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Warwick Appoints Next Vice-Chancellor

Professor Nigel Thrift
Professor Nigel Thrift
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The University of Warwick has appointed as its next Vice-Chancellor Professor Nigel Thrift. He joins Warwick from the University of Oxford where he is currently Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research. Professor Thrift was made Head of the Division of Life and Environmental Sciences at Oxford in 2003, prior to which he chaired the Research Committee at The University of Bristol (2001 - 2003) and chaired Bristol's Research Assessment Panel (1997-2001).

Professor Thrift was born in Bath, educated at Aberystwyth and Bristol and is an international research figure in the field of geography (one of the top five most cited geographers in the world in the SSCI/ACHI Indexes, 1988-2002). During his academic career Professor Thrift has been the recipient of a number of distinguished academic awards including the Royal Geographical Society Victoria Medal for contributions to geographic research in 2003. Professor Thrift is an Academician of the Academy of Learned Societies for the Social Sciences, and was made a Fellow of the British Academy in 2003. Professor Thrift currently chairs Main Panel H for the RAE 2008; was a member of the Panel for Geography for the RAE 2001; has been a member of the Leverhulme Prize Fellowship Geography Panel since 2000 and was a member of the ESRC Research Priorities Board between 2001 and 2005.

Professor Thrift was appointed as Vice-Chancellor of Warwick by the University Council, following a joint meeting of the Senate and the Council, on Tuesday 29 November, 2005. Professor Thrift will take up his appointment next year on the retirement of Professor David VandeLinde.

Professor Thrift is 56 years of age. With his wife Lynda he will live on campus in the Cryfield Old Farmhouse. He has two children, Victoria and Jessica.

Commenting on his appointment, Professor Thrift said: "Warwick is one of the UK's most respected and influential universities. It is a dynamic and exciting institution which has already made a profound mark on the international stage. I look forward to working with academics and all Warwick's staff to enhance Warwick's research base and to develop the University's international reputation still further."

John Leighfield, Chair of the University Council, welcomed Professor Thrift's appointment saying: "Professor Thrift has an impressive track record at two of the UK's leading universities. His outstanding academic reputation is matched by his significant achievements in leading on research strategy at both Oxford and Bristol universities. We expect that his appointment will build on the outstanding achievements of Warwick to date and serve to enhance our reputation as a leading University of international stature".

 ENDS

For further information please contact:

Richard Fern, Press Officer,
Communications Office, University House
University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 8UW
024 7657 4255 email: r.w.fern@warwick.ac.uk

 

29 Nov 2005