Heriot-Watt scholars convene across disciplines to drive societal change through research

Several scholars from across Heriot-Watt University will form the inaugural cohort of a new fellowship designed to fund research that will transform society.

The Panmure House Fellowship, launched by Edinburgh Business School earlier this week, will play a critical role in impacting society and shaping the future. The first fellows include Heriot-Watt scholars Professor Beth Watts-Cobbe (School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society), Professor Eoin McLaughlin (Edinburgh Business School), Dr Melis Ceylan (Edinburgh Business School), and Professor Carmen Boado-Penas (School of Mathematics & Computer Science).

Edinburgh Business School’s Executive Dean, Professor Angus Laing, said: “The Panmure House fellowship is about pushing intellectual boundaries and making contributions to society, but it is also about engaging with who we are and honouring the careers and contributions of our people. We can only do so much in our short lives, but we can measure what we achieve by how we develop others.”

Adam Smith’s Panmure House, Edinburgh Business School’s centre for world-influencing social and economic research and debate, will support the Fellows with a range of opportunities to develop their research, extend their impact, and build their academic careers.

Heriot-Watt's Adam Smith Chair in Sustainable Capitalism, Professor Adam Dixon said: “The Panmure House Fellowship is critical for fostering collaboration across the University and for driving transformational change to enrich society.”

Professor Beth Watts-Cobbe, a Professorial Fellow at Heriot-Watt’s Institute for Social Policy, Housing and Equalities Research (I-SPHERE) in the School of Engineering & Information Sciences, is effecting social change for the most disadvantaged through her work on homelessness and destitution.

Professor Eoin McLaughlin, Professor of Economics and Head of Research in Edinburgh Business School’s Accountancy, Economics & Finance Department, is currently authoring a book that will further the science behind ‘inclusive wealth,’ engage the public with the principles of Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations, and address many of the issues facing society today.

Dr Melis Ceylan, Assistant Professor in Edinburgh Business School’s Marketing & Operations Department, will contribute to sustainable business and protect consumers. Her work addresses how exclusion can impact consumer behaviour and influence a buyer’s quest for belonging.

Professor Carmen Boado-Penas, Professor of Actuarial Science at Heriot-Watt University's School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, conducts research that influences policy and supports a balanced approach to pension systems that will help to shape the future.

As the first cohort of Panmure House Fellows takes up post, Edinburgh Business School remains committed to making a difference. The School’s mission is to lead the world in globally accessible, practice-oriented business education and research, and its vision is to transform lives and organisation for the betterment of societies globally.