Four University of Melbourne academics announced as Academy of the Social Sciences Fellows

The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia has announced four University of Melbourne academics as Fellows for their 2025 intake.

With 750 elected Fellows, receiving a Fellowship of the Academy of Social Sciences is an honour conferred for scholarly distinction in research or the advancement of social sciences.

Professor Mark Wang is a Human Geographer in the School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and Director of the Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies. His research examines China’s social, economic and environmental transformations, with a focus on urbanisation, development and governance. He has contributed significant insights into China’s large-scale infrastructure projects – including the South-to-North Water Transfer Project – and their social and ecological impacts. His recent work explores China’s investment footprint in Southeast Asia and Oceania, and new approaches to water management through the River Chief System.

Professor Michelle Brown is an expert in Human Resource Management in the Department of Management and Marketing. She has undertaken research into performance and reward management, with some of her recent work examining the causes and consequences of pay secrecy/transparency for organisations and employees and the employee share participation decision making process.

Professor Guay Lim is a Professorial Fellow at the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne. Guay is a macroeconomist, and her research is to investigate the drivers of inclusive growth, the labour share of national income and business cycle stabilisation.

Professor Jo Barraket AM is a Professor of Policy Studies and the Director of Melbourne Social Equity Institute. Her research focuses on how social equity is improved through new ways of organising, resourcing and scaling social change, and the relationships between state and civil society organisations in policy processes. In 2023, she was admitted as a member of the Order of Australia for her contributions to education and to developing social enterprise.

Each year, the Academy honours individuals who have demonstrated excellence in social science research, innovative thinking and a commitment to advancing knowledge that shapes policy and societal wellbeing.

Academy President, Professor Kate Darian-Smith, said: “The appointment of all new Fellows to the Academy is a recognition of their remarkable contributions to the social sciences as researchers, policy leaders and public intellectuals. We are incredibly proud to welcome them to the Academy.”

“This year’s cohort exemplifies the Academy’s mission to support and amplify the voices of social science researchers working on the critical issues facing Australia and the world.”