of domestic abuse and contribute to research, policy and legal responses that deliver greater fairness and justice.” 

The Academy's Fellowship comprises over 1,750 leading social scientists from academia and the public, private and third sectors, elected for the excellence of their work and its impact on society. 

Will Hutton FAcSS, President of the Academy of Social Sciences said: “Our newest Fellows represent some of the most influential voices in social science today. Their work is expanding knowledge, challenging assumptions and generating insights that are informing and even redefining decision making across government, business, education and civil society. I am delighted to welcome them to the Academy and look forward to working with them to raise the profile and impact of the social sciences across the UK and beyond.”  

Northumbria University is home to world-leading research across the social sciences, from policy and health equity to law and criminal justice. Through centres including the Centre for Health and Social Equity (CHASE) and the Northumbria School of Law, researchers are developing evidence-based approaches to some of society's most pressing challenges, driving impactful change across the region, the UK and globally.